Halloween Mummy Sack Race Printable: Rules, Bracket & Scorecard
A sack race is already one of the funniest things you can watch at a party — legs locked together, everyone hopping and flailing, half the racers on the grass within ten seconds. Now wrap the sacks in white fabric strips so the hoppers look like mummies, and you’ve got a Halloween party game that gets kids screaming with laughter before anyone even moves. I’ve run this exact race at two backyard parties, and it beats almost every other game on the table.
Quick note so nobody gets confused: this is NOT the toilet-paper mummy wrap game (we already covered that one — where you wrap a person in toilet paper and race). The mummy sack race is the classic potato-sack race with the sacks decorated like mummies. Different game, different supplies, equally chaotic.
What You’ll Need
The best part? You probably already own half of this.
- Sturdy pillowcases or small burlap sacks — one per racer. Pillowcases work great for kids; adult racers need a larger sack or a twin-size pillowcase. White or cream looks best.
- White fabric strips, crepe paper streamers, or painter’s tape — to wrap around the sacks in diagonal bands so they look like mummy wrappings. Strips about 2 inches wide are ideal.
- Googly eyes or black felt — cut two spooky eyes and stick them on the front of each sack with fabric glue or hot glue. This is the step that makes kids pick “their” mummy.
- Cones, pumpkins, or chalk — to mark your start and finish lines.
- The free printable below — a tournament bracket and scorecard so you can run proper heats and a championship final.
How to Make the Mummy Sacks
Set aside about 20 minutes before the party (or better: make decorating the sacks one of the party activities).
Step 1. Lay each pillowcase flat. If you’re using white pillowcases, you’re already halfway there.
Step 2. Wrap your white strips diagonally around the pillowcase from top to bottom, overlapping as you go, mummy-style. Secure each strip with a dab of fabric glue or a strip of double-sided tape. Leave a few strips loose and dangling for that just-escaped-the-tomb look.
Step 3. Glue on two googly eyes (or cut eyes from black felt) near the top opening, centered on the front. Honestly, wonky uneven eyes are funnier, so don’t stress about symmetry.
Step 4. Let the glue dry for at least an hour before racing.
Make one extra sack. Someone always wants to “test” theirs first, and the extra gives you a spare when a strip tears mid-race (it will, and that’s part of the fun).
Setting Up the Course
You don’t need much space, which is why this works in backyards, church lawns, classrooms, and driveways. Measure 25–30 feet from start to finish for kids under 10, and 40–50 feet for older kids and adults. Longer than that and the hoppers genuinely run out of steam — hopping inside a sack is a workout.
Mark the start line with chalk or painter’s tape. Mark the finish line with something festive — two pumpkins with a ribbon strung between them is my favorite. Walk the course first and clear rocks, sticks, and sprinkler heads. Falling inside a sack on soft grass is hilarious; falling on a hidden rock is not.
The Rules (Print These Out!)
Read these out loud before the first heat. Saying them once avoids 90% of arguments.
- Feet stay inside the sack at all times. No stepping out to “just reposition.” If a foot comes out, the racer must stop, step back in, and resume. That’s the only penalty.
- Hands hold the sack’s edge (gripping the top rim around your waist). This keeps the sack from slipping down — and trust me, you don’t want the mummy sack around your ankles at full speed.
- No tackling, tripping, or grabbing other racers’ sacks. Cheering and light trash-talk are encouraged; contact is not.
- Winners are decided at the chest crossing the line, not the sack edge. Close finishes happen constantly — have a judge at the finish line.
- Fallen racers can get back up and keep going. Nobody is eliminated for falling. The comeback stories are always the best part of the tournament.
Heats and Finals Format
For 8 or more racers, run heats of 4. The winner of each heat (plus the fastest runner-up across all heats) advances. For fewer than 8, take the top finisher from each of two or three heats. Everyone races at least twice, nobody sits around bored, and the final feels like a real championship.
Free Printable: Tournament Bracket
Print one copy and fill it in with a pen — this is your official race chart.
MUMMY SACK RACE — TOURNAMENT BRACKET
Party name: ______________________ Date: ______________________
HEAT 1
Lane 1: ______________________ (place: ____)
Lane 2: ______________________ (place: ____)
Lane 3: ______________________ (place: ____)
Lane 4: ______________________ (place: ____)
HEAT 2
Lane 1: ______________________ (place: ____)
Lane 2: ______________________ (place: ____)
Lane 3: ______________________ (place: ____)
Lane 4: ______________________ (place: ____)
HEAT 3
Lane 1: ______________________ (place: ____)
Lane 2: ______________________ (place: ____)
Lane 3: ______________________ (place: ____)
Lane 4: ______________________ (place: ____)
GRAND FINAL
Finalist 1: ______________________ (Heat ___ winner)
Finalist 2: ______________________ (Heat ___ winner)
Finalist 3: ______________________ (Heat ___ winner)
Finalist 4: ______________________ (Fastest runner-up)
CHAMPION: ______________________
Free Printable: Race Scorecard
Hand one to each judge or team captain to track every heat.
MUMMY SACK RACE — SCORECARD
Judge name: ______________________
Heat # ___ Winner: ______________________ Runner-up: ______________________
Falls: ___ Foot-out penalties: ___ Notes: ______________________
Heat # ___ Winner: ______________________ Runner-up: ______________________
Falls: ___ Foot-out penalties: ___ Notes: ______________________
Heat # ___ Winner: ______________________ Runner-up: ______________________
Falls: ___ Foot-out penalties: ___ Notes: ______________________
Final winner: ______________________ Best fall of the day: ______________________
Best mummy sack decoration: ______________________
Kid and Adult Versions
For kids (ages 5–10): Shorten the course to 20–25 feet and use standard pillowcases. Let younger kids hold a parent’s hand for the first hop or two — the goal is giggles, not scraped knees. Award prizes for “funniest hop” and “best mummy sack” alongside the race winners so nobody goes home empty-handed.
For adults: Stretch the course to 50 feet and use larger sacks. My honest opinion? The adult version is funnier than the kids’ version, because grown adults hopping inside a decorated pillowcase take it WAY too seriously. Add a relay twist: each team of four hops a leg, tags the next racer, and the team’s total time wins. That works perfectly for office parties and block parties.
Safety and Hosting Tips
I keep saying it because it matters: walk the course first. Clear rocks, garden tools, and anything hard. Race on grass or packed dirt — never concrete if you can avoid it. Keep a first-aid kit nearby for the inevitable skinned elbow.
Run the races before the heavy sugar rush, not after — hopping on a stomach full of candy is a recipe for a mess. Have water ready at the finish line, and assign one adult as the finish-line judge with the scorecard: every close final gets disputed, and a written record settles it instantly.
One more hosting tip: run the mummy sack race as the second-to-last game of the party, right before a calmer finale like a costume contest. It burns off the last of everyone’s energy and gives the party a peak moment people actually talk about afterward.
Want the Designed Bundle?
Everything above is free to use and print. If you’d rather skip the handwriting and get a polished, party-ready version — matching tournament bracket, scorecard, rules sheet, and sack-decorating guide in one coordinated Halloween design — check out the premium printable bundle at fukroo.etsy.com.
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