Laid back summer parties don't call for much more than a good group of friends and a watermelon to be considered a success. But if you're looking for a few games to kick it up a notch at your next family gethering, look no further! You're sure to find some inspiration from the ideas below:
Monster bean bag toss doubles as a game and a craft. Have the cutouts ready in advance and let the kids go to town making their own monsters. Then, set the game up and have them toss away!
Too nice out to play a board game inside? Bring it outside with this creative outdoor board game. Each space displays a different activity – do the chicken dance, sing a song, be a clown – so the fun can last all day long!
I think the PGA Tour would do well to start holding golf baseball tournaments on the side. Kids will have a blast trying to hit wiffle balls into hula hoop bases – even if they aren’t training to go pro.
However, if you do have a future quarterback training to go pro in your midst, this passing practice game constructed of a tarp hung by clothesline or rope should do the trick.
Have another tarp on hand? This bulls-eye game employs kids as moving targets behind a tarp with another player on the other side armed with a hose, soaking everyone in the process. A great game for a day when it’s too hot to do anything but get wet!
Here's a win-win: keep little ones with sticky hands busy and clean with this homemade soap boat race track.
This water balloon target practice game is intended to be used on a driveway with chalk - a dart-style target is drawn and the kids use water balloons as darts. But we all know what's going to happen here: target practice...with human targets. But who cares? It's summer!
A classic comes out to play with this spray paint rendition of Twister. Bonus: you can keep playing for 1-2 weeks until it grows out!
Don’t be the one who pulls the wrong piece and lets everything come crashing down in this homemade ball-drop game! It requires some commitment as far as time, resources, and construction goes, but having a go-to yard game on hand for years to come could be well worth the effort.
On the contrary, you’ll need two supplies for this life-size checkers game: chalk and paper plates. Anything that simple is a win in my book.
And here’s a chalk game for the modern age: spell out words using a T9 keyboard made out of chalk.
How much do you want to see everyone you know play this game: strap a tissue box filled with ping pong balls to someone’s back and have them dance to shake as many out as possible in 30 seconds. This hilarious game is all-ages approved.
Get some extra use out of old pool noodles with these fun pool noodle game ideas, including Giant Ring Toss and a pool noodle javelin game – which is not nearly as violent as it sounds. And if you have a kicker in the family who wants to practice just as much as that future quarterback, this goal post made out of pool noodles will make their day!
Here’s a reason to stay outside after dark on a beautiful summer night: try this fun flashlight game. Send someone out as the firefly and have them flash their light every 60 seconds while stealthily moving around until they’re found!
Now that I’ve spent the past few hours digging through ideas I have an overwhelming need to host a party and try all of them. Who’s coming over?!
