Fun and Easy Party-Games for Outdoors
All you need to get started are some supplies mostly everybody has at home anyway: Towels, a favorite stuffed animal, balloons, string, plastic cups, buckets and spoons – or just some children who are eager to play.
Animal Races Spark Imagination
Set up a racetrack. For example, place to towels or chairs at start and finish line. Let the children imagine they are animal and practice how they move. Snakes slither on the ground, horses gallop, a cat sneaks and pounces, mice run on the tips of their toes. To be a frog, bend the knees all the way and jump forward. To walk like a spider, try to move on all four with your belly pointing upwards. Then let the children race, either all being the same animal or choosing their favorite animal. Which animal is the fastest? Let the children come up with their own four legged creatures.
Obstacle Runs Add Fun to the Party
For the "Egg Run" each team needs a spoons and eggs or potatoes. Set up the children in two teams. Place the egg or potato on the spoon. Ready, set, go! For a more refreshing version use little plastic cups filled with water. Place a full bucket at the start line, an empty one at the finish line. Which team can fill the empty bucket faster? Mix adult players with children. Who will get wetter?
In the "Three-legged Run" two players run together with two of their legs bound together. For "Sack-hopping" use big, sturdy garbage bags or burlap sacks (old fashioned potato sacks) if you have any. Let the players step into the bags and hop, hop, hop from start to finish line.
Food-Games are All Time Favorites
The traditional "Apple bobbing" is still a favorite with kids. Place some apples in a bowl full of water. Let the kids try to bite an apple.
For "Doughnut Jumping" tie some doughnuts on a piece of string. Let the kids jump, trying to catch the doughnut with their mouths. For a healthier version use salt pretzels, sausages, or even bananas. Make a mound of crushed ice (or flour) on a tray for this fun "Cutting Game". Place a gummy bear or gumdrop on top of it. Each child has to cut a bit of the flour mound. When the gummy bear falls, the child has to get it with his mouth. Have the camera ready!
Playing "Ice Cream Faces" can get a little messy. Each two players get a cup of ice cream, an ice cream sandwich or an ice pop. One partner gets blindfolded and has to feed his teammate.
Movement Fun for Little Ones
For "Flying Teddy Bear" each two players hold the corners of a towel. Place a teddy bear or other soft item on one of the towels. By pulling the corners players can throw the teddy up in the air. Which team can catch the teddy bear and throw him way up again?
In "Blind Flea"one player gets blindfolded. He is the blind flea. The others jump around him while the blind flea tries to catch them. To make it not too hard, each seeing flea is just allowed ten hops. In another version, the blindfolded player has to follow the sounds the other players make. If he catches somebody he can feel his face to figure out who he caught. If he guesses the right, the caught flea will be the next blind flea.
Balloons Encourage Dancing
For this version of "Balloon Dance" blow up some balloons (on hot days you can even fill them up a little bit with water) and tie them with a string around one leg of each little dancer. Goal is to pop the balloons of everybody while you have to keep your own balloon safe.
For another possible way of "Balloon Dancing" hand out one balloon to each dancing couple. Players should try to hold up the balloon with any possible body-part, except the hands. The balloon could be squeezed between the heads of the two dancers or between their bellies. The last couple whose balloon falls down last wins.
Inspiration More Important than Preparation
There is really no big set up necessary to organize some fun games. Many of them can even be used spontaneously if the BBQ does not turn out to be very child friendly. Many of the above mentioned games are old and were played by children for many decades. Of course there are many different versions. But the fun of it is, that you can change them according to the occasion, the surroundings and the age of the children. Here you can find more ideas for
