Independence Day Games for Families
You’ve got the barbecue, the little flag decorations, the fireworks—but what activities do you have planned for your Independence Day shindig? If you’re only going to have adults, you might just watch fireworks, play a few adult games, or relax together. If you have kids, however, that’s another story! You may want to have a few games prepared, just in case. Here are some fun outdoor games the kids at your party will love.
Hula Hoop Games: Remember hula hoops? These plastic toys are so much fun. If you don’t have one already, they are very inexpensive. You can have contests to see who can keep the hoop spinning the longest (or the fastest), as well as create an obstacle course where kids can run through hoops, duck beneath them, or climb around them.
Balloon Toss: Blow up red, white, and blue balloons and tell the kids that they can’t touch the ground. They’ll scramble all over the yard trying to keep the rubber spheres in the air! You could also let them play with water balloons to cool off.
Classic Playground Games: Give old games a patriotic twist. Play “Duck, Duck, Goose,” only instead do “Eagle, Eagle, Turkey!” (Explain that the turkey was originally nominated as the American symbol before the eagle.) Instead of musical chairs, play musical states, where each time a player sits down, he or she has to “claim” a state before another player does—or cite a state fact about the state you live in.
Word Games: Print out some 4th of July word searches or crossword puzzles for guests to complete. Make up some Independence Day mad libs, or sit around the fire and tell silly stories about historical figures by beginning a story with one sentence, and having each player complete the story with another sentence. For example, person one says, “George Washington went to the mall for a new pair of boots.” Player two might say, “But on the way there he got stopped by pirates who were on their way to the pretzel stand.” Carry on until the last player gets to tell a sentence, or for as long as you wish.
Get Physical: Do a 4th of July relay run, like this one. Or play Stars and Stripes: Divide into teams, giving each team a package each of red and white streamers and a set of star-shaped glasses. See who can wrap each other up the fastest, and then complete the “look” by putting on the pair of glasses at the end!
