Need some ideas for outdoor lawn games for your July 4 BBQ this weekend? Keep reading for six DIY ideas that you can make yourself - between now and then.
Outdoor Lawn Games for Super Hot Days
One thing that characterizes many of our July 4 celebrations is midsummer heat! Outdoor lawn games that help cool you off are irresistible even to the most cantankerous of your guests. Try some of these on for size this weekend:
This game is ingenious in its simplicity. Simply soak a bunch t-shirts, fold them back up, and freeze them overnight. The first person to be able to unfold and don the frozen t-shirt wins. Brrrrr...in a good way! See full instructions on A Girl and a Glue Gun, along with other fun outdoor lawn games ideas.
Image credit: 20th Century Fox
Well, you can't have a list of outdoor lawn games without water balloons, right? Dodgeball with water balloons makes for a great game with people of all ages, just don't aim for the face! Rather than using water balloons, try fashioning these water bombs instead. They're reusable and then you don't have to worry about picking up all the popped balloons after the game is over. For a project tutorial, see The Chic Site.
The Bigger, the Better
Maybe not everything is better when it's bigger, but outdoor lawn games certainly can be. Here are a few ideas for super-sizing some classic indoor board games to turn them into outdoor lawn games for maximum fun.
Full tutorial for giant dominoes on So You Think You're Crafty - this one takes a bit of time, so start now if you want it done by the weekend!
You may have lucked upon the bar version of giant Jenga before, but making your home version is pretty easy! A Beautiful Mess has a great tutorial, including tips for how to make this outdoor lawn game inexpensively and how to keep it in good shape if stored outside.
Bananagrams, the irresistible anagram game, becomes a full body workout when adapted into an outdoor lawn game. Note: You'll need lots of grass space for this one! Project tutorial on Constantly Lovestruck.
Outdoor Lawn Games for After Dark
Why should the fun stop when the sun sets? Keep the good times rolling sans fireworks with some outdoor lawn games that light up after dark.
The thing with bowling is that some people are really good at it and most people are pretty bad at it. However, playing it in the dark is a great equalizer. Just pop a glow stick in a water bottle and knock them down with a soccer ball or basketball and you've got instant merriment. See the full project tutorial for this and other outdoor lawn games at Crafts by Amanda.
