It's smart to have Fourth of July games prepared for the kids at your next patriotic celebration. If you're planning a barbeque in the backyard, you'll have tons of room to set up relay races, potato sack games and even a tug-of-war match. Pool games are fun as well if you have a pool to work with. Just be as imaginative as possible, and try to utilize all the space you have.
Fourth of July Water Balloon Toss
One of the best Fourth of July events for kids is a water balloon toss; plus, it's easy for adults to set up. Just buy red, white and blue water balloons. You can find these at any party supply store, and some drug stores might carry them, too.
About 20 minutes before you want to kick off the game, fill up the water balloons (how many depends on how many kids you have participating), and stick them in a plastic basket. Now it's time for the kids to each choose a partner. They'll line up a few feet away from each other and begin tossing the balloon back and forth. With each turn, they take another step back. The team left standing with the water balloon that hasn't burst wins.
Tug-of-War
This is a great game to set up on the lawn. Take your rope, and tie a few red and blue streamers in the middle of the rope. Draw a line on the ground. The streamers will align with the line on the ground, and the rope will be perpendicular to this line. Then draw two parallel lines from the center line. Each line should be 15 feet from the center. If one of the teams pulls the rope and the streamers past that point, they win.
Then mark two more parallel lines past the lines you just made. Each of these lines should be 20 feet from the center. If anyone on a team crosses the line while pulling, the team is disqualified. Have an even number of children on each side of the rope, and try to distribute the weight evenly so it is a fair fight. Blow a whistle to signify the beginning of the game.
Water Relay
Relay races are so much fun and can be done on land or in the water. If you have a pool at your disposal, set up some relay races for the kids. Have some patriotic music playing in the background to get them excited for the race. Split the kids up into teams and designate which side of the pool they should be on. Then have one of the adults shout out "On your mark, get set, go!"
Just remember you'll want to be careful with children in the pool. Have several parents watching the race and it's a good idea to keep it only in the shallow end of the pool. Have several floating devices on hand in case you need them.
These Fourth of July party ideas will keep kids entertained. An entertained child is a happy one, and all the adult guests at your cookout will be thrilled.
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