The Ultimate Guide to Outdoor Party Activities

When the weather’s good we all want to ditch the indoors and get outside for some fun in the sun. Summer is a perfect time for parties, whether you’re throwing a kids birthday or you’re getting the adults together for some tom foolery. These are some of our favorite outdoor party games and birthday party ideas the whole family can enjoy.

Scavenger Hunt

A scavenger hunt is simply a game where you look for clues or items in a nature setting. For example, you might make a list of natural things for people to gather like acorns, pine cones, and flowers. First to complete their list wins a big prize. Or, you could put more of an Easter egg hunt spin on this outdoor birthday party idea and have people search for small party toys — or mini bottles of booze for an adult party!

Sponge Ball Toss

Here’s another one of our DIY outdoor summer party activities that will keep kids busy while you relax. You’ll need at least five plastic plates and some colorful dish sponges. With a permanent marker, label the plates with a point system like 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, etc. Next, cut the sponges lengthwise into several strips and tie them together in the middle so they form spiky sponge balls. Use two different colors for each team. Let the plates float in a pool (or baby pool) and let kids try their luck to score points. 

Balloon Stomp

In this outdoor birthday party idea, balloons are tied to children’s feet. The aim of the game is to run around and stomp on the other kid’s balloons. The last kid with a balloon left is the winner! This is one of the many ways to incorporate birthday balloons into your outdoor party activities. Shop the Ultimate Party Super store for fun latex balloons with designs or neon colors.

Super-Sized Tic-Tac-Toe

One of the easiest backyard outdoor party activities to make yourself is this version of a super-sized tic-tac-toe. You’ll need nine hula hoops and paper plates in two different styles. Be sure your paper plates are either two different colors or they have two different easy-to-see graphics on them. After you place your hula hoops in a 3 x 3 grid, just follow the rules of tic-tac-toe using the plates as your markers.

Water Balloon Piñata

While paper mache party piñatas filled with small toys and candy will always be a part of classic outdoor party activities, we came up with a new spin on it to keep your summer parties cool. Grab a bag of at least a dozen water balloons, fill them up, and tie them together in a large bunch or place them inside a net bag. Hang it from a tree and let kids take turns whacking it and getting a little soaked.

Sardines

Tired of the same old outdoor party games like hide-n-seek? Try this popular twist on the game called Sardines. In this outdoor party activity, only one person hides and everyone else tries to find them. As people find them, they all hide in the same spot until they look like a big pack of sardines hiding together. The last person to find the hiders loses and becomes the first person to hide in the next round.

Flip Cup

Flip cup is one of those outdoor party games that you will likely already have everything you need to play. All you will need is a pack of party cups, a long table, and something good to drink. Beer or alcoholic drinks are fun for adults, but you could also use lemonade or iced tea. Line up two teams of cups half filled with the drinks on either side of the table. At the starting sound, the first players drink and try to flip their cup from being at the edge of the table upside down to rightside up. If the cup falls off the table, they can pick it up and try again. Players race in the line to be the first team to finish.

Backyard Obstacle Course

Outdoor party activities that get your kids moving are a great way to help them get exercise and hopefully wear them out for bedtime. Your obstacle course can be tailored to the age of your kids, making it more difficult for older kids and simpler for tots. Think of things like hop through hula hoops, crawl through pool noodle arches, and jump over small cones. While fun for kids, you might have even more fun making it!

Flamingo Ring Toss

Horseshoe is one of those beloved outdoor party activities that has been around for generations, but throwing heavy horseshoes isn’t exactly child-friendly. Instead, we came up with a version that’s safe and fun for littles. You’ll need one or more plastic flamingos with heads in the position where someone can throw plastic rings onto them. Give your kiddos large ring-toss rings and let them try their luck.

Our ultimate list of outdoor party activities is sure to put some pizazz into your summer events! Shop the Ultimate Party Super Store now for high-quality tableware, decorations, and party supplies. Get free shipping on orders of $59 or more.