Games that liven up a BBQ. Fun recreational activities.
A barbecue where you build a fire outdoors and grill meat and vegetables to eat.
Just that alone is enough to get you excited and have fun, right? Many people—kids and adults alike—probably love barbecues, BBQs! Some families might even make sure to have a BBQ every summer.
In this article, we’ll introduce games and recreational activities to make your fun BBQ even more exciting.
We’ve gathered games and activities that anyone can enjoy, from small to large groups and regardless of age.
If you want to make the most of your BBQ time beyond just eating, be sure to check these out!
Games to liven up a BBQ: Fun Recreational Activities (1–10)
Treasure Hunt
When it comes to the real joy of a barbecue, it has to be a treasure hunt game! It’s so much fun for everyone to run around searching together.
Kids, of course, love it, and adults get totally into it too.
If you use colorful super balls as the “treasure,” preparation is a breeze! Split into teams and compete while cooperating, and the excitement will skyrocket.
There’s something thrilling about doing a treasure hunt in nature, isn’t there? It’s perfect for creating wonderful memories, with everyone’s cheers echoing around.
Give it a try as a little recreation during your BBQ break!
Conditional Shiritori
Shiritori is a word game everyone knows.
How about a twist: conditional shiritori? You’re free to set any rules, so there are many possible variations.
For example, “2-letter shiritori,” which limits word length; “red things shiritori,” which allows only red items; or “2-word shiritori,” where each person says two words per turn.
Have fun starting from brainstorming and choosing the theme together! By the way, among conditional versions, there’s also a “no-lose shiritori” that never ends.
In this version, words ending with the syllable “n” are allowed.
Watermelon splitting
When it comes to classic summer activities, “suikawari” (watermelon splitting) is a must! Since BBQs are often held by the sea, why not enjoy it together on the beach? You blindfold the player, give them a stick, and they try to figure out where the watermelon is based on everyone’s directions.
You might think a watermelon would crack as soon as it’s hit with a stick, but it’s tougher than you expect.
So swing with all your might when you strike! If there will be many children at the BBQ, it’s a good idea to limit each person to one hit, or prepare several watermelons.
NG word game
At a BBQ, there’s surprisingly a lot to do—setting up tents, grilling vegetables and meat, making curry, and so on.
Here’s a game you can enjoy at the same time as those tasks: the “NG Word Game”! Assign an NG (forbidden) word to each participant, and whoever says their assigned NG word during conversation loses.
You don’t know your own NG word, so you have to guide others into saying theirs while being careful not to say your own.
It’s a tense, lively game that really gets the conversation going—highly recommended!
Tasting/Comparative testing of XX
A game that’s guaranteed to get everyone excited using food and drinks is a tasting challenge.
For a BBQ, gather different brands of things you’d likely have anyway—like tea or cola—from various companies and try to guess which is which.
You could also do potato chip tastings, Umaibo tastings, or, in true BBQ fashion, a grilled meat sauce tasting—those all sound fun! There are many ways to run it: decide whether to allow a pre-tasting or not, whether to use blindfolds when guessing, and even whether to pinch noses.
It’s best to set the rules to match the theme.
Gesture Game
If you’re looking for a casual activity, how about a game of charades? As you know, the rules are simple: one person uses gestures to act out a prompt, and the others try to guess it.
It’s guaranteed to be even more exciting when played in teams.
These days there are smartphone apps that provide prompts, so be sure to check them out.
No-English game
Banning words everyone knows in English makes it feel like we’re kids again! But that’s exactly the secret to spicing up a barbecue.
Avoiding the English we casually use every day is surprisingly tricky—and addictive.
As everyone racks their brains to choose their words, laughter comes naturally and the conversation really takes off.
It’s fun for all ages, so it’s perfect for family and friends.
With the No-English Game, let’s make great memories to go with the delicious food!