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!
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Games to heat up your BBQ: Fun recreations (21–30)
Beetle collecting
At barbecue sites located in forested areas, you’ll often find broad-leaved beech forests spreading around.
Stag beetles aside, in summer you can usually spot rhinoceros beetles.
Since it’s a great opportunity, if you’re going with children who don’t often get to encounter insects, try collecting rhinoceros beetles!
flowing somen (nagashi-somen)
Grilling and eating meat at a BBQ is the best, but some people might feel that greasy food is a bit much when they’re worn out by the summer heat.
In that case, how about setting up a nagashi-somen (flowing somen noodles) station next to the BBQ—one of the season’s classic activities? Since you’ve got the chance to dine outdoors, splitting some bamboo and doing a full-fledged nagashi-somen setup would really liven things up! Plus, catching the somen as it flows down the bamboo adds a game-like element that little kids are likely to love.
When children are joining, it’s a good idea to make the slope gentler so the noodles move more slowly.
Hula hoop relay
In this game, you pass a hula hoop along while keeping your hands linked and wriggling your body—it’s addictive even for adults.
It gets heated in class competitions or inter-department matchups at the office, so why not have some hula hoops ready for your next barbecue?
Playing in the water in the river!
Taking a dip in the river to cool off during hot weather doesn’t require any special preparation, so it’s a recreational activity I can recommend to many people.
Catching river fish is fun, and at some barbecue sites, you can even try hands-on fish-catching experiences.
Red Light, Green Light
The classic children’s game “Daruma-san ga koronda.” You can play it with a small group, but with a large group even adults can really get into it.
It brings people closer together, so it’s a recommended recreation activity.
The “Haa” Game
To start playing the “Haa” game, prepare a total of eight cards: A: the “haa?” of Why?, B: the “haa” of powering up, C: the “haa” of being dumbfounded, D: the “haa” of admiration, E: the “haa” of anger, F: the “haa” of playing dumb, G: the “haa” of surprise, and H: the “haa” of heartbreak.
Next, each player draws a card and performs the type of “haa” written on it.
You win if you successfully convey to the other players which type—A through H—it is.
Since this is a game where acting skills matter, get creative and express each one clearly so it comes across well.
Super Ball scooping
“Super Ball Scooping,” a huge hit at festival stalls, is now available as a set at home improvement stores.
It’s sure to liven up any barbecue with lots of kids.
Even adults can get totally absorbed and have fun with it.
PK game
It’s a game that’s easy to join even if you’re not good at soccer.
We recommend a team-based, competitive format that everyone can enjoy.
Adding a penalty game would probably make things really exciting.
It could be fun to actively incorporate special rules, too.
After working up a pleasant sweat, let’s enjoy a delicious barbecue!
Filming everyone with a drone
Owning a drone with a camera is a basic prerequisite, but filming yourselves from above makes for some really great memories! Flying a drone may look difficult, but it’s actually quite easy.
Taking turns to pilot it is fun for everyone, so I highly recommend it!
The more people there are, the harder it gets! Finger Catch
The “Finger Catch Game,” which trains your reflexes and lets everyone have fun, is played with everyone standing in a circle.
Put the index finger of your right hand into the open palm of the person to your right, just lightly touching it.
In turn, participants chant, “Ka, ka, ka, catch,” and at the moment someone says “catch,” everyone tries to pull out the finger they had inserted.
At the same time, you must quickly grab the finger that’s been inserted into your own open hand before it escapes.
If you fail to pull your finger out or fail to catch your neighbor’s finger, you’re out.
The last person remaining wins.
The exact timing of saying “catch” is key.
It’s a game that tests concentration, timing, and careful observation of others.
