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 liven up a BBQ. Fun recreation (41–50)
Tail tag game
“Tail Tag” is a chase game where everyone is “it.” Each player tucks a string or ribbon—acting as a tail—into their waistband, and at the start signal everyone tries to snatch each other’s tails.
The person who collects the most ribbons wins.
Anyone who loses their tail must leave the court and cheer on the remaining players.
This game can be enjoyed by both kids and adults.
Since kids are shorter and quicker, adults might find their tails gone before they know it! You only need a moderately open space, so gather family or friends and have a blast!
Stand-up game
The stand-up game is a recreation game that’s best with a decent number of people.
The rules are simple: everyone stands up on a cue, and you try to guess how many people will stand.
If you guess the number correctly, you’re out of the game (safe), and the last person remaining loses.
It gets even more exciting if the winners get a prize or the loser has to do a forfeit.
survival game
Recently, survival games have become popular not only among adults but also among children.
Amazingly, some survival game venues now even offer BBQ areas, so why not take this opportunity to give it a try? There are plenty of places where anyone—male or female—can participate casually, so go with your family or friends and blow off all the stress from work or school.
electric water gun
It’s a game where you have battles using electric water guns.
Perfect for barbecues at the beach or by the river.
Since they’re electric, the power and range are impressive.
Splitting into teams for a competition sounds fun, too.
Don’t forget to bring a change of clothes! This is a highly recommended summer activity.
Tug-of-war North, South, East, and West
When we think of a typical tug-of-war, two teams pull on a single rope.
But “Tug-of-War North-South-East-West” is an individual version that up to four people can play.
Tie a towel or string into as many loops as there are players, and each person holds one.
Start the tug-of-war while standing on one leg! Anyone who loses balance and puts both feet on the ground is out, and the last person still standing on one leg wins.
It’s not just about brute force—you can loosen your pull at times and enjoy the strategic mind games, too.
Giant Badminton
A shuttlecock about ten times the usual size! It’s “Giant Badminton” with extra-large rackets too.
The shuttlecock is roughly 20 centimeters long.
While badminton is a classic outdoor game, it can be hard to keep a rally going—but with this, even people who aren’t used to it might find it easier to hit.
You can easily buy it online, so give it a try.
Cowboy game
When you have small children around, a fun activity to try is the cowboy game.
Tie a loop at the end of a rope and spin it around—just like a cowboy in a Western movie! Using that, you spin the rope toward a target set up a few meters away and try to hit it.
If that’s too easy, you can make it more challenging by trying to catch the target with the loop at the end of the rope.
For targets, firewood or charcoal you likely have on hand for a BBQ are recommended.