Kids Will Love It! Fun Games for Your Barbecue
With the current boom in outdoor activities, many families are probably heading out together for camping and barbecues.
Having a lively barbecue with your friends’ families is a lot of fun, isn’t it?
Here are some games and recreational activities that kids can enjoy in those situations.
If you’re going as a family, the kids will likely be the main focus—so be sure to research and prepare activities they’ll enjoy before you head out.
We’ve included plenty of ideas for things you can only really enjoy outdoors, like games that use lots of water, so be sure to use this as a reference!
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- [Elementary School] Quick and Easy! Indoor Recreational Activities Perfect for Lower Grades
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Kids Will Love It! Fun Games to Play at a Barbecue (11–20)
Paper Cup Jenga
When you suddenly feel like playing with a big group, paper-cup Jenga is perfect.
All you need are paper cups and cardboard.
First, line up the paper cups and place a sheet of cardboard on top.
Repeat this, and your Jenga tower is complete.
Then take turns pulling out paper cups and have fun.
This way, kids, adults, grandpas, and grandmas can all enjoy it together! If you want to make it harder, you can add a rule that the cup you pull out must be stacked on top.
Russian roulette
A toy I’d love for you to try on a hot day is the “Russian Nu-retto.” It looks like a helmet with eight sticks attached.
The trick is that one of the sticks will release water when pulled.
The Russian Nu-retto also comes with original cards, and you can play by drawing a card and following the instructions written on it.
Since you’ll get soaked, it’s a toy best enjoyed outdoors.
It costs around 3,000 yen, so if you’re interested, check it out!
paper airplane
As a play activity that can also serve as a summer project, I highly recommend paper airplanes.
When people hear “paper airplane,” they might picture folding one from a flyer, but in fact, there are various products available.
If you want to enjoy powerful, long-distance flights, it’s a good idea to buy a kit designed specifically for range.
There are also paper airplanes printed with cute characters for younger children.
And if you feel that ordinary paper airplanes aren’t quite enough, check out paper-craft airplane kits as well.
arm wrestling
Arm wrestling is something you can do anywhere as long as there’s a table.
It’s also a perfect game for letting kids feel just how strong grown-ups are.
If you have multiple children, we recommend holding a tournament.
In any case, since it’s a game of strength, please be careful to avoid injuries.
By the way, the tips for arm wrestling are to keep your body straight from your shoulders to your hips when you set up, and to grip with your thumb tucked inside.
If you’re not good at arm wrestling, give these a try!
Fishing
One of the joys of outdoor activities by the water is catching fish.
Methods include fishing or scooping them up with a net.
However, if you have small children, using a trap is recommended.
First, prepare an empty plastic bottle and cut off the top portion.
Then make a hole in the bottom part, put bait inside, and insert the cut-off top upside down to complete the trap.
By the way, dried delicacies or fish sausages make good bait.
This way, there’s no need to worry about injuries.
Juice tasting
The juice taste test you often see on TV shows and YouTube is a perfect game for barbecues.
Just pour different juices into cups and have people guess the flavors—it’s sure to be a hit! If you want to create a more authentic vibe, try placing the juice containers inside a cardboard box and sticking only the straws out through holes.
Using colored straws makes it even more challenging.
There are lots of other ways to do it too, so check out YouTube for more ideas.
Kids Will Be Thrilled! Fun Games for a Barbecue (21–30)
Fun music play in nature
Let’s move our bodies together and enjoy playful music activities in nature while taking in the scenery and sounds around us.
Placing ourselves in nature and listening to the wind and the sounds of insects stimulates the five senses and helps refresh the mind and body.
As we sing, let’s wave colorful scarves and try moving them while imagining what the wind might sound like.
It’s also fun to sway the scarves with varying strengths, like a gentle breeze or a strong gust.
One of the charms of this play is being able to move freely and express yourself while sensing a variety of sounds—like leaves rustling and water flowing.
