Backyard BBQ Party Ideas

A backyard barbecue is more successful with games and activities.barbecue image by reynald lassire from <a href='http://www.fotolia.com'>Fotolia.com</a>

Food is a focal point of almost every kind of party, and a backyard barbecue is no different. A gathering of friends and family for a few hours around the grill is a tradition worldwide. While backyard barbecues must provide good food for guests, they are also more enjoyable with some games and activities. When all of the food is eaten, planning some entertainment for guests of a barbecue will ensure that more visitors stay at the party.

Get Your Guests Involved

Cooking the food for a backyard barbecue is often something that a host enjoys. Hearing compliments from barbecue guests makes any cook feel good. However, a way to get all of your barbecue guests involved in the party is to ask each one to bring her favorite homemade side dish, salad or dessert to the barbecue, which lets each barbecue guest add a personal touch to the party. In addition to each guest bringing a favorite homemade dish, ask everyone to bring copies of the recipe to exchange with other guests. If someone at the barbecue likes a particular dish, the recipe is available for him to take home.

Bust the Balloon is a game that gets couples actively involved in a backyard barbecue party. All you need for this game is some balloons and a few willing couples. Couples must face each other; place a balloon between them, just resting against their stomachs. Each couple must push together to try to pop the balloon. The couple that pops the balloon the fastest is the winner. You can also play this game as a timed event to see how many balloons a couple can pop in one minute. This game is enjoyable for the participants and for those watching, especially if there are couples of different heights.

Backyard barbecue party games need to provide entertainment but not produce a mess. Party guests are less likely to play if they have a chance of getting wet or dirty, which is why a hard-boiled egg relay race is a good backyard barbecue party activity. You can either play this game with the men against the women or as couples. Either way you play it, tell the members of each team or the couples to race a set distance balancing a hard-boiled egg on a spoon. Each contestant carries the egg on the spoon from the starting line to a predetermined spot and turn around and come back as quickly as possible. If the egg drops, a person has to stop and pick it up before continuing. The team or couple that finishes first wins the egg relay.