Hosting a BBQ party is the perfect way to enjoy the summer weather. So you’ve got the food sorted and planned pretty much everything you need to host a great BBQ party, but what games should you play? Here’s a list of the 10 best BBQ party games for adults to make sure you and your guests have a great time in the sun!
Water Balloon Dodge Ball
Fun BBQ Party Game for Adults
Dodge ball isn’t just a great game for kids! You and your guests will love this fun twist on a classic childhood game. It doesn’t take much preparation and is a brilliant team game perfect for hot summer days. It’s only a short game too, so is a good quick break from some other BBQ party activities.
What you’ll need:
- Lots of water balloons!
- Large outdoor area
Number of players: 2 teams of at least 2 players
How long does it last? Around 5 minutes
How to play:
- Split your guests into teams.
- Set up a large square or rectangle shaped area and outline the boundaries and half-way line.
- Put all the water balloons in the middle and countdown from 3 to start the game.
- The players must run to the middle to grab as many water balloons as they can and throw them at the other team.
- If they manage to hit another player with a water balloon, that player must sit out.
- The team with the most players left wins!
- Be careful not to aim the water balloons at anyone’s face or to throw them too hard!
Giant Beer Pong
Alcoholic BBQ Party Game for Adults
This is a great spin on a classic frat party drinking game. Competitive games always go down well at BBQ parties so this is a perfect activities for adults this summer. You can play this giant version of beer pong, or go for the classic version if it’s too difficult to set up in your garden.
What you’ll need:
- 12 large buckets full of water
- Large outdoor area
Number of players: 2 teams with at least 1 player in each
How long does it last? 15-20 minutes
How to play:
- Arrange 6 buckets for each team in a pyramid shape at each end of the outdoor space roughly 5-10 meters apart
- Try and throw a ball into the other teams buckets
- If it lands in a bucket, the other team must pour away the bucket and put it to the side.
- You can either bounce the ball into the buckets, or try and throw it straight in. But if you miss and it goes too far, and the other team catches it, you have to remove one of your buckets.
- The team with the most buckets left wins!
Lawn Twister
BBQ Party Game for Small Groups
Twister doesn’t just have to be an indoor game. Lawn twister is a great game to play at a BBQ party and is fun for both kids and adults. It’s perfect for smaller groups and can be set up for guests to play when they fancy!
What you’ll need:
- Sheet of paper
- Small plate
- Marker pen
- Scissors
- Yellow, red, blue and green spray paint
Number of players: 2 players
How long does it last? Around 10 minutes
How to play:
- Draw around the plate on a piece of paper with the marker pen and cut out the shape to make a circular template.
- Spray paint circles on a lawn to create an outdoor twister game.
- Play twister the classic way!
Ring Toss
Easy BBQ Party Game for Adults
Ring toss is a classic simple BBQ party game for both kids and adults. It’s really easy to set up and is a casual activity that your guests can get involved with. It doesn’t cost very much either so is a great budget garden party game.
What you’ll need:
- Either a ring toss game set or if you want a budget option, you can use 2 litre bottles of fizzy drinks and some hoops
Number of players: At least 2
How long does it last? Anywhere from 5-20 minutes
How to play:
- Arrange the posts in a cross shape with a post in the centre as well.
- Each player simply takes it in turn to try and throw the hoops over the posts.
- Players earn 1 point for the outer posts and 3 points for the centre posts.
Volleyball
Best Team BBQ Party Game for Adults
Volleyball is the perfect competitive summer BBQ party game for adults. It doesn’t take much to set up and is loads of fun. This game is a classic beach party game for a reason, so why not set it up in your backyard so you can enjoy it at home too!
What you’ll need:
- Volleyball net
- Large marked area
Number of players: 2 teams of at least 2 players
How long does it last? 15-30 minutes
How to play:
- You don’t have to use strict rules but here are the official ones.
- The aim of the game is to hit the ball over the net so that the other team can’t return the ball or prevent it from hitting the ground on their side.
- Each team has a maximum of three hits to try and return the ball.
- The game starts when one team serves the ball by hitting it over the net.
- The ball must clear the net when it’s served.
- A game is played until one team earns 21 points.
Water Balloon Pinata
Crazy BBQ Party Game for Adults
Water balloon pinata is a brilliant BBQ party game for very hot days! It’s super cheap, really fun and very refreshing! Try this game if you want to cool down on a sunny day.
What you’ll need:
- Large balloons
- String or rope
- Plastic bat
Number of players: Around 5-10
How long does it last? 10-15 minutes
How to play:
- Fill up the balloons with water.
- Tie the string high enough up so you have to reach to touch it.
- Tie the balloons onto the rope.
- Try and pop the balloons with the bat as quickly as possible or let the guests take it in turns!
Frozen T-Shirt Race
Competitive BBQ Party Game for Adults
Cool down on a hot summer’s day with this great BBQ party game for both adults and kids. It’s a really simple and cheap game so perfect if you’re on a budget. You’ll need to do a bit of preparation a bit before the BBQ but it’s a quick party game to set up.
What you’ll need:
- T-shirts
- A freezer
Number of players: At least 2 players
How long does it last? 5-10 minutes
How to play:
- Soak the t-shirts in water, fold them up and freeze a few hours before the BBQ.
- Each guest is given a frozen t-shirt and must try and de-frost it as quickly as possible, un-fold it and put it on.
- The first guest to put their t-shirt on wins!
Water Relay
Funny BBQ Party Game for Adults
This is a great game to play in teams at your BBQ party and is perfect for larger groups. It’s got a great competitive edge that’s bound to get your guests in the party spirit. It takes a little bit of setting up but it’s definitely worth it!
What you’ll need:
- Small bucket for each team
- Large bucket full of water.
- Plastic tub for each team with holes in the bottom.
Number of players: Preferably 3 or more teams of 2 players
How long does it last? 5-10 minutes
How to play:
- Place the large bucket full of water at one end of the garden.
- Each team must place their small empty buckets at the other end of the garden.
- The aim of the game is for each team to try and fill their small bucket with water as quickly as possible using their plastic tub with holes in the bottom.
- Whichever team fills their bucket first wins!
Backyard Bowling
Simple BBQ Party Game for Adults
Take this classic game outdoors for your summer BBQ party. It’s easy to set up, cheap and plenty of fun! This game is perfect for casual backyard parties and is a chilled afternoon BBQ activity. All you’ll need is an outdoor bowling game set and they’re really purchase to find online.
What you’ll need:
- Plastic or inflatable giant bowling game set
- Flat large garden area
- Pen and paper
Number of players: At least 2
How long does it last? 10-20 minutes
How to play:
- Set up the bowling pins at one end of your garden.
- Each guest takes it in turns to roll the bowling ball and knock the pins down from at least 10 meters away.
- You can play as many rounds as you want, just use the pen and paper to keep a track of the score.
Giant Jenga
BBQ Party Game for Large Groups for Adults
Giant Jenga is a brilliant twist on a classic party game. It’s perfect to play at a BBQ party and you don’t need much space in your garden to enjoy the game. This budget backyard game is a perfect chilled activity for a leisurely afternoon BBQ.
What you’ll need:
- Giant jenga blocks
Number of players: At least 2
How long does it last? 10-15 minutes
How to play:
- Set up the tower by placing three blocks next to each other and then stack three blocks on top facing the other direction.
- Each player must take it in turns to remove a block, but not one on the top row!
- Place the block on the top of the tower.
- Keep going until the tower topples over.
- The player that knocks it over first loses!
Check out our guide to hosting a great outdoor party in a small garden!
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