Ultra Outdoors
Tired of playing the same old boring games each season? These outdoor cookout games provide a great addition to any backyard party, cookout, or even if you just want to have a fun evening playing games with friends. These games aren’t confined to the backyard. You can also take them on a camping trip, picnic, or as a quick activity in the park.
Best Classic Cookout Games
You could play a simple game of croquet or badminton or go lawn bowling. These are the traditional yard game activities that one can do in their backyard. However, if you want to spice things up for your next backyard bash, you may want to go big or go home.
1. Giant Jenga
Jenga is everyone’s favorite game. Most of us play it indoors on a small scale and delight when our opponent topples the tower over. What if you could play this game on a large scale? Also, what gigantic fun could you have playing it outdoors?
Giant Jenga is suitable for people of any age. This fun game contains 54 tumble tower blocks with the dimensions of 6” x 2” x 1.3”. While the dimensions may seem a little small, what begins as two feet can easily grow to four feet once people begin playing it.
This set comes with six marked blocks and an extra die that allows players the flexibility to create their own rules by incorporating them into the party game.
You could purchase the game. However, if you love to use your hands, you could make it as well. You could use wood, or to be on the safer side, foam products. Furthermore, you could create a massive tower to amaze your guests and do a gigantic game theme. The possibilities are endless.
To create it yourself, cut out timber blocks into Jenga pieces, sand them, and put a finishing coat on to seal them. While finishing them may take time, the outdoor fun is worth the effort.
2. Scavenger Hunt
Fun for all ages, you can easily keep guests busy while engaging in a scavenger hunt. If there are a lot of small children, this game can keep them entertained for hours as they look for tiny toys, candies, or chocolates hidden around the backyard.
You can make it more challenging by offering clues that need to be decoded to advance to the next level. This game will test skill, knowledge, and problem-solving capabilities. See which group or person has the talent to make it right to the end to receive the grand prize.
For adults, you can add a trivia component to make it more like Amazing Race. You can involve everyone or just leave clues in several different locations. You can dress up stations indoors or out to suit various places across the globe, and set up puzzles, obstacles, or food challenges that need to be conquered. The only limit is your imagination.
3. Human Pinata
The only materials required are snack-sized candies, glue guns, and old t-shirts. Begin by making the shirts using a glue gun to attach the candy. Have some guests put on shirts to become human pinatas as others chase them around the backyard attempting to grab candy. The sweet reward motivates people and makes for a hilarious game.
4. Human Ring Toss
This backyard game is a large version of a classic game. To play it, all you need are four inflatable donuts or pool tubes per person and a great deal of air to inflate them. Be sure they can easily fit around the middle of most of your guests. The best size tends to be 36 inches.
This game involves two people standing several feet away from each other. One person will throw the inflatable donuts, while the other person acts as the partier (the peg it goes around). The person who is the peg will need to place their hands together and over their head to catch the rings while the other individual throws them.
The added challenge to this game is that the inflatables are so lightweight that, depending on the weather, you may need to account for wind resistance. You will quickly learn who has the best tossing skills.
5. Capture the Flag
This classic game never gets old. People of any age can play as this game will test your skills, ability to strategize, and problem-solving capabilities. Not only can this game be played during the day, but there is a glow-in-the-dark version as well for nighttime play.
There are many ways to play the game. You can purchase it and use the wristbands to tell who is out. The box game comes with territory markers as well. To make it yourself, you can tape pieces of paper to each person’s hip. To get them out, other players need to remove one of the pieces.
You can also use laser tag gear that will immobilize those who are hit or grab glow sticks that are worn on the player’s bodies.
The first one to capture their opponent’s flag wins.
6. Tug Of War
The goal of this game is anything but war, hopefully. To play, all you need is to establish at least four different teams (although you can have as many as you would like) and purchase swords/battle gear.
Each team represents a country with its own diverse needs and goals. Establishing peace with each surrounding country is the ultimate goal; otherwise, war results, and your opponents can overtake you. Each team receives different scenarios on cards for goals that they must meet to win. For added fun, you can make a cheat sheet of different countries.
Each country will have to compromise with each other to achieve peace. If you cannot peacefully resolve things, war may break out, and you could be invaded. Watch out for allies, though, as you may quickly discover you are in over your head.
This outdoor party game is fun as you can make your own rules for engagement, and it emphasizes the value of cooperating.
6 Best Outdoor Cookout Adult Drinking Games
Elevate your cookout experience with these fun and engaging outdoor drinking games for adults. These games are perfect for livening up your gatherings and creating memorable experiences with friends and family. Please remember to drink responsibly and ensure everyone participating is of legal drinking age.
1. Beer Pong
Subheading: Classic Party Game with a Competitive Edge
Description: Beer pong is a popular drinking game that is perfect for outdoor cookouts. Players take turns attempting to throw ping pong balls into cups of beer (or another beverage of choice) arranged on a table. When a ball lands in a cup, the opposing team must drink the contents. The first team to eliminate all the other team’s cups wins. For added fun, create custom rules or incorporate trick shots!
2. Flip Cup
Subheading: Fast-Paced Team Drinking Game
Description: Flip cup is an exciting team-based game that combines drinking and dexterity. Participants stand around a table with a plastic cup filled with a small amount of beer or another beverage in front of them. On the count of three, the first player on each team drinks their beverage, places the empty cup on the edge of the table, and attempts to flip the cup upside down using only their fingers. Once successful, the next teammate proceeds, and the first team to finish flipping all their cups wins.
3. Beer Die
Subheading: A Strategic Dice-Throwing Drinking Game
Description: Beer Die is a traditional outdoor drinking game that combines skill, strategy, and luck. It is typically played with two teams of two players each, standing at opposite ends of a table. Place a cup of beer (or your preferred beverage) in each corner of the table. Players take turns tossing a single six-sided die high into the air, aiming for it to land on the opponents’ side of the table. The opposing team members try to catch the die after it bounces once on the table, but before it hits the ground.
4. Kings Cup
Subheading: Entertaining Card-Based Drinking Game
Description: Kings Cup is a versatile card game that can be easily adapted for outdoor cookouts. Each card drawn corresponds to a specific action or rule, such as taking a drink, starting a waterfall, or creating a new rule. When a King card is drawn, the player pours a portion of their drink into a designated “King’s Cup.” The player who draws the fourth King must drink the entire King’s Cup. This game allows for creative rulemaking and guarantees lots of laughter.
5. Drunk Jenga
Subheading: The Classic Game with a Twist
Description: Drunk Jenga adds a fun and tipsy spin to the traditional Jenga game. Write various drinking-related actions on each Jenga block (e.g., take a sip, swap seats, or start a waterfall). As players take turns removing blocks and carefully stacking them on top, they must perform the action written on the block they’ve selected. The game continues until the tower collapses, and the player responsible for the collapse must finish their drink.
6. Cornhole
Subheading: A Relaxing Drinking Game with a Touch of Skill
Description: Cornhole is a laid-back, skill-based game perfect for cookouts. Participants take turns tossing bean bags at a raised platform with a hole in the far end. Incorporate drinking rules such as taking a sip when an opponent scores or finishing a drink for a “cornhole” (when a bean bag lands in the hole). This game is excellent for casual players and can be easily adjusted to fit various skill levels and preferences.
These outdoor drinking games are sure to bring excitement and enjoyment to your next cookout. Remember to play responsibly, stay hydrated, and have fun!
Even More Unique Cookout Game Options
Life-Size Foosball Table
If you are entertaining a large group of guests, there is nothing more fun than creating a life-sized foosball game. The game itself is incredibly interactive, fun, and entertaining. It is a game for all ages, and everyone can participate.
While this may not be the cheapest backyard game to create, it is the most fun. Most people construct the outer edge with plywood or wood sheets. Some may do some latticework as well. You can choose any material that provides the border for the “table” so it doesn’t easily fall. You may need to tether it to prevent it from falling over as the ball moves.
Next, you will need seven pieces of rope that extend across the table for each of the players. It may be best to cover the rope with something to prevent friction as the players will be handling it. Two people on each end will be the goalie while the others will be the players.
Players can only move from side to side on the table and kick the ball to each other to score a goal. The team with the most goals wins.
Jumbo Chess and Checkers
Continuing with the theme of giant games, this set comes oversized. For something more cerebral, you can play two games in one: chess and checkers using the removable bases. If you buy the game, the pieces are six to ten inches in height and come with a stable, durable mat. The mat is 70” x 62” and has a waterproof backing.
This is another one that you could also make on your own or buy the pieces separately.
Take Your Outdoor Games to the Next Level
These cookout games will provide hours of fun, entertainment, and, for many of them, strategizing. There are games suited for all ages, and you can play them while noshing hamburgers and hot dogs at your next outdoor gathering. Sometimes, the adults have more fun playing kids’ games than the kids themselves.
Take a walk down memory lane or try something new this year with these backyard games. Your guests will enjoy them, and many of them are spin-offs of popular party games made life-sized.
