Games to Play at Fourth of July Picnics

You are hosting a Fourth of July picnic at your home or local park; and now you need to come up with some entertainment. Time to pull out some traditional picnic games and have some fun!

Potato Sack Race

Perhaps the most traditional game to play at a fourth of July picnic is the classic Potato Sack relay race. You will need burlap bags. Children stand inside burlap bags, and race to the finish line by hopping. For a really authentic look; you can order used bags from locations like this one:

http://www.burlap.biz

Three-Legged Race

Another highly traditional race for 4th of July, and loaded with fun is the Three-Legged Race. You will need scarves or strips of cloth. Contestants pair up in teams of two; and stand next to each other. The inner leg of each team member is tied to his team-mates so that the team has only "three legs". The teams then race to the finish line. Usually the race is about 150 feet from start to finish. Veteran racers will know that pairing up with someone of similar height is best. Working together is essential! Variations might include the father-daughter three legged race (father teams up with daughter), the sibling race (siblings have to team up), and the grade level race (one team from each grade competes.)

Horseshoes

A standing favorite for the (slightly) older crowd at any picnic, the game of horseshoes also has a Junior League variation! For this game, you will need to stakes, hammered into the ground about 40 feet apart, and four horseshoes. If you want to be more official in your play, you can read all of the rules of the game here:

http://www.horseshoepitching.com/start.html

Frisbee Golf

Fun for old and young alike; Frisbee Golf is as easy as finding a frisbee and a bucket or two. Players take turns throwing the Frisbee into the goal; and scoring is just like traditional golf. If you only have one bucket, (a wide rimmed bucket is best) you can simply move your "goal" around the yard for a variety of playing situations (tees).

Frisbee Golf, also called Disc Golf, is actually an official game with competitive tournaments! You can read all about the official version here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disc_golf

Scavenger Hunt

If you have a large group of youngsters gathering; setting up a neighborhood scavenger hunt is fun! You can provide a list of items each team must find by knocking at doors in the neighborhood. Make some items easy, such as a can of soup or an empty shoebox. Some items should be more difficult, such as a a piece of posterboard, a blank cd, or an old tennis shoe. Each team should be accompanied by a responsible adult! At the web-site below; you will find lists for dozens of different types of scavenger hunts, from around town to in the mall:

http://www.diva-girl-parties-and-stuff.com/scavenger-hunts.html

For more ideas of games to play at your Fourth of July picnic, you can visit this website:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/771319/10_great_kids_games_for_a_july_4th.html