20 Fun Summer Party Games To Beat The Heat

It is exciting to think of the warm weather and the good vibes of summer. You may already plan for your next summer party games just now. And since most people are vaccinated already, and we no longer have to follow the social distancing rule, you can plan a giant party with more guests.

When it comes to summer parties, you may think of some ways to make them exciting and engaging for guests of all ages. Besides the venue, treats, and cold drinks, you also need to come up with summer party game ideas.

In this article, you will find the best summer party games that will add a lot of joy to the summer festivities.

Table of Contents

Do People Like To Play Summer Party Games?

Yes, people like to play summer party games. It is a fun way to elevate a summer party to the next level. It provides everyone with excitement and good times. It is also a great way to bond with the family and create lasting memories.

Since summer party games often involve physical movement, it is also a great way to keep everybody active in a fun and non-exhausting way.

AMAZING Summer Party Games

1. Water Gun Tag

You may want to try a water-based summer party game to cool down from the summer heat. One of the most recommended games for that purpose is a water gun tag. We put the game on top of our list because it is a lot of fun and pretty simple to do, too.

How To Play Water Gun Tag:

Prepare some water guns and a place large enough to use as the battlefield.
To make it even more fun, use colored water so you can quickly notice if someone gets hit.
Make sure to play this game outdoors because you don’t want to make the interior furniture get wet.
The team with the highest score wins, which means the team that hits the most enemies.

Number of Players:

This game can accommodate up to 11 players per batch, making it a fun game to plate with your squad.

2. Giant Jenga

The bigger, the better, they said. Jenga is fun to play indoors, but when it comes to parties and summer fun, we believe that you might want to upscale the joy by bringing out a giant Jenga.

How To Play Giant Jenga:

The rules are simple, pretty similar to the rules of the normal size. You can take one piece out in turns.
The player that causes the tower collapses loses the game.
Although it’s similar to when you play regular Jenga, since the blocks are gigantic, it will double the fun when the tower collapses.

Number of Players:

You can play with at least 2 players. But in our opinion, playing with multiple players will double the fun. We can assure that it would be exciting to see the players’ reaction when the tower finally collapses.

3. Water Balloon Pinata

Water balloon pinata is an easy and simple DIY outdoor summer game you can prepare yourself. It’s also fun because the splash of water from the balloon will be a fresh thing to enjoy in the heat of summer.

How To Play Water Balloon Pinata:

Prepare a balloon that is big and strong enough to hold water. The bigger the balloon, the better.
Everyone can take turns beating the water pinata down with their eyes blindfolded.
To add festivity, you can also fill the balloon with decorations, such as balls and glitter.

Number of Players:

To play the game, make sure you gather at least four players because in our opinion, the game won’t be fun to play with less than four players.

4. Beach Volleyball

When in doubt, going back to classic outdoor party games such as beach volleyball is always a great idea.

Beach volleyball is a fun game that can include everyone and is basically simple, and no one can resist. Plus, it will entertain everyone at the beach, too! We really think that beach volleyball guarantees fun and encourages everyone to be physically active in an exciting way.

How To Play Beach Volleyball:

Get a volleyball and a net. But you can also make a makeshift net using a beach towel.
make two teams with two players on each team.
There are three rounds in the game, and each team that reaches 21 points will win each round.

Number of Players:

Unlike indoor volleyball, in beach volleyball you only need 4 players, 2 on each team. With fewer players, we can still guarantee that the game will not be less exciting than the indoor version.

5. Obstacle Course

There are plenty of outdoor party games for kids that you can think of. One of them is an obstacle course. This is the kind of game that will provide the kids with challenges that will train their reflects and also endurance.

To create a good obstacle course, you will need proper preparation. It requires extra effort, but we can assure you that the kids will be excited and have fun with the game.

How To Play Obstacle Course:

Set up an obstacle course using items around your yard or park, such as cones, hula hoops, and jump ropes.
Kids can race against each other through obstacles. The first one to reach the finish line deserves an extra summer treat.
Make sure the course is safe for kids.

Number of Players:

As a course game, there is no limitation when it comes to the number of players. You can invite as many kids as you like, and you can let them try out the course in turns.

6. Ladder Golf Game

If a regular golf game is not possible because you are nowhere near a golf course, then we highly recommend you to play a ladder golf game, which is one of the best summer party games for adults. It takes much smaller space than a regular golf game and requires less equipment, too.

How To Play Ladder Golf:

Prepare a ladder and some bolas (a bola is two golf balls attached together with a string). You can make it yourself or get the equipment from the official ladder golf site, which is pretty easy to get.
Set the ladder on a level surface and step back five paces to create a throwing line.
Players take turns tossing bolas at the ladder stand.
Player with the highest points wins the game.

Number of Players:

Since golf is a game that can be played by one player only, you can easily play the game by yourself. However, if you want it to be more challenging you can ask other players to join and make it a competition.

7. Tug of War Game

Sometimes, family outdoor party games can become a competition to prove the strongest among all family members. However, Tug of War is a fun competition to find out on which team is the best. Yes, it is a team game, so you must divide participants into two groups evenly. Also, it is a great outdoor game to play in summer.

How To Play Tug of War:

Get a sturdy rope that is soft enough for your hands. In the original Tug of War rules, the team should consist of 8 members. However, you can improvise according to your family members, as long as the team is even in gender and strength.
The players can start tugging the rope when the referee gives a signal.
Each player pulls the rope backwards as hard as possible.
The team that pulls the rope through the center wins the game.

Number of Players:

The ideal number of players is eight on each team. But we believe this game is perfect for your big family who want to find a fun outdoor activity for everyone this summer. So it can be less or more than 8 players.

8. Sardines/Reversed Hide and Seek

A summer party should not be boring. Some ways to make it fun include playing a hilarious party game such as sardines. It is basically a reversed hide-and-seek that is enjoyable for kids and adults. In sardines, one person hides while everyone else tries to find that one person.

How To Play Sardines/Reserved Hide and Seek:

Decide on one player that needs to hide and the other players can go and find that player.
When a player finds the person hiding, they join them in the hiding spot until everyone is packed in like sardines.
It will be extra hilarious when the hiding spot is small, and everyone has to fit themselves in.

Number of Players:

As for the number of players, it’s basically up to you but it needs to be at least more than 5 players, because the more players hide in one spot, the more like sardines they will feel. Super fun!

9. Lawn Bowling Game

A backyard summer party will be much better with a backyard summer party game. One game that you can play is definitely lawn bowling.

How To Play Lawn Bowling:

In the official rule, you will need a jack as a target, a bowl to roll, and also a mat. However, you can use things you can find in your backyard or warehouse, too.
Place random objects as the jack and use any ball as the bowl. You can even use fruits and vegetables to play this game, too.
The player with the highest score wins the game.

Number of Players:

As for the number of players, you can play it individually or as a team.

10. Treasure Hunt Game

Add a buzz to your summer birthday party by arranging a treasure hunt. Yes, it is one of the classic summer party games to play, but we have to admit that it still offers a lot of excitement, especially if you make a twist on it.

How To Play Treasure Hunt:

To make your summer treasure hunt unique, you can set a specific theme prior to the game, such as using summer-related items like sunglasses, umbrellas, slippers, and many more.
Create challenging clues to keep the game interesting for adults. Since we are living in the digital era, how about incorporating QR codes or geotags to create the ultimate treasure hunt experience?
Give all players a list of all the items to find and set a time limit for each team to find the items.
The first team that can find all the items wins the game.

Number of Players:

Treasure hunt is a game for large groups. You can turn the players into smaller groups and each group can work together to find all the items on the treasure list provided.

You might also like:

11. Marco Polo

Due to the nature of summer break, everyone may wish they could be playing all summer long. To make it happen, you will need an outdoor party idea for summer so you will always be energized.

One of the best ways to spend summer is by spending your time by the pool, where you can play the game of Marco Polo with your friends. It is similar to a tag game where a player tries to locate other players using their sense of hearing. But for this game, you can also play it with your eyes closed.

How To Play Marco Polo:

Choose one player to be “it” and that player needs to close their eyes and get in the swimming pool.
The “it” must count to 10 and shout “Marco” and the other players in the pool shout “Polo.”
The one that shouts “Marco” must try to catch the player that shouts “Polo” with their eyes closed.

Number of Players:

This is a group game, and it can be played with at least 2 players.

12. Human Giant Chess

Here’s another backyard party game idea for you. What if you set up a giant chessboard? You can make it with paint or use chalk if you want a non-permanent board. You can play chess the way you can do it on a board, but with human players as the pawns.

How To Play Giant Chess:

You will need at least 32 players as pawns to play this game.
Create signs for you to differ which player belongs to which group, such as uniforms or hats.
Start playing based on the rules of the regular chess game.
It would involve shouting, which we think makes it a fun game to play outdoors in summer.

Number of Players:

32 players. So, if you plan on having an outing with your classmates this summer, we believe this is a game that needs to be included in your list.

13. Capture The Flag

Capture The Flag is an outing game usually played in a summer camp. It is basically a competition between two teams. This game requires strategic planning and teamwork, making it great as a team-building activity.

How To Play Capture The Flag:

Each team aims to snatch the other team’s flag while protecting their own flag.
You can play a couple of rounds with rotation in the team formation.
The winning team would be the team that captures the opponent’s flag and takes it to the winning team’s territory.

Number of Players:

This is a group game and each game needs to have at least six players. Also, each match will take around 10 to 30 minutes.

14. Beer Olympics Game

An adult party game often involves alcohol in one way or another. If you are looking for a unique drinking game, then you might want to try the Beer Olympics game, which is a game that combines different types of drinking games into one single tournament.

How To Play Beer Olympics:

In order to play this game, the first thing you need to do is set up a series of games and challenges, such as beer pong, flip cup, cornhole, and other games.
It will double, if not triple, the fun, and the winner gets a prize.
You will need lots and lots of beer, and you will need even more if you have lots of players joining the game.

Number of Players:

There is clearly no limitation when it comes to the number of players. You can play with as many players as you like, and also, prepare yourself to stay up all night, too!

15. Egg and Spoon Race

Sometimes, you also need to think of a family reunion summer party game. Since a family reunion is a rare occasion, then we think you want to create a lasting memory for all family members. One way to do it is by playing summer party games such as egg and spoon races.

The game is pretty simple, and it is a game that involves spoons and hard-boiled eggs.

How To Play Egg and Spoon Race:

Prepare spoons and eggs for all the players.
Set the game in an open area.
Players have to race while holding a spoon with an egg on it.
The player who reaches the finish line first without dropping the egg wins.
You can also substitute the eggs with other objects, such as ping-pong balls or marbles.

Number of Players:

As for the number of participants, you can race with 5 or 6 other players in one go. If there are more players joining, then you can make a competition and select the winners from each group to compete in the final round.

16. Watermelon Eating Contest

Tropical fruits are the perfect match for a summer fiesta. Therefore, incorporating fruits into the summer party games will make the summer vibes even greater. For example, you can make a watermelon eating contest.

How To Play Watermelon Eating Contest:

Set up the rules. There are different ways to do it, and you can create your own rules as well. For instance, You can provide big slices of watermelon so the contestants can compete on who can finish it faster.
The other way is by slicing the watermelon into small pieces and letting the contestant race to eat them without using their hands.
Players will compete by eating as much as watermelon in the given time.
The player that can finish all the watermelon the fastest, wins the game.

Number of Players:

You can play with a large number of participants, and you also need to make sure that you have enough watermelons for all the players. In our opinion, it would be a fun game to play with your family during a family summer outing.

17. Giant Beer Pong

We’ve mentioned a drinking game before. But no matter how often we bring back this one, beer pong always makes a fun party game for adults. Even better if you do it in a giant size. However, this summer, Instead of using a cup and a ping pong ball, you can use buckets and inflatable balls. It will be a lot more fun, especially if you play the game with your squad during the long-awaited summer holiday.

One more thing, we need to remind you to keep in mind that you need to do it in moderation and drink responsibly.

How To Play Giant Beer Pong:

Set up six buckets in a pyramid formation.
Each player gets an oversized ball to shoot to the buckets once per turn.
Every time a bucket is made, it has to be removed and the opponent team must drink the contents of the bucket.
The team with the highest score wins the game.

Number of Players:

You can play with as many players as you like and create groups to compete with each other, making it a competitive type of game. Also, you might want to prepare a cool prize for the winner, too!

18. Geocaching

Geocaching is an app based on real-world treasure hunts. It combines technology with real-world adventures. Geocaching can be a fun way to explore new places and challenge players’ navigational skills. It is best to do it during summer when the sun is out longer, and the weather is fit for an outdoor adventure.

How To Play Geocaching:

Players must use GPS to locate geocaches (hidden containers) at specific coordinates.
Install Geocatching app, open geocatches nearby and select a geaocatch to find.
Once you find the geocache, sign your ID on the app’s logbook.

Number of Players:

You can also play the game in groups. Personally, it would be best to play with your fellow geeks as they would love to play this type of digital game.

You might also like:

19. Kick The Can Game

This classic outdoor game, Kick The Can Game, is often associated with summertime. It is a fun game to play, which involves hiding and seeking, and the objective is to knock over a can while avoiding getting caught by the “it” player. You may remember playing this game during your childhood.

Personally, we really think that it is the best game to bring back summer memories that are hard to shake off. This is a game that has the elements of Hide and Seek, Tag, and Capture the Flag, making it one of the most exciting games to play in summer, by both kids and adults.

How To Play Kick The Can Game:

Select a spot for the can. Make sure the spot is free from boundaries and safe for you to kick it.
Select one player to be “it” and that person must try to find the other players.
When “it” kicks the can it means the game starts and other players can hide for the “it” to find.
Once “it” captures all other players, the first player captured becomes the new “it” person.

Number of Players:

This game can be played by a minimum of 5 players up to several dozens of participants, too!

20. Pin The Sunglasses On The Sun

If you want to be creative and efficient, then you can use your summer party decoration as a game prop. For example, you can play a summer version of Pin The Tail on The Donkey but twist it in a fun summery way.

How To Play Pin The Sunglasses On The Sun:

In order to play the game, hang up a large poster of a sun in an outdoor setting.
Have players take turns trying to place a pair of sunglasses on the sun while being blindfolded.
It will make a festive summer party decoration and serves as an excellent game prop as well.

Number of Players:

In terms of the number of players that can play the game, there are no exact rules for that. You can play with as many players as you like. After all, the more the merrier, right?

Latest Post:

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

What are some water-based summer party games?

There are many water-based summer party games, including water gun tag, Marco Polo, water balloon pinata, and many more. You can also make a water balloon war, similar to a pillow war, but with water balloons.

Since water can make the floor slippery, make sure that you play these games in an appropriate space to ensure safety and avoid any unwanted accidents.

How can you make your summer party so much fun?

You can make your summer party so much fun with proper planning. First, determine the party’s theme and decorate the venue accordingly. Food and beverages are also some of the critical factors of a fun summer party. Don’t forget to play some summer party games to keep the guest engaged and entertained.

How can you make sure your summer party games are safe for all guests?

First, you must inform the guests about the games you plan to play to ensure that everyone is involved and has no physical or emotional difficulties in playing along. After that, determine a specific rule to keep everybody safe.

And lastly, you need to ensure that the space is appropriate for the game you want to play. Some competitive team games may require a larger area, so ensure you have enough space to play.

What are some games that are suitable for both adults and children at a summer party?

There are a lot of games that are suitable for both adults and children at a summer party. The easiest one can be to Pin the Sunglasses to the sun. It is safe and easy to play. Games such as water gun tag and treasure hunt are also suitable for adults and children. Just be sure to set the rules accordingly so everyone can participate.

What are some games that don’t require any special equipment or setup?

Many games do require some equipment and setups. However, there are plenty of games you can play without any props at all. For example, you can play sardines that require no equipment or setup.

Players can just hide in the surrounding area, and it needs no equipment at all. You can also play Marco Polo in the pool without any additional equipment.