Garden party games

A few simple games can be a fun and useful addition to any garden party. While adults enjoy chatting over a barbecue or a glass of wine, a game or two may help keep the kids from getting restless.

Take a look at our tips on planning some garden party games for your young guests – and a couple for the adults too.

Childproof your garden

Before the games begin, make sure your garden is not an accident waiting to happen. Let children know where they are allowed to go and where is off limits.

Little children love adventure and an open gate is all it takes for them to wander out. Keep an eye on where children are and block off any escape routes.

Hold games away from thorns, nettles or ponds to avoid accidents – and check your lawn for any hidden dangers like old nails or shards of glass.

Provide a choice of games for the children…

A mixture of active games and word games can keep everyone happy. It’s important your young guests have fun, so don’t make games compulsory – let people join in at their own pace.

Sardines –Bushes and sheds make great hiding places for this garden party game. One at a time, players must search for the one player hiding. When they find the hider, they join them. The last one to find the group is the next person to hide. Always make sure at least one of the adults in the party knows where the hider is.

Treasure hunt – Hide clues around your garden that lead to one another. The final clue leads to the treasure – and the first team to find it wins.

Water Balloons – In two lines facing each other, players must throw a water balloon to their partner. After each throw, players take a step back. The last pair to burst their balloon win. Have a towel or two on standby!

Water Relay – The first person in each line must grab a sponge from the bucket of water, run to the far side of the garden and squeeze the water into the jug. Once they return to the team and put the sponge back in the bucket, the next person repeats the process. The first team to fill the jug wins.

Spring Rockers – Keep young kids entertained with these fantastic Children Spring Rockers while the adults chat at your garden party.

Bubbles – Children love bubbles, so for a fun garden party game let some children blow bubbles while others catch them.

…And some for the grown-ups

Once the kids have worn themselves out, your adult guests might want to relax with a few garden party games of their own.

Who is it - Everyone writes five names on separate pieces of paper and puts them in a bowl. Each player has one minute to describe as many names from the bowl as possible for their team. Keep going until everyone has had a turn or the names run out. The team with the most names wins.

The letter game – Each player must fill in 10 categories, such as ‘girl’s names’ or ‘TV shows’, using the same letter of the alphabet within three minutes. Players start with ten points, but if any have matching answers they lose a point. The person with the most points wins the round.

Useful links
Children Spring Rockers – to keep the kids entertained at your garden party.