A 4th of July party is not complete without a bunch of fun games! But if you’re planning the party, you might be at a loss in terms of what games to organize and prepare for. After all, you want to ensure everyone has fun in the heat!
To help you organize the 4th of July party, here are the best games you should play to celebrate the occasion. These 4th of July games are perfect for families, kids, and adults. We’ve also included some minute to win it games as well!
For more games like this, check out our post on Labor Day games!
FAMILY 4TH OF JULY GAMES
To start off, let’s go over the best 4th of July games that literally everyone will enjoy playing! So, if you’ve got a big group of people ranging in ages from 3 to 100, these are the perfect games to play this summer.
1. THREE-LEGGED RACE
Of course, we’ve got to start with some 4th of July classics! A Three-Legged Race is the perfect game to get the afternoon started with some fun. And the best part is that anyone can join in on this game, as long as they can walk or run. To play, simply pair up all players, with all pairs tied together by one player’s right leg and the other player’s left leg. Then, line everyone up at the starting point then start the race! The first pair to cross the finish line wins!
2. TUG OF WAR
Another super popular 4th of July game worth mentioning is Tug of War. This game doesn’t require much in terms of preparation. All you need is a rope. Any number of people can play this game, but it’s better if you can somehow evenly divide the strength levels of the group. Divide the group into two teams, with each team on either side of the rope, with each team pulling with all their might. The team that is able to pull over the other group to their side wins!
3. CORNHOLE
Cornhole is a classic yard game that you’ll find in various settings, including weddings and, of course, 4th of July parties. But to make this game even more fitting to the occasion is to get beanbags in red, white, or blue. Then, set up the game by placing two cornhole boards a distance apart. Then, teams try to get their beanbags into the cornhole boards. The first team to reach 21 points wins!
4. BALLOON POP
If you want to add a bit more festivity to the party, you should set up a game of Balloon Pop. This game is a great way to add a carnival game to the occasion and is super fun to play, no matter how old or how young. To really get into the spirit of things, use red, white, and blue balloons! Fill these balloons with random prizes, such as mini flags or 4th of July tattoos. Then, everyone can start joining in on this balloon dart game by throwing darts at the balloons in order to win prizes.
5. 4TH OF JULY TRIVIA
Test your patriotic knowledge with a game of 4th of July Trivia. You will need to set up this game beforehand, but all you’ll need to do is write a list of questions regarding the United States. Pick topics like American History and United States Presidents. Then, divide everyone into teams so that players can work together to try to find the answer. To play, go over the questions one by one, with each team writing down their answers on a piece of paper. The team with the most correct answers wins!
6. SCAVENGER HUNT
A Scavenger Hunt is one of the best games to play at a 4th of July party. It’s a classic game to play at any outdoor gathering for a reason. To make this a more patriotic version of a standard Scavenger Hunt, first, make a list of 4th of July-themed items. This can be stuff like a flag, a car freshener with the President on it, etc. Then, write a list of the items (and some clues if you want). Every player must try to tick off all the items on the list. Get everyone to take photos as proof. The first player to find all items wins!
7. 4TH OF JULY JELLYBEAN JAR
A simple game you can easily play at any 4th of July gathering is the Jellybean Jar game. To play this, all you need to do is buy a bunch of red, white, and blue jellybeans, or another candy of your choice. Fill an entire glass bowl, jar, or fishbowl with the candies. Then, ask everyone in the party to guess how many candies are actually inside. The person with the closest guess wins the game!
8. BASEBALL
What better time to play a game of baseball than at a 4th of July party? America’s favorite pastime is one of the best and most popular games to play during this patriotic holiday. You can play this sport as seriously or as not seriously as you want. But the basics remain the same: Two teams compete against each other to score the most points, as players run from base to base.
Not sure how to play baseball? Don’t worry; we’ve got you covered with baseball rules.
MINUTE TO WIN IT 4TH OF JULY GAMES
Some of the most hilarious games you’ll play as friends and family this holiday are Minute to Win It games. As you might be able to deduce from their name, players must compete in 60-second challenges. To make this game even more entertaining and competitve, make sure there’s a fun prize to win at the end of the challenges!
9. RING THE BELL
To set up Ring the Bell, fill up some paper cups halfway with water and freeze them. Then, place a bell on top of the ice and fill up the rest of the cups with water so that the cup has a frozen bell inside of the block of ice. Then, to play, all players must try their hardest to take the bell out of the cup and ring it! Just keep in mind that you cannot throw the ice block on the ground to break it; you’re going to have to find another way!
10. WATERMELON RACE
Watermelon Race is a super fun Minute to Win It game that is perfect for the summer. This game can get pretty messy, so make sure you have a large outdoor space that you don’t mind getting dirty. Of course, to play this game, you’re going to want some watermelons. Cut the watermelons into fourths and place them on a table. Then, all players put their hands behind their backs and must eat their entire slice of watermelon! The first player to finish wins!
11. BLINDFOLD FOOD RACE
Do you want to compete in a food race? Amp up the stakes a bit more and play a Blindfold Food Race. In this game, players will be eating bits of mystery food, and the first person to finish everything and show they have nothing left in their mouth wins!
Prepare 4 to 5 different foods and create tiny plates or spoonfuls of food for each player. Then, blindfold all the players so they can’t see what they’re eating.
12. TIME TO WRAP UP
Time to Wrap Up is a super fun Minute to Win It game, but in order to make it more 4th of July-esque, make sure to get red or blue crepe paper, instead of any old color. To play this game, you’ll need to divide everyone up into pairs, and give each pair a roll of crepe paper. At the whistle, players race to wrap up their partner like a mummy as fast as possible. The fastest player and team wins!
13. WATER BALLOON TOSS
This is another Minute to Win It game where you’ll need to divide players into two. However, don’t be fooled, in this game, you will be versing each other. Give each pair of players a water balloon. Each pair starts about a foot apart and throws the water balloon to and fro. Each time a player successfully catches the balloon, take a step back. Continue throwing the balloon back and forth until the balloon pops! The dry player wins a point.
KIDS 4TH OF JULY GAMES
Looking for some ways to keep the kids entertained during your 4th of July party? Well, here are the best kids 4th of July games that will have them laughing out loud and tire them out by the end of the day.
14. PIN THE HAT ON UNCLE SAM
Pin the Tail on the Donkey is a classic game all kids love to play. But for the 4th of July, you’ll need to put a patriotic spin on it by switching up the game and playing Pin the Hat on Uncle Sam! You should be able to find a printable version of Uncle Sam with a quick Google search. Then, blindfold the kids one by one, spin them around a few times, and have them pin the hat on Uncle Sam!
15. CAPTURE THE FLAG
A classic outdoor game for kids, Capture the Flag will have all the kids running around having a lot of fun! To play this game, you’ll need to divide the group into two teams. Each team must find a good base to hide their team’s flag. Then, blow the whistle and everyone must avoid getting tagged by the other team! The first team to steal the opposing team’s flag wins the game! To make Capture the Flag more suited for 4th of July, use blue and red flags.
16. UNCLE SAM HAT COMPETITION
If the kids want to lean into their creative side a bit, the Uncle Sam Hat Competition is a super fun game to play. This game is both competitive and creative, as contestants try their best to make and decorate their own version of Uncle Sam’s hat! Make sure you have all the materials on hand so everyone has a lot of options to choose from. Some materials you should have out include paper, ribbons, glitter, feathers, stickers, and so much more. All contestants should model their own hats when they’re done. The silliest or best hat wins!
17. WATER SNAKE
The great thing about the 4th of July is that it is in the middle of summer, so you can take advantage of the outdoors. However, it can get pretty hot in the middle of the day, so a perfect game to cool off is Water Snake. To play this game, one player stands in a circle of other players, holding a garden hose. Then, turn on the garden hose and start spinning the garden hose around, just like a sprinkler! All the other players have to jump over this “snake!” If someone gets wet, they’re the new snake.
18. GEORGE WASHINGTON RELAY
A George Washington Relay is the perfect game to play for the 4th of July. But before you can play, you’ll need to make sure you have the right materials. For each team, you’ll need a fake George Washington wig, a shirt, and a hat. You can add other items to the relay as well if you want a longer game!
Then, divide everyone into teams. The teams must run one by one to the other end of the race, where they’ll pick up one item of clothing. Then, the next player picks up the next one. The first team to fully dress one of their team members in the George Washington getup wins!
ADULT 4TH OF JULY GAMES
Of course, kids are not the only ones that can have fun at a 4th of July party! Here are some super fun games that adults should play on this hot summer’s day, including some fun drinking games to play outdoors.
19. 4TH OF JULY CHARADES
Let’s start with a classic. While even kids can join in on 4th of July Charades, they will need to have some understanding of American politics and history to have a chance at participating. However, there are so many types of themes you can go with that are just as patriotic, so just pick one that best suits the people who are participating. Just make sure the themes tie into the 4th of July in some way or form.
20. DIZZY BAT
This super fun 4th of July game involves drinking and having fun – the perfect combination! You can either play this game individually or in teams; it’s up to you. To play, players must finish their drink and then spin around 10 times around a bat. Then, another player must throw the baseball. The dizzy player must try to hit the ball! If they manage to hit it, that’s one point!
21. 4TH OF JULY BEER PONG
Of course, no summer party is complete without Beer Pong. 4th of July Beer Pong follows the same rules as standard Beer Pong, so divide into two teams of two and take turns throwing ping pong balls into the opposing team’s cups. Whenever a ball goes into a team’s cup, a player from that team must take a drink and remove the cup from the formation. To make this game more fitting for the 4th of July, get red, white, and blue cups!
22. DRINK IF – 4TH OF JULY EDITION
Probably one of the simplest drinking games you can play is Drink If. You will have played this game before in other party settings, but to make this game more 4th of July appropriate, you’ll need to think of specifically American and patriotic prompts. Examples include:
- Drink if you love America
- Drink if you are wearing red, white, or blue
- Drink if you were born in America
- Drink if you can name all 50 states in alphabetical order
There’s no real end to this game, so just finish playing when everyone is ready to move onto something else!
23. FIREWORKS DRINKING GAME
The Fireworks Drinking Game is perfect to play if you’re itching to play a drinking game but don’t have anything prepared. You don’t even need your own fireworks! Simply head on outside once the sun goes down and wait. Whenever you hear or see a firework, drink! This game is as simple as that. If there aren’t as many fireworks in your area, instead of taking a single drink, make a rule that you have to finish your drink! So, make sure you have enough alcohol ready.
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