Having a BBQ party is always a fun time, but it can be hard to keep all of your guests entertained.
Don’t worry though we’ve got you covered with over 41 fun and easy BBQ party game ideas for adults that will entertain everyone at the party while they wait for the food to cook. Having backyard games to play is sure to keep the energy up and the party going!
These BBQ party games are designed to help people have more fun while spending time with friends and family around the grill! Each game has instructions on how to play as well as some tips for making it the best barbecue possible. The best part about our list is most games can be made DIY for free!
Let’s jump into these fun and entertaining BBQ party games you will want at your next party!
BackYard Tossing Party Games
1. Cornhole
To start a game, you divide into two teams and take turns attempting to toss bags from one team’s side of the board onto their opponent’s. The player gets three throws per turn. Players alternate in while throwing corn kernel bags at the hole of a raised platform.
Cornhole is one of our favorite backyard barbecue party games and seems to never get old.
If you don’t want to build your own cornhole set we highly recommend the Classic Cornhole Set with Rustic Wood Finish.
2. Kan Jam
Kan Jam is a fun competitive game you can play with a drink in your hand. To win your goal is to score 21 points by tossing discs towards your partner behind one Kan! Your partner can use their hands to slap the disc into the Kan for points!
If you hit the can, you get 1 point. If your disc lands perfectly inside the front slot of the can you get an instant win! Kan Jam, also known as garbage can frisbee, is easy-to-set-up for adults at a BBQ party in a friendly manner.
3. Ladder Golf
DIY Ladder Golf is easy to make and easy to do with 2×4 or 4x4s. You need plywood, dowels, screws, washers, bolts, plywood for this classic game.
The game is fun for all ages and is more sturdy than most plastic ones at the store. Play a few rounds of this fun BBQ party game with friends and you’ll be set to challenge even the best ladder golfers. TheGoSports Pro Grade Ladder Toss Indoor/Outdoor Game Set is the perfect addition to any BBQ party.
4. Ring Toss Yard Game
Ring Toss Yard Game is harder than it looks but is worth a try. It involves the tossing of rings around a peg, stake, or bottle.
It’s an awesome game idea for any party. Ring toss can be enjoyed by kids, it assists them with hand-eye coordination and motor skills.
You can buy Elite Sportz Ring Toss Game from the box or make your own.
5. Lawn Darts
Lawn darts are an exciting backyard game to play in the fresh air while you aim darts at your lawn. Can be played with glow-in-the-dark sets or you can even buy glow-in-the-dark sets.
Place the targets around your backyard, pick up a dart and aim, and hit the targets. You’ll be aiming at a lawn rather than a standard dartboard, so you can use a yard-friendly dartboard to play. Our favorite Glow in The Dark-Lawn Darts Game is perfect for any backyard bash.
6. Washer Toss
Washer toss is similar to cornhole and horseshoes. To play, you’ll need to make your own or purchase a washer toss set from Amazon like this one Triumph Washer Toss Game. You’ll need two washer pits with a hole or cup in the center (along with a few washers) A washer that lands in a cup will earn 3 points and 1 point for each washer within the box.
Typically, you play until someone gets to 21 points, typically you’re playing until that person gets to the 21 point threshold.
7. Bottle Bash
Bottle bash is a simple tossing game that involves a frisbee and a bottle that hits the ground. You get two points if a bottle hits the ground or 1 if the frisbee hits the same spot.
The first person or team to get to 21 points is the winner. You’ll need to be playing with 2 or 4 people to make it to the 21 points in a game of drinking in order to be the victor in this game.
The defense will try and catch the bottle and the bottle before it hits the ground.
8. Keep It Up Balloon Game
Keep it up balloon game is a great outdoor party game idea for indoor and outdoor parties. The one who manages to maintain the balloon up for the longest time is the winner.
It’s not just a party decoration, but it’s fun to use balloons as a decorating tool for parties. You’ll find it easy to win with your partiers getting involved in the game of keeping it up.
You can even put a twist on the game that if you let the balloon hit the ground you drink!
9. Horseshoes
You get three points for ringing the horseshoe around the stake, and 1 point if it lands within 6 inches of stake. To reduce the bouncing and sliding of horseshoes, you can choose to add a pit of sand around each stake.
You play until one player or team hits the predetermined score. To make it 20 or 30 points, the goal is set to be 20, 30, or even 50 points. You can use sand around the stakes in some games like this to make it easier for you to play. Check out Franklin Sports Horseshoes Set or build one yourself.
10. Bocce Ball
GoSports Backyard Bocce Set is a fun backyard game that is basically bowling, and skeeball rolled into one sport. It’s a great game for your friends who may not be the best at sports but are looking to have a fun time. Whoever gets closest to the Pallino, wins that round and is considered the ‘in’ team.
The game continues until one person or team has reached 13 points or however many points you predetermine that is needed to win, to continue until a certain amount of extra points are needed for a win at least one person to reach 13 points in the game.
Giant Backyard Party Games
11. Kubb
Giant outdoor party games are some of the best to play, as you can easily see the pieces. Players take turns throwing sticks at opponents’ blocks in the game. The game is often used for team-building and can also deliver hours of fun with friends and family friends.
If you are handy with DIY, you can purchase the Kubb Outdoor Tossing Game, or buy a DIY version of the game that is a favorite DIY tool for your friends to get on with them with the help of the DIY kit.
12. Giant Bowling
Giant bowling sets typically come up with a bowling ball and pins that you blow up. Everything is oversized, so it’s hard to miss hitting a few pins. This is great for those who say they’re not good at bowling.
Even avid bowlers will have fun with this game, though, as is everyone who doesn’t get any good at bowler’s standard bowl sets. The game can be played in a bowling alley or a backyard bowling set.
13. Giant Jenga
To play Giant Jenga you stack rows of blocks into a tower (alternating how they lie in each row) You take turns carefully removing blocks, hoping it isn’t the one that makes the tower collapse. Whoever moves a block that causes the tower to fall loses.
Whoever moves the block causing it to collapse is the player who loses. It’s a fun, exciting game that requires a little strategy and a lot of stamina.
14. Giant Yard Pong
Giant yard pong is a type of beer pong. Players play six giant buckets. Each team throws balls at buckets. If the ball lands in the bucket, it is removed from the other side. The buckets and balls float, so if you have a pool, you can play it in your own pool, this will help you out of your game.
The winner of the game is whoever you can eliminate the other team’s bucket, and you get the best from each other in each other’s game.
15. Giant Yahtzee
Giant Yahtzee is a simple game involving strategy and half luck. You get to roll the dice in a lifesized bucket and toss the dice into the yard. If you get 5 of one die within three rolls, you can yell, “Yahtzee!” and get an extra 50 points.
The person with the most points at the end wins the game and the game is played by the person who gets the most in all three rolls and gets the more points. Giant Yahtzees are not only the classic game but can be a fun way to play a series of different games for adults with friends who like to enjoy a game of their own.
16. Giant Checkers
Giant Checkers is a classic board game classic but is even more fun on the giant game board. The goal is to move a piece without giving your opponent an opportunity to “jump” over your piece and take it off the board.
You can start the night by playing checkers on the blanket, and end it by sitting on it in the yard with your BBQ. Checkers is more strategy-based than the original board game and is more fun to play with smaller pieces of black or red checker pieces instead of red ones on a large blanket as aboard.
Use the board to play the game for fun with your neighbors while they’re out for a BBQ.
17. Pong Golf
Pong golf combines beer pong with golf. Goals of the game are to sink the ball into all of your opponents’ cups. The goal is to remove all of the other team’s cups – whoever removes all of them wins.
The game is also known as PutterBall Golf Pong and is a great way to play in a BBQ party and have a fun BBQ game for adults.
18. Giant Matching Game
Can be made out of wood, cardboard or laminated paper pieces. Players will have to remember where they saw the right pieces and get a match. The person with the most matches wins the game.
This is a great memory game that is great for brain development and retention. Can be played at your party in a theme – a theme or a theme can be a challenge.
Players get to keep the pieces they’ve found matches and try to get the right ones when they find them again. Can also be found at a theme store or a family store or an event where you’ve been playing at the age of 12 or 18 years in the family.
19. Giant Inflatable Bowling
This version of the game allows you to be outside bowling with a lightweight ball and pins. You never know who might turn out to be the winner in this new game.
Bowling is a bonding activity for families with kids of all ages, but who wants to be inside a bowling alley on a beautiful day? Find out more about Giant Inflatable Bowling.
20. Giant Tumble Tower
Giant Tumble Tower is a 5-foot tall version of Jenga. This one can be played outdoors or inside (where there’s plenty of space) It comes with 56 hardwood blocks that measure 8x3x2 inches, so you could make your own version. Because of its size, it is better for older kids to play this type of game.
21. Giant Tic-Tac-Toe
Games include Tic-Tac-Toe, Tumble and X-O’s. Draw a nine-square grid into the grass or paint it on concrete with chalk. Attribute each player with a shape or image to play in the grid. If you set up several grids, you can have a tournament going on for outdoor party games for a BBQ.
Try to get three lines in a row with a square or try to draw the same line from each of your pictures. Make your shapes or images from paper, laminate, and wood to make the grid shape or even make out of the wood if you can’t. Don’t miss out on the fun, our top pick Giant Wooden Tic Tac Toe is the perfect game to spice up your backyard barbecue.
22. Giant Connect Four
The Jumbo 4-To-Score Giant Game is an oversized version of the classic four in a row game. The large connect all four makes for some serious fun with family and friends! This toy can be enjoyed by two people, or teams made up of kids 3 years old and up who want to beat one another at something.
Alternative Outdoor Party Games for Adults
23. Slip & Slide Drinking Game
You’ll need a roll of thick plastic sheeting measuring about 6 feet wide and 50 feet long. Then, add some baby soap all around the slide, turn your hose on or use sprinklers. If the slide is flat, you can add pool noodles around the edges of it.
To win this drinking race game you must be skilled enough to flip your cup after you chug. Then you can fling yourself down the Slip ‘n Slide so the next member of your team can play. The rules for this game are pretty simple, but it can’t be played in the same way your teammates will play together at your bachelorette bash.
24. Kickball
Kickball is a game similar to baseball, but, instead of hitting the ball with a bat, you have to kick it. The game is great for all those who prefer running and kicking to sitting and thinking. If you plan to play kickball, make sure to find a spot that is not near the grill.
All of the rules in baseball apply to the game of kickball. You don’t need any equipment, just a ball and a group of friends. The greatest thing about kickball is that it is simple to play with your friends and doesn’t need equipment, but you need two teams to be in the field or up to bat.
25. Water Balloon Fight
Water balloon games are an easy way to cool down at home. Have water balloons filled up and you can create your own teams based on balloons’ colors.
They can also be used for dodgeball or water balloon dodgeball. Water balloon fights are a classic form of a game that is a great way to get out of the house and get a good laugh at your guests’ efforts. Make a team based on balloon colors so teams start playing together in a water balloon fight.
It can be fun to play around with your friends in the water balloons in a big way to enjoy the summer.
26. Water Volleyball
Water volleyball is a bbq game that combines volleyball and water for extra fun. If the opposing team misses a ball, they have to drink it. The game should be divided into pairs and players have to face off in teams just like traditional volleyball with a twist.
It’s always Autumn’s “Always Autumn” will be a fun way to get people to have fun and have you there to share some of the points you throw with, drink it and play it in your own way of keeping it in the air at the end of it, but it is more fun than another way to award points and drink it, says It’s Always Autumn.
27. Glow in the Dark Capture the Flag
Capture the Flag Redux involves twenty-five glow-in-the-dark pieces. It will provide hours of electronic-free nighttime entertainment for older kids as they run through the yard or park glowing.
This is an electronic free nighttime entertainment that will keep older kids entertained for hours of outdoor nighttime play. The game is even more exciting now.
28. Water Balloon Toss
A simple water balloon game is a fun way to cool off while still playing a yard game. When playing with younger kids, adjust the game to a more gentle game like a water balloon toss.
TIP: Use a quick fill water balloon kit to fill water balloons the old-fashioned way, which can take some of the fun out of preparing for the party.
The game was simple, but it never gets old. You might choose to adjust the activity from an actual water balloon fight to a gentle game such as a water balloon toss.
29. Tug of War
The classic lawn game is fun when you have lots of people of different ages. Choosing a rope with a length of 35 feet or so will give room for everyone. Using a rope that is made for tug of war will ensure there are no hurt hands afterward.
We recommend EASYGO 33 Foot TUG of WAR Rope for your tug of war battles.
30. Potato Sack Race
Sack races were popular at carnivals in the 1800s. They are still a great way to have a fun BBQ race. You can buy durable potato sacks or large pillowcases online on Amazon for cheap.
Don’t pair your kids up for the race, just pair them with adults in a burlap sack or pillowcase for each of the participants.
31. Human Pinata Chase
All you need is an old t-shirt, glue gun, and snack-sized candy. Make your shirts in advance by using the glue gun to attach the candy to the shirt.
The people who wear the shirts in the game are your human pinatas. The rest of the kids chase the human pinata and grab the candy off whenever they can. The result of the game is a classic game of pinata with the reward of candy.
32. Limbo
There’s an excellent choice for the beach or a pool party. The kids can beat the adults at this classic luau game. You can use a long pole or broom or bamboo pole, or you can buy a limbo pole online.
33. Four Legged Team Races
Children and adults will have fun playing four-legged races. This is a great option for larger gatherings. It gives you the opportunity to have a team of four players at a time. This game will keep you laughing as you waddle towards the finish line.
34. Lawn Twister
A Twister Mat will be an outdoor party game for a BBQ. Simply make a mat into your yard by spray painting the dots. You’ll need colored spray paint as well as a spinner.
The colors you need are Blue, Red, Yellow, and Green. You can use the spinner from the game or make your own if you don’t have the game.
35. Cup Races
Games with cups are simple to put together in your backyard. Cups on a string can be used to talk over distance like walkie-talkies. Cups with water can also be used to play classic race games like flip cup.
36. Croquet
Croquet is a popular game that has been around for thousands of years. To play, you just need standard croquet set with croquet mallets and balls.
You can check out some of the most popular croquet sets to add to your collection of barbecue party games. All you need is a few friends to have a great time!
37. Track Ball
Trackball is a simple game to play but you need a large backyard to play. These rackets can throw the ball far, so a bit of distance is needed for this game.
This is a lot of fun to play if you have a big backyard to throw the game. The game is similar to the game you would play with a baseball and a catcher’s mitt to play catch.
38. Spikeball
Spikeball is basically a combination of volleyball and foursquare playing. Like volleyball, the goal is to hit the ball over the net to make it hard for the other team to hit it. The scoring is kind of complicated to grasp at first, but after a few rounds, you’ll start getting the hang of it.
Points are awarded for: points scored by opponents who can’t hit the volleyball in a tight enough area to keep the ball in the net and throw it over the goal to make them hit it harder for their opponents to do it. Spikeball is one of our favorite games and we highly recommend it!
Here are the 2022 Spikeball Official Rules.
39. Cross Net
Cross net is the adult version of four square we all grew up playing as kids. It’s a very fun game but be careful you will get addicted very quickly. Unlike a game like Kan Jam, you will need to put your beer down and get fully involved.
40. Battlechip
Battlechip takes the game of cornhole and the sport of golf and pairs it with golf. Three holes mimic golf’s “green” holes and “sandpit” holes. If you land in one hole, you lose a point if your ball hits a hole in water or lands in no hole.
Kits come with target, target, hitting mat, foam golf balls, and dry-erase scoreboard. Each kit comes with a target, a ball target, a golf ball, and a dry erase scoreboard. Each kit also comes with target and golf balls and is available on Amazon.
41. Badminton
It is an extremely popular sport in Asian countries, particularly China and India. Instead of playing with a ball, you use a shuttlecock, you play with a stringed racket like a tennis racket.
Each time you hit the shuttlecock over the net and into the court before your opponent can hit it, you score a point. The best badminton rinks are a smaller, less expensive version of tennis and no more expensive singles rackets.
It is more fun to play one-on-one or play a team of doubles, rather than just play one on one or with a team. If you don’t own a Badminton set yet, the Boulder Portable Badminton Set is a great buy!
Final Thoughts
When it comes to outdoor bbq party game ideas for adults there are plenty of options to keep your guest entertained! You’ve got your classics like cornhole and washers, but you can also play some new favorites that will keep the fun going all night long.
We hope this post has given you a few ideas for how to make your next party an even bigger hit than before with a mix of old and new! Nothing feels more refreshing than playing a few BBQ party games and cooking on your favorite Charcoal Grill.
Which backyard party game are you going to have at your next family BBQ?
