When I think about the Fourth of July, I think about barbecues, beer, and games in the yard. Ever since I was young, family and friends would gather on the Fourth of July and cook hot dogs and hamburgers, tap the keg and play games all day.
Here are some of my favorite Fourth of July barbecue games to play.
Fourth of July Game #1: Whiffle Ball
Whilffle ball is a time tested Fourth of July game. There’s nothing more Fourth of July than baseball, and whiffle ball is a scaled down version of the game which can be played by all in even a small yard. A whiffle ball and a whiffle ball bat can be found at the same places that you buy your meat and charcoal! Usually a whiffle ball game is played that a hit over a certain marker in the yard (say a bush, a tree, etc.) is scored as a hit, a ball hit further than another marker is scored as a double, over another marker is a triple and finally the ultimate whiffle ball marker is the home run marker. Usually there are two teams consisting of any number of players. While some play whiffle ball solely as a game where a ball hit to a certain point counts for a certain number of bases or runs, I prefer having one team play defense and try to catch the ball as part of the game. One way to play a whiffle ball game is to have a cleanly fielded ground ball or a caught popup count as an out, whereas a whiffle ball that is booted or dropped will give the hitter first base. Likewise, if a whiffle ball lands cleanly in a certain area of the yard that has been designated as a ‘home run’, I think it’s more exciting to give the opportunity to a good fielder to catch the whiffle ball and prevent the home run.
Another type of whiffle ball game is called “home run derby whiffle ball”. In this version of a whiffle ball game, the batter either hits a home run, that is, past a certain point in the yard, or it’s an out. Whatever whiffle ball rules you devise, and more likely no matter how your whiffle ball rules evolve as a result of the playing the game, whiffle ball is a huge Fourth of July game that can be played at your barbecue.
Fourth of July Game #2: Bocce Ball
Whereas whiffle ball is a game that can be played by all ages, and is often the first exposure young kids get to baseball, bocce ball tends to be a game more for the adults. The balls are heavy and it takes some skill, but it is truly a great Fourth of July game as it gives you the chance to stand next to each other and talk between turns. Many Fourth of July barbecues find me with a cigar and a beer and playing abocce ball game. Unlike whiffle ball, bocce ball sets aren’t found at every store, but bocce ball sets certainly can be found at your local sporting goods store.
The game rules of bocce ball are quite simple and easy to learn, though the game itself is difficult to master. This is not intended as a full blown overview of the rules of bocce ball, because advanced bocce ball is probably not the type of game you’re going to be playing at the Fourth of July barbecue! This is how I play the game and how I recommend newcomers looking to have some fun play.
The first step to organizing the game is to find a level piece of land that is somewhere between 70 and 90 feet long and about 15 feet wide. As bocce ball entails lobbing the bocce balls underhanded towards a target in the grass, it’s good to find as flat as land as possible. I’ve played bocce ball games on sloping lawns and bumpy terrain, and while that can be good for some laughs, the game loses some of its luster the more a good bocce ball throw is penalized due to bad playing conditions.
In a bocce ball game, there are two teams, each consisting of one, two, three or four players. Each team in the game gets a total of four color coded bocce balls, and all the players on the team must have an equal number of bocce balls as his or her teammates. So if playing with three players, there will only be three bocce balls per side. (Bocce ball is game technically supposed to be played only with two teams of one, two or four each, but considering that there might be people left out, which you don’t want at your Fourth of July barbecue, you can modify the game for three on each team).
To start the game, one player is chosen (however you’d like) to throw a small ball, called the pallina. Wherever the pallina lands ,then, the object of bocce ball is to get throw a bocce ball that lands closes to the pallina. The person who threw the palling follows up that with throwing a bocce ball. Whoever in the game is closest to the pallina then gives up there turn and the other team takes a turn throwing the bocce ball. Of course, since the first ball by definition is the closest, that player stops and the other team goes. The next player throws a bocce ball and if it comes closer to the pallina, the turn goes back to the second player on the other team. The game continues like this until all 8 bocce balls have been thrown, at which point whichever team has the closest ball gets a point and the game is reset and another round of bocce ball is played. Generally, I play until 16 points have been scored. Remember, the bocce balls on the ground will often be knocked away and if so, that’s a big part of the game of bocce ball! Skilled, and not so skilled, players will intentionally try to hit a bocce ball from the other team that is close tot he pallina in hopes of knocking it away and changing the game immediately!
I will warn you, bocce ball is a very addictive game! it’s hard to walk away even after your fellow Fourth of July revelers are yelling at you and the other players to stop playing the game and come over and eat!
Fourth of July Game #3: Lawn Darts
Lawn darts is a fun game to play at the Fourth of July barbecue. The object of this classic Fourth of July game is to throw the dart into the air and have it land a circle drawn some 40 or 50 feet or so away. Lawn darts, in their purest form, are not sold in the United States due to safety reasons, but many stores sell ‘safety lawn darts. This is a good idea, anyway, as at a Fourth of July barbecue, there is likely a good number of people, including small children, running around and safety must be taken as the first priority no matter what game you are playing. Lawn Darts is a game that is actually somewhat reminiscent of the game of bocce ball as well in that the object of lawn darts is to throw the dart and have it land within the area designated.
Fourth of July Game #4: Pool Volleyball
For those lucky enough to have a pool at their Fourth of July barbecue, pool volleyball is always a favorite game. While some might think of the scene in Meet the Parents where Ben Stiller breaks his soon to be sister in law’s nose in a pre-wedding game, the truth is that pool volleyball is a game where there’s hardly any risk of injury and everybody seems to have a lot of fun. Unlike other volleyball games, you won’t get too hot, you won’t skin your knee and you won’t embarrass yourself serving! A perfect game for the Fourth of July ! There are specially designed sets for the game of pool volleyball, including volleyballs that are designed to not ‘sting. And it’s just plain fun to jump up partially out of the water and fall back into the pool.
Depending on the size of the pool, team sizes can range from two to four on each side. (I’ve seen pool volleyball games with as much as six on one side, but that’s a bit much as usually the game of pool volleyball is played in a relatively small areas. For a game that anybody can play, and one that everybody seems to love, give pool volleyball a chance at your next Fourth of July barbecue.
Fourth of July Game #5: Frisbee Football
Frisbee Football, often referred to as ‘Ultimate Frisbee’ is a very popular game. Competitive leagues have even sprouted up across the country over the past ten years as so many enjoy this game. You need a fairly large yard, or an adjacent field, to really have adequate space for a good Frisbee Football game. “Official” Frisbee Football calls for 70 yards for the field…though this isn’t official, it gives you a sense for how long the field should be. The basic object of Firsbee Football, as it name implies, is not unlike football, except there is no tackling or 350 lb lineman coming after you!
Frisbee Football games start with both teams on opposite endes of the field. One team, standing behind its goal line, throws the frisbee as far down the field as he or she can to the other team. The other team cannot run up the field until the frisbee is released. As the frisbee is released, the player in best position to catches it does and the other players run down the field and look to get ‘open’, or away from the other team to hopefully catch the frisbee. The receiving player then throws the frisbee to another player. The player with the frisbee cannot run with it, and is allowed three steps after catching it to stop his or her momentum…but only to stop the momentum. In other words, a player cannot catch teh frisbee flatfooted and then move three steps to gain an advantage. This is a game that is self officiated, so be honest and fair.
If a thrown frisbee is dropped or not caught, the other team takes over. A frisbee can be intercepted, of course, but the defensive team cannot interfere with the player by hitting them or physicaly preventing them from catching it…this is much like football in this sense as well.
Each score, past the opposing teams’ goal line, counts as a point. Some will modify the game to award more points to women then men who score, to encourange co-ed frisbee football and make it more of a team effort. Others will allow one player only a certain number of scores to again encourage all who play the chance, and, frankly the imperative to score!
Generally, the game is played to 15, though there is really nothing magic about this number and teams may want to lower or raise this number based on time and desire to play longer or shorter games. Usually, the game needs to be won by two points, so if the game is to, say, 15 points and is tied at 14, the game would continue on to the point where one team is ahead by two. This might be shortened on the Fourth of July when things like a barbecue or firewords are set to start!
The Fourth of July barbecue is a great place for game playing and having fun with your family and friends. The five games described above are sure winners for your Fourth of July barbecue.
