Fourth of July Games for Kids

Fourth of July games for kids need to be aimed at cooling off, having fun, and at least a bit of patriotism to envelope the meaning of the day. These games might even prompt some history questions from the kids. Since most Fourth of July celebrations take place outside, you want to make sure your games are outdoor friendly. Get the grill ready and the kids dressed for outdoor fun as you celebrate Independence day with plenty of fun and games!

Fourth of July Games for Kids

Have a Water Revolution: Let the kids enjoy their own backyard revolution with squirt guns. This is a great way for them to cool off and get their shirts wet so they stay cool while playing the rest of the games. Fill several buckets with water and place them around the perimeter of the yard. Fill up all the squirt guns and give each child one. Split the children into two teams. Any child who gets squirted in the t-shirt three times is out and gets to help reload for their team using the buckets. The team with the fewest players “out” at the end of the game wins. Water shots to the arms and legs don't count since they aren't “mortal” wounds and shots to the head are not allowed. Certainly you can dial back the violent wording if the kids are younger.

Patriotic Scavenger Hunter: No collection of Fourth of July games for kids would be complete without a scavenger hunt. The kids can do this with your party guests or in the neighborhood, depending on your limits. The goal is to create a patriotic list for them to search out. Some examples include American flag pins or small flags, a feather to represent the eagle, a dollar bill, red, blue, and white items, and any other patriotic examples you can think of.

General Old-Fashioned Games: Step back in time for a moment with some old-fashioned Fourth of July games for kids. Potato sack races, baseball, tag, capture the flag (a Fourth of July must), wheelbarrow races, and any other older games you can think of will remind the children and the adults of times when things were simpler in America.

Water Cannon: Don't forget to celebrate the revolution and following freedom with a water cannon fight. Fill several water balloons with water and have a backyard water war. This should be one of the last games played to give the children a nice cooling off period after an active day outside. The only point to the game is to make sure everyone gets a good dousing. Adults are welcome to join in.

Fourth of July games for kids are about more than just keeping the kids busy. They help the children enjoy each other and embrace the freedom to enjoy the day free from persecution. That means you may need to loosen the reins a bit and let the children just enjoy being children in a free country for a while. Just be careful that they don’t take your neighbor’s flag as a prank. That seems to happen every year in my neighborhood.