In this post, you will find a list of fun BBQ Party Game Ideas (for adults)!
Besides the food, games and activities are the highlight of any barbecue.
So, if you’re planning a BBQ, it is worth doing a little extra work to make sure you get this part right.
It’s best to have a variety of games available. That way, your guests can float in and out of activities and conversations effortlessly.
This list of adult BBQ party games is informative and perfect for you because there is something for every type of guest and every situation.
On this list, you will find activities that can be played in a backyard or on a lawn (since barbecues are typically hosted outside), as well as activities that are portable and can be played with a smartphone.
You will also find games that multiple people can play together and games that are easy to play (so that guests can participate without needing too much hand-holding and preparation ahead of time).
Pick 2-3 games from this list and you’re good to go!
Now, without further ado, here are 34 BBQ party games to get everyone laughing and enjoying.
1. Tiki Toss
If you’re looking for a simple yet fun ring and hook game to add to your list of barbecue party favorites, Tiki Toss should make the list (especially if your party theme is luau-related!).
All you have to do is hang the board on a wall or tree and tie the tiki toss ring onto a string a couple of feet away. Each player tosses the ring, trying to hook it onto the board. The first player or team to reach the set number of points wins the game.
(You can also play similar versions of this game with a Hookey Board or with washers).
2. Four-in-a-Row
(aka Jumbo Connect 4)
This timeless classic will always be a big hit.
Not only will the look of this giant Connect Four (made out of wood!) really impress your guests, the rules are simple.
Two players take turns strategically inserting colored discs and the first one to make 4 in a row wins!
3. Kubb
This traditionally Swedish game is becoming a must-have for outdoor parties.
A Kubb game set consists of 10 kubbs (or small blocks), 1 large block (known as the king), and 6 throwing sticks.
Each player gets a handful of sticks to throw at the blocks. A player has to knock down all of the opposing team’s small blocks. Once knocked down, they can target the king. By default, the opposing team wins if the king is knocked down before the small blocks. The first team to knock down the small blocks, then the king block, wins the game.
4. Bottle Bash
Bottle bash is relatively easy to play. All you’ll need are two poles spaced at least 20 inches apart and bottles mounted on each pole. You’ll also need frisbees. (You can grab the whole setup here)
Each team stands behind their pole-mounted bottle.
The starting team then throws their frisbee either at the pole or the bottle, intending to knock the bottle off the pole. The opposing team then tries to catch both the bottle and the frisbee. If the bottle touches the ground, the starting team wins 2 points. If the frisbee touches the ground, they get 1 point. The maximum point that each team can score is 3, assuming that both the frisbee and the bottle touch the ground. The first team to score 21 points wins the game.
5. Giant Jenga
Jenga is a fun puzzle game to play at barbecues. Giant Jenga, in particular.
Set it up by stacking all the blocks on top of each other to make a tower. Players remove one block at a time and attempt to add them to the top of the tower without it crashing down.
If a player removes a block that causes the tower to topple over, they are eliminated. The last remaining player is the winner.
6. Twister
Twister is one of the classic games you might expect to play at a BBQ. To set it up, you’ll need a Twister mat and a twister spinner.
Only two or three players can play this game simultaneously, with a referee monitoring the game.
For a game of two players, each player starts at opposite ends of the mat. After each spin by the referee, the player needs to put the designated body part on an empty circle of the color that is called out. If a player touches the mat with either their elbow or knee, they are eliminated. The last player standing wins the game.
7. Cornhole
Cornhole is a fun and popular outdoor game to play with friends and family. You’ll need cornhole bags and a cornhole board to play the game.
Each player throws bags at the hole. If the bags enter the hole, the player scores 3 points but if it lands on the board without entering the hole, the player scores only 1 point. The first team to score 21 points wins the game.
8. Two Truths and a Lie
Two truths and a lie is an interactive activity that doesn’t require any equipment.
Each player has to say 3 things about themselves (2 that are true and 1 that is a lie). The other players need to guess which of them is the lie. Typically, there’s no “winner” or “loser” in this game, but you could say that the person who accurately identifies the most truths and lies wins the game.
9. Horseshoes
Horseshoes is another classic game for outdoor parties.
To play this popular yard game, you’ll need two stakes spaced 40 feet apart and four horseshoes.
Each player scores points by throwing their horseshoes as close to the stakes as possible. If the horseshoe rings around the stake, the player gets 3 points. If it lands within 6 inches from the stake, the player scores 1 point. The first team to make a defined set of points, let’s say 20 points, wins the game.
10. Chess
Chess is a really intense game to play at BBQs, but it gets really fun when relatives and friends rally behind different players.
To make it appropriate for the outdoors, check out this giant Chess set.
11. Psych
Psych is a fun conversation-starting game.
All you’ll need to play the game is the Psych app on your mobile device.
As the player, you will be asked a trivia question and given possible answer options that include outrageous answers made up by friends and family to psych you out. Only one of the answers will be correct. If you can guess which one, you win a point.
The team with the highest number of points wins the game.
12. Ladder Ball
This game is also known as “ladder toss”, “ball rope”, or “hillbilly golf”. To play this fun game, you’ll need the ladder game setup which consists of two ladders (spaced 15 inches apart) and six bolas. Each team has three bolas, and each player needs to throw their bola and get it hang onto the ladder’s rungs.
The ladder has three rungs. If the bola lands on the bottom rung, the player scores 1 point. If it lands on the middle rung, the player scores 2 points, and if it lands on the top rung, the player scores 3 points. The first team to score 21 points wins the game.
13. Lawn Darts
Lawn darts are pretty similar to classic dart games without some of the technicalities. For instance, while a standard dart game is played vertically against the wall, lawn darts are played horizontally on the ground.
To play a classic yard game, you’ll need four lawn darts and two target plastic rings—set them up anywhere in your backyard and aim.
Each team gets two darts and tries to throw them into the ring. The team scores a point for each dart that lands within the ring. The team with the highest number of points wins the game.
14. Name that Popstar!
Name that popstar! is a singing party game that is fun to play around a fire. The rules are easy to follow.
Each party guest writes at least three musical artist names on different pieces of paper. The papers are folded and then tossed in a bowl. Each player then selects a paper from the bowl and sings a song by that artist. The others have to guess who the artist is; the person that guesses correctly the most scores the highest points and ultimately wins the game.
15. Kan Jam
Kan Jam is pretty easy to learn by those who have never played the game.
It’s basically frisbee. However, unlike frisbee, the game doesn’t end when you catch it.
You’ll need a couple of frisbees and a can to play this game. Each team must have a thrower and a hitter. The thrower tosses the frisbee while the hitter stands next to the can intending to hit the disc right into the can. The first team to score 21 points wins the game.
16. Heads Up!
Here’s another fun game to play using your smartphone. To prepare, just download the Heads Up! app onto your phone. Then, select from the available categories and split your party guests into two or more teams.
One player from each team places the phone against their forehead, allowing other members to see the word on the screen. The team members give clues so that the player holding the phone against their head can guess what the word is.
Mind you- there’s a timer ticking. A player has only 60 seconds to guess the word. The team with the highest score wins the game.
17. Cards Against Humanity
Cards Against Humanity is a fun game that is literally played for laughs. A player wins the game when the card they draw garners the most laughs from other players.
The deck of cards for this game is placed at the center of the table, and each player takes turns drawing a card. Each player places the card that they’ve drawn on the table. Each card either has something funny or edgy written on it. The funniest one is removed and placed in a new pile while the others are shuffled back into the original deck of cards.
18. Beer Pong
Are you throwing the BBQ for a young adult crowd that likes to drink? Beer pong is the choice drinking game for that demographic.
You’ll need at least 2 players and 12-20 plastic cups filled with beer.
Arrange half the cups in a pyramid shape on one end of the table and the other half on the other end of the table. Players try to land table tennis balls across the table and into the opposing team’s cups. Once a ball lands in a cup, the cup is taken away and the opponent has to drink the contents of the cup. The play continues back and forth until all of the cups on one side has been cleared.
19. Kickball
Kickball should be the game of choice if you’ve got a big yard. It’s pretty similar to baseball.
The only difference is that the bouncy ball is kicked around the bases instead of thrown. Each team needs to have an even number of players to play this game.
20. Crossnet
Crossnet is a four-square volleyball game. As complex as it may sound, it is pretty easy to play.
To play this game, you’ll need a crossnet kit with the volleyball, poles, fasteners, and the adjustable net required for the game.
You need one player to occupy each square. The player in the 1st quadrant begins the game by serving the ball to the player in the 2nd square, who then passes it to the player in the 3rd square and then to the 4th square. If the ball lands in a player’s square, they are eliminated, and the remaining players move up a quadrant. The game goes on like this until a player scores 11 points. The first player to score this many points wins the game.
21. Fricket
This game is very similar to #2 (Bottle Bash). All you need are four poles, four cups, a frisbee and 2 – 4 players.
To play, stick the poles into the ground and mount the cups on the poles. Each player tries to knock the cups from the poles using a frisbee. If the cup touches the ground, they are awarded a single point. If the opposing team catches the cup before it hits the ground, they score 2 points. If both cups are knocked off in a single throw, the player scores 2 points. The first team to score 15 points wins the game.
22. Bocce Ball
The game of bocce ball is played using four pairs of large balls called the bocce balls, a small ball called the pallina, and a measuring tool.
To play the game, the starting team throws the pallini, and then each team takes turns throwing their bocce balls as close to the pallini as possible. The team that gets their bocce balls closest to the pallini wins the game. It’s really fun!
23. Spikeball
Are you looking for a casual game to play at a barbeque? Try playing Spikeball.
All you need is a net and a ball (like in volleyball). Each team has two players and takes a side of the net.
A player from the starting team serves the ball, and the opposite team has only three hits to return the ball. If they fail, the starting team scores a point. There are several other ways for each team to score a point. The first team to score either 11, 15, or 21 points wins the game.
24. Lawn Dominoes
Dominoes is a fun game to play, and lawn dominoes even moreso.
The game is played just as you would regular dominoes, but uses a set of giant dominoes.
25. Backyard Croquet
Backyard croquet is an old-fashioned game that is perfect for the older members of your family at the BBQ. To set up this delightful game, you’ll need precisely nine wickets, a mallet and colored ball for each player, and two stakes.
The aim of the game is to hit the balls through the wickets in the designated order. The first player to complete the course wins the game.
26. Yard Pong (aka Bucketball)
Yard pong is similar to beer pong but it’s played with buckets instead.
The typical setup consists of twelve big buckets and a couple of balls.
Each team has six buckets on their side and takes turns throwing a ball into their opponents buckets. When a ball lands into a bucket, that bucket is removed. The first team to remove all six buckets of the opposing team wins the game.
> > > To take this game to the next level, try playing it in the pool!
27. Human Ring Toss
Human ring toss is a fun twist to the traditional ring toss game.
All you need are hula-hoops (as many as you have) to play.
Six players are divided into two teams of three. You’ll have a thrower, a peg, and a director in each team. The thrower throws the rings on the peg (who is blindfolded) while the director helps to retrieve the hoops. The team that throws the most ringers onto their peg within sixty seconds wins the game.
28. Mystery Word
If you’re looking for a fun puzzle game to play, mystery word is fantastic. Here’s how to play the game with your friends. First, download the game from the app store on your phone.
Someone has to be nominated as the gamemaster. The gamemaster tells other players how many letters the mystery word has. A number is assigned to each letter. Each player has to guess each letter of the word using the clues shared by the gamemaster. The player that guesses the most letters using the clues wins the game.
29. Ring of Fire
For those that like drinking games, here’s another one for you to play.
Unlike beer pong, which was played with a ping-pong ball, this is played using cards.
Set a cup at the center of a table with a deck of cards arranged in a circle around the cup.
Each player has to pick a card and follow the predetermined instructions assigned to the card by the group (before the game starts). There’s no winner or loser; the point is just to play a fun drinking game.
30. Pong Golf
Pong golf is another variation of beer pong but more similar to golf.
Each player has to sink balls into cups using a golf club. The first team to sink balls into all of the opposing team’s cups wins.
31. Lawn Bowling
Make the great game of bowling barbecue-friendly with this giant lawn bowling set.
All you have to do is take turns trying to knock the pins down using the bowling ball- just like you would in a traditional bowling match!
32. Limbo
Limbo is the perfect game to complement an awesome music playlist.
Using this ready-to-go limbo pole and bar set makes it super easy.
Have your guests line up behind the limbo bar and then lean backwards and dance under the bar without falling and without touching it with their body. With each turn, drop the bar lower and lower and the last successful limbo-er wins.
33. Checkers
Like chess, checkers is a great game to play when friends and family are gathered together.
The only limiting thing about this game is that only two players can play at a time. However, you can make it really fun for lawn parties, picnics and outdoor barbecues by using this jumbo checkerboard rug.
34. Tug-of-War
This brings back pleasant childhood memories, doesn’t it?
To set up this game, all you need is a Tug-of-War rope and an equal number of players for each team.
As you probably already know, the aim of the game is to tug the players from the opposing team into your territory. Once all the opposing team players have entered your territory, your team has won the game.
With that diverse collection of adult BBQ party games, you are bound to find the perfect fit for your get-together.
Remember that you can put a unique spin on any of these games! For instance, you can play cornhole using horseshoe rules.
It’s just one more way to make the party uniquely yours and make sure that everyone is entertained.
Did I miss any must-have BBQ party games?
Comment below and let me know!
Share Your Thoughts