Here's a 4th of July Party Idea for the whole family. It is packed with fun, games and lights! This summer holiday is a huge reason to gather the family and all of our friends together and here are some great Independence Day party foods, decorations, favors and games!
Invitations: There are so many cute ones online, some that cost and some that are free. Use your creativity and send them out early. One word of caution.. if you can't host it indoors make sure you have a RAIN DATE. Always ask for an RSVP, "regrets only" is tough to plan. If you are creative you can even name your event for the creation of an annual party!
There's so much going on in the yard.. we set up the tables in our driveway!
Decorations: Our porch is draped with red, white and blue bunting. We have our flag proudly displayed. You can even decorate yourself with a fun DIY sunhat. Learn how to make a fun 4th of July hat here. We did them for our daughter's bridal shower for less than 3.00 a piece. You could even make one to decorate your front door! This is such a festive yet inexpensive 4th of July party idea.
Food: It couldn't be easier! Everyone brings something like an old fashioned picnic. We do the burgers, the beer, the soft drinks plus tons of water! Here's a clever idea for how to decorate water bottles. For festive desserts, make red, white and blue cake ball desserts. These are bite-sized nuggets of cake and frosting, dipped in melted chocolate. Or look at these red, white and blue chocolate dipped strawberries. So easy, dip your strawberries in white chocolate and then into blue sugar and refrigerate until served! Here are some really great Fourth of July party menu ideas.
Party Games: These are a part of this 4th of July party idea. These are always a must! This 4th of July party idea includes a home-made Frisbee toss, created by our college crowd. It was simple but fun. The kids set water bottles on top of ski poles and tossed the frisbee in an attempt to knock them off! There were lines of every age group attempting this feat. It was not as easy as it looked but fun for all. It was single elimination per player, one try and you either faced a new competitor or were out! It ended up drawing a crowd for the final round! We borrowed some tot toys from our neighbor. She lent us all her Little Tykes toys. We had a teeter totter, slide and blow up pool for the younger crew. One of my friends also got some face paints at Party City and painted faces. The kids looked awesome!
4th of July party favors In our state fireworks are illegal but we came up with our own way to "light up the night" for this 4th of July party idea with this Patriotic Light up Lei
These were so fun and so safe for the kids. All were adorned..even our Wheaton Terrier, Bailey! Last year I found flashing light up mugs and they were a huge hit. I bought them a Lot of 24 of LED Light-Up Flashing Beer Mugs w/6 LEDs for under 3.00 a piece. While you can't see the chasing lights in these photos, by 9pm our yard looked like an alien landing zone from a distance with all our guests "lit up"!
Free 4th of July Printable Bingo Game Here's a great back-up plan should thunderstorms arrive in the midst of your party! A fun round of bingo is a great diversion and here's everything you need to play
free 4th of July Bingo .. just print and play!
Late Night Light Up Game: Here's a family favorite 4th of July party idea with a twist after dark! We ran a Midnight Madness Bocce Ball Tournament. Once the polena was tossed, the official "spotter" wrapped one of the light up leis around it so the players could spot the target. Bocce is a fabulous family game. Over the years, the throws have landed the target in bushes, under trees and even across the street. Since it is easy and safe, all age groups play. They form teams, so you can have lots of participants. It is a great bonding game between the adults and the kids. Our kids have been playing with the guys since they were 5! Here's the set we have had for years - Park & Sun BB-109 Bocce Pro Set
An intense game as they strategize to come close to the polena!
Ok.. it's almost midnight and we still have a full house.. the little ones running wild and the dad and bigger kids immersed in an intense bocce tournament. I am exhausted and send them all home but it has been a blast. I wave and call as all pull out of sight...
"Happy 4th of July to all and to all a Good Night!"