Tailgate Games

Prohibited Movements

• Players stand in a circle, arms distance away from each other, and the leader stands in the center. As the leader makes different movements everyone in the circle follows him. Before playing, pick two actions to be the prohibited movements and decide what players must do instead of that movement. For example, if the leader crosses his arms, players must pat their stomachs. As players make a mistake, they're out of the game. The last one remaining wins the game and gets to be the new leader.

Relay Mania

• Divide the group into two teams. For each team, set up two stools some distance apart from one another. Place a football helmet, shoulder pads and knee pads on the first stool. On the second stool place a bowl of water, a wide-necked bottle or jar, and a spoon. The first player on each team runs to the first stool, puts on the gear, runs to the second stool and puts a spoonful of water into the jar. They race back to the second stool, remove the gear, then race back to their team to tag the next player.

Egg Hunt

• This game is for the kids in the group. Paint plastic eggs the colors of the teams playing that day. Put a numbered piece of paper and a piece of candy in each egg. Hide the eggs and set the children hunting. Limit each child to a set number of eggs she can find. Each child gets to keep the candy in her eggs, but the child with the highest number gets a prize.

Sports Scramble

• Prepare a list of scrambled words related to sports, the game you're watching and tailgate parties. Make a copy for each guest. Set a timer and let players try to unscramble as many words as possible. The person with the most words wins a prize.

Pass the Ball

• Divide guests into two teams and have each team stand in a line. Give each team a football to pass down the line. The trick is the players may not use their hands. Elbows are permitted. The ball must go all the way down the line, with the last person racing back to the front and passing it to the starting player. The first team to finish wins.