Summer Party Games

Bucket Brigade

• Kids and adults alike will cool off with summer party games like water relay races. Divide the group into teams that must race to fill a small bucket with water by passing filled plastic cups down the line like a bucket brigade. The "catch" of this contest requires the first player to pass the cup over his head, the second to pass the cup between his legs and the third to pass it behind his back, for example. You also can require teams to fill a small jar with water by taking turns soaking a large sponge in a bucket of water and running to the jar to wring it out.

Sandbox Treasure Hunt

• Give guests shovels and sand sifters to find tiny treasures hidden in a sandbox. Bury items like shells, marbles, game pieces or coins in the sand and see who can unearth the most in two minutes. If you're hosting the summer party at the beach, use flags to designate the small patch of sand where competitors must dig. Set up a digging area for younger guests that features larger treasures buried closer to the surface.

Lemonade Relay

• Organize an outdoor game that pays tribute to the summer lemonade stand. Divide guests into teams. Have the first player roll a lemon to the "lemonade stand" with a plastic spoon, where an adult will cut the fruit in half. The next player must squeeze the lemon into a small pitcher. Repeat the process until the team has juiced four lemons. Team members must then mix the lemon juice with two cups of water, a cup of sugar and a cup of ice before pouring two glasses and running back across the finish line.

Squirt Gun Shooting Gallery

• Test the guests' marksmanship by lining cardboard cutouts of summer-related objects such as rubber ducks, bottles of suntan lotion, beach balls, suns, shells or pails along a wall. Equip players with a squirt gun to see who can knock the most targets down in 30 seconds. Let younger guests stand closer to the targets or used a high-powered squirt gun to even the odds.