Sprinklers are just one option for an outdoor birthday party.
When planning a birthday party for young boys, you'll need more than the requisite kid-friendly food, yummy cake and goodie bags for the guests. With a house full of energetic boys, a full schedule of activities is a must. If your party is in the warm months, make water play the main event. Does this Spark an idea?
Water Balloons
There are more ways to use a water balloon than simply tossing it back and forth and waiting for it to burst. How about water balloon baseball? Instead of a baseball, have someone pitch a water balloon and let the boys take turns hitting it, getting soaked in the process. Dodgeball, a quintessential childhood game, also lends itself to outdoor water parties. Choose teams for water balloon dodgeball and let the boys have at it by tossing the balloons at each other. Place a kiddie pool in the middle to hold plenty of pre-filled water balloons. Give a prize to the child who stays the driest.
Slip 'N Slide
The iconic Slip 'N Slide has been a staple of outdoor water fun since 1961 and shows no signs of decline. Purchase multiple Slip 'N Slides and place them outside under the sprinklers, preferably on a hill. The boys will have fun for hours just slipping and sliding down the hill. You can also plan a kickball game and place the Slip 'N Slide between third base and home plate, letting the boys slide home effortlessly every time.
Squirt Guns
Take the standard squirt gun fight up a notch with squirt gun tag. Fill a bucket of water for each boy and color the water using food coloring. Identify one person to be "it" and let the other boys tag him with their colored water. You'll know he's been tagged when he's covered in a blotch of another color, and then someone else can be "it." Give each of the boys a plain white T-shirt to wear while playing this game, so you'll be able to see the water blotches. Think of it as paintball for kids.
Obstacle Course
Create an obstacle course featuring everything that drips, goes splat and gets the boys drenched. Set up a target and have the boys use a squirt gun to shoot it. From there, have them jump rope in the sprinkler. Use the Slip 'N Slide or a large tarp and set up folding tables for them to slide under. If you don't have tables, set the Slip 'N Slide on a hill and have the boys slide into a kiddie pool. Hang a rope off a sturdy tree or swing set and have the boys swing over a kiddie pool filled with water or water balloons. For the final leg of the course, have them run with water balloons between their knees. Whoever finishes the relay first gets a prize.
Tags: Slip Slide, water balloon, have boys, kiddie pool, water balloons, birthday party, boys slide
