Kick Off the Summer with A Backyard Carnival

Celebrate Summer with a one of a kind event

Everybody loves a carnival. Kids enjoy all the crazy activities and parents look forward to lively chats and visits while the fun is contained in one safe place. Schools often mark the end of the year with them, so why not host a carnival yourself to celebrate vacation fever? They are an interactive family affair that will have everyone begging you to make them an annual event.

Just find friendly helping hands, pick a weekend afternoon with a rain date for safety, and use these spirited ideas to plan your backyard jamboree.

The Logistics

You’ll need a big backyard, or two that connect, so you’ll have room to spread out the activity arenas. Designate four to five areas for activities, plus a spot for serving food with picnic tables and lawn chairs.

Set up a four-foot table at every area so there will be a central spot that anchors each activity. Borrow or rent the tables and then drape them in colored paper tablecloths. Hang streamers and banners from trees and tie helium-filled colored balloons to the tables. Consider assigning a color to each activity, coordinating table coverings, streamers, balloons, and other decorations to designate the area. It’ll be easy to direct partygoers to the “red games area” or the “green crafts table.”

Your friends and neighbors can help you set up, bring food, and man the festivities. You might want to take a suggestion from school and church carnivals and let guests sign up for “work” in half-hour increments.

The Food

There are tons of options for food, including cooking hamburgers and hotdogs on the grill. Set out tables to hold the condiments, and ask your friends to bring the side dishes. This Apple Baked Bean Casserole is sure to be a crowd pleaser. Or you can include a Best Barbecue Pork Cook-Off to the mix of contests and let everyone bring an already cooked batch that will be enough to serve two or three families. You provide the bread and sides for each family. Assign a number to each dish, then ask guests to go to a central rating station and rank the numbered dishes. Make sure they don’t let on who prepared what entry. Of course the winner takes home a prize.

A lemonade stand is a great way to set up drinks. Kids will join in the fun of setting it up, and they will get a kick out of “selling” their lemonade.

The Events

These are a few party activities you can choose from.

• Blue Ribbon Desserts: Ask your guests to bring their family’s favorite cookies, brownies, pie, cake, or other dessert, and assign blue ribbons to the “best” in each category. Not sure what to make? Try the Best Ever Carrot Cake Cupcakes. They are sure to live up to their name. Be sure to have paper plates and napkins handy. You might consider having a homemade ice cream contest, too.
• Center Stage: Here’s where the festivities begin and end. You might want to start the carnival off with a talent show; children love to put on skits and will enjoy the opportunity to perform. Families can perform song and dance routines, karaoke, or a band number using their own homemade instruments. Other ideas for shows include a Father-Son Look Alike Contest, Mother-Daughter Look Alike Contest, Spelling Bees for different age groups, homemade puppet show, or pet talent show.
• Crafts: Have each family pick a craft project to demonstrate and help others make. They will each be responsible for materials – enough for everyone to try their hand at making the craft. Let families take turns, and be sure to post the schedule on a poster board set on an easel. Examples of crafts include, corn husk dolls, jewelry, simple toys, Popsicle stick frames and funny Mr. Potato Head creatures.
• Face Decorating: Ask older siblings or grown-ups to paint easy-to-draw objects like a rainbow, balloon, heart, or lightning bolt. Or you can set out an assortment of temporary tattoos and help children decorate their arms and faces with them.

Games and contests will be a sure way to keep your guests entertained. Stagger the times of play, and post the schedule on a poster board set on an easel. You can get as creative as you want, but here are some suggestions to get you started:

• Hula Hoop contest
• Bingo for all ages
• "Monster” toy truck performances
• Horseshoe pitching
• Watermelon seed spitting contest
• Three-legged sack races
• Putting challenge

For Kids Only

• Dress up your doll parade or teddy bear fashion show
• Go fishing: Put someone behind a partition to hook the fish and let the children fish over the partition with a homemade “pole.” Everyone is a winner.
• Decorate a goodie bag. Provide markers, glue, feathers, buttons, and other decorations and let children decorate bags to put their prizes in.
• Sponge painting
• Finger paint gourds to make funny or scary faces

The Prizes

To reward partygoers for their participation, hand out tickets at each booth that can be redeemed for prizes. The party goodies can be inexpensive, but it is important. To buy in bulk, look in party supply stores or check out catalogs or Internet companies that sell inexpensive prizes in bulk. For prizes that will get even the adults motivated, buy small denomination gift cards from the local coffee shop, fast food joint or movie theater.

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