Here’s a 4th of July party idea that’s packed with fun. It’s our family’s favorite summer vacation and always a cause for celebration. Like an open house, we all invite whoever we see. Everyone brings a plate… we provide the beer, soft drinks and burgers! I’ve said it many times, in our house we FOCUS not on food but on FUN! There’s always plenty to eat at our parties…but that’s never the focal point or what we all remember years later. So go ahead and feel free to recycle our 4th of July party ideas!

Step 1 Invitations? Not with our crowd. It’s word of mouth and phone calls about this event. We want to save our money for light up party favors! It seems like everyone stops by after the town parade and picnic. There are all ages here from 8 months to 80! A word of caution. RAINY DATE, RAINY DATE, RAINY DATE… be sure to tell your friends when you’ll reschedule if it’s pouring rain!

Step 2 Decorations: We adorn our porch with bunting, proudly display our flag, and collect red, white, and blue paper goods. Spend no more for 4th of July designs! They are much more expensive and the plain colored ones work well to cheer everyone up.

Step 3 Food: It couldn’t be easier. Everyone brings something like an old-fashioned picnic. We make the burgers and the drinks. Just beer, wine and soft drinks plus tons of water.

Step 4 Party games: always essential! This 4th of July party idea includes a game our son and his friends made…a homemade frisbee toss…simple but fun. Set 16 oz. water bottles on top of the ski poles and threw the frisbee in an attempt to knock them down! There were lines of all ages attempting this feat. It wasn’t as easy as it seemed, but it was fun for everyone. They played it in teams and then they had a championship. It was a single elimination per player, one try and you were up against a new competitor or you were out. We borrowed some small toys from our neighbor and had a wobbler, slide and inflatable pool for the younger team. One of my friends also bought some face paints and did some of the children’s faces. She was amazing! For younger children, you may want to add a slide or wading pool. This would be so much fun for them! Just make sure you have towels on the side to dry them off.

step 5 There were no fireworks this year, but with this 4th of July party idea, we lit up the neighborhood with “light up Leis.” These were cheap but great fun. Look for “illuminated leis” and you’ll find them everywhere. Always compare prices, there is a big difference between sites! Everyone was using them…even our beloved Wheaton Terrier, Bailey! At 9 pm, our patio looked like an alien landing zone from a distance.

step 6 More Games How about this for a 4th of July party idea? We have a bocce contest after dark. We used one of the light-up flower necklaces as polena so players could spot the target. Bocce is a great family game. It’s lawn bowling, but we play it with a twist. You throw the polena (the little target ball) and wherever it lands… you play with it. Over the years, throws have taken the target into bushes, under trees, and even across the street. More than 5 and up, everyone can play. It is a great bonding game between adults and children. Our kids have been playing with the guys ever since and it’s always a part of any backyard barbecue we have. You can find bowls at all price levels. It is better not to go with the cheapest.. the balls are too light. Target, Walmart and Sports Authority carry games. The first game, which we proudly own, comes from Brookstone. It cost over $100 but has lasted over 15 years.

step 7 Party’s over…everyone’s still here and it’s after 11…kids running wild, dads and teens playing bocce ball, mom’s exhausted. I kicked them all out but it’s been great! “Happy 4th of July everyone and good night everyone!”