Sure, you’ll be grilling enough brisket to feed half of Houston, but it’s also the perfect chance to turn your backyard into a full-blown family fun zone.
Whether you’re racing in a pillowcase, dodging water balloons, or singing ‘Party in the USA!’ at the top of your lungs, KPRC 2’s Zorrie Jones has 7 games here to crank up the red, white, and blue joy with a generous side of H-Town flair.
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READ: Key risks, precautions to keep families, children safe during Fourth of July celebrations
Celebrating in the yard, at the park, or anywhere with AC, because Houston heat is no joke. These activities bring energy, laughs, and maybe a little friendly competition (bragging rights included).
Red, white & you scavenger hunt
Split into teams or go solo and assign each person a color: red, white, or blue. Set a 1-3 minute timer, then go around the house or yard collecting as many things in your color as possible. Think: red cups, blue flip flops, or your family dog that’s a Maltese (hey, it counts).
Whoever collects the most color-coded things is crowned the winner!
Fourth of July Sack Dash
Find some pillowcases (bonus if they’re red, white, or blue), line everyone up, and hop to the finish line like your dignity isn’t on the line. Kids, adults, overly competitive cousins, everyone’s welcome.
Water Balloon Toss (a.k.a. Splash Roulette)
Pair up family members or friends, stand a short distance apart, and gently toss a water balloon back and forth. After each successful toss, take a step back to increase the challenge. The last pair to toss without bursting their balloon wins. Be ready to get soaked and have a blast!
4th of July bingo
Make your own Bingo cards with classic Fourth of July icons: fireworks, sparklers, BBQ grills, and eagles. But don’t stop there, throw in Houston gems like brisket, the Rockets, Astros, Beyoncé, or Trill burgers.
You can play it two ways:
- Traditional style: Someone calls out random items on the bingo sheet and players mark them when they hear them.
- Spot-it style: Players roam around the party or house and mark items when they see or hear them in real life.
First to get five in a row yells ‘Bingo, y’all!’ and wins bragging rights for the day.
How well do you know the USA?
Test your family’s or friends’ knowledge of the U.S. with a trivia game that’s part fun, part “wait, what year did we get independence?” Include questions about U.S. history, pop culture, and even holiday food.
Sample questions:
- Who wrote The Star-Spangled Banner?
- What city hosts the country’s oldest Fourth of July celebration?
- Which U.S. president kept a pet alligator in the White House?
Split into teams or solo, keep score, and give the winners bragging rights until Labor Day.
Pie face first, questions later
Set up mini pies on a table and challenge brave souls to eat them with no hands allowed. Whipped cream faces, hilarious photos, and lots of cheering are guaranteed. The first to finish wins... probably a nap.
Tip: Use smaller pies to keep it fun, not frightening. And have wipes. So many wipes.
Is it even a party in the USA without musical chairs?
You know the drill: set up one less chair than the number of players, crank up the music, and let the patriotic chaos begin. When the music stops, scramble for a seat and whoever’s left standing is out. Keep it going until one person claims the red, white, and blue throne.
Start strong with “Party in the U.S.A.” (because, obviously), then keep the energy high with on-theme jams like "Firework" by Katy Perry.
READ: Houston prepares for Fourth of July celebrations at Freedom over Texas 2025
Need more fun? Here’s the bonus round
Want to mix it up even more? Try these last-minute crowd-pleasers:
- Cornhole
- Tug-of-war: kids vs. adults edition
Not spending the Fourth at home? Check out Fourth of July events across the Houston area
