4 Party Game Ideas for Outdoor Birthday Parties

Fondly known as a place for outdoor celebrations and events, Chartwell Gardens is Delaware Valley’s perfect location for an outdoor birthday party. Once known primarily as a swim club and prime swim camp location, the site now offers a plethora of attractions and activities for the whole family to enjoy. This makes for many great party game opportunities.

The first three party games listed below your kids can enjoy on one of Chartwell’s basketball courts or brand-new pickleball courts; the remaining games take advantage of other Chartwell Gardens attractions.

1. Four Square

In this game, a large square is chalked onto the court and divided into four squares of equal size labeled A-D. One player stands in each square. The player standing in square D starts with a ball and tosses it into another square. It must bounce once before the player in that square hits it with any part of their hand into another square. Depending on how and where the ball bounces and what the player does with it (e.g., accidentally catches it), the round starts over or one of the players is out, at which point a player on the sidelines takes their place.

2. Twister

In this classic board game where the players are the pieces, a mat is laid out containing a grid of colored circles. Players take turns spinning a spinner to determine on which color they must place a hand, foot, knee or other body part. As players take turns placing their body parts on the board, one at a time, they become increasingly tangled up with one another. This makes it increasingly hard for the next player to follow the spinner’s instructions without losing balance and falling or lifting an already-placed body part from the board. If either of these happens, the player’s out of the game. The last player standing wins.

3. Hopscotch

There are many versions of this classic sidewalk game, but the basic gist is: A board is drawn in chalk on the court with a line of usually eight to 10 boxes alternating between a single box and a pair of boxes, each box numbered progressively. To play, each child in turn tosses a small object into one of the boxes, starting with box one and moving progressively through the course as each player either completes or fails to complete each round. In each round, the player must hop along the course, placing only one foot in any given box, until reaching the box where the small object has landed. The child must then pick up the object without moving their feet or losing balance, turn around holding the object, and hop their way back across the course to the beginning. If a child fails to do this successfully, they are out. Play continues like this one at a time until only the winner remains.

4. Marco Polo

Not your ordinary water polo, the kids can enjoy this classic water game for children of all ages in one of Chartwell’s seven swimming pools. In this game, one player at a time is “It.” This player closes or covers their eyes while the other kids disperse around the pool, eyes open. The child who’s It then proceeds to call out “Marco!” to which all the other kids respond “Polo!” The child who’s It then follows the other players’ voices to try and catch one of them as they move about the pool trying to avoid being caught. This call-and-response continues until the child who’s It touches one of the other players. The round is then over, and the child caught becomes It for the next round.

Other Birthday Party Activities

Games aren’t the only fun activities for kids at Chartwell Gardens. We also offer:

  • Chartwell express train
  • NASCAR-style bike racing track
  • Obstacle course
  • Moon Bounce
  • Face painting
  • Splash park
  • Water slides

Our brand-new, country-rustic style pavilion can serve as the central gathering place for your children’s birthday party. There, your younger guests can enjoy Chartwell’s famous giant cotton candy and an ice cream sundae bar while the parents and other adults present can appreciate the margarita and pina colada machine. It’s also where you can stage any birthday party performance, like a clown, magic show or DJ.

Rent out Chartwell Gardens’ entire 15-acre facility for your next kids’ birthday party, or just rent out the parts that fit your needs. Contact us today at 856-983-8827 to start planning your event!