An Old-Fashioned Backyard BBQ

Summertime is the perfect season to unplug and get back to basics. We’ve created a plan for a traditional backyard BBQ, complete with outdoor comfort food, fun & games that will make you feel like a kid again and a checklist to help you pull it all together.

The Fun

• 

  Horseshoes

  All you need are 4 horseshoes, 2 stakes and enough room on the lawn to make it interesting. (Kids can also make their own horseshoes by gluing popsicle sticks together to form a “U” shape; water-filled soda bottles can fill in for stakes.) Teams compete to see who can score the most “ringers.” It’s a simple premise, but if you want to have a serious match, check out the Horseshoes Game Rules.

• 

  Bocce ball

  Stake out an area of the yard — either lawn, patio or sand — where you can comfortably throw the balls. Bocce sets can be found at most sporting goods stores, but croquet, tennis or even golf balls can be used in a pinch. Teams compete to see who can get closest to the “jack,” a marked ball that is thrown first. To learn more, check out the Bocce Ball Rules.

• 

  Croquet

  You'll need to invest in a croquet set, but the relatively small expense will provide hours of family fun (and kids’ toy sets are even cheaper!). The little ones can design their own course, while you tend to the burgers. After dinner, play a round while you wait for the sun to go down. To learn more, see Croquet Game Rules.

• 

  Blowing soap bubbles

  This seemingly simple childhood pastime is actually limited only by your imagination. Lots of everyday household items can become bubble wands, including bendy straws, string, metal cans, six-pack rings, cookie cutters or, for the super-large bubbles, bent wire hangers or floral wire. It’s even easy to make your own solution.

• 

  Stargazing

  A star map and binoculars are musts. (Go online for free maps, like this one.)

  Position the map by finding the North Star, which is the tip of the handle of the Little Dipper. If you’re having trouble seeing a faint star, try looking at it with your peripheral vision and it will appear brighter — a trick of night vision. And if you see a shooting star, be sure to wish upon it!

Next, The Plan