12 Cheap Outdoor Games But Exciting Ideas For Kids

/0 Comments/in , /by

Everyone loves a party. Especially an outdoor party. Unfortunately, many people think outdoor parties are expensive – and that’s just not true. Here are some ideas for a memorable outdoor party – an ultimate list of cheap outdoor party games for the family to enjoy – without breaking the bank.

12 Cheap but Exciting Outdoor Game Ideas

Backyard Badminton

Badminton is a simple game that doesn’t need a lot of space. All you need to do is get a backyard badminton set and set it up. Organize a backyard badminton tournament as part of your outdoor party activities. The dress code for the party can even be sportswear.

Grizzly in the Snow

This is a tasty game everyone will enjoy. Hide a few gummy bears (the Grizzlies) in a mountain of whipped cream on a plate. Give each contestant their plate and have them race to find the Grizzlies in the snow – without using their hands.

Treasure Hunt

A classic outdoor party game, a treasure hunt never gets boring. Hide a prize somewhere in the backyard and place clues all over (and I mean all over) the backyard and even a few indoors to spice up the game. This game is best played in teams. The first team to find the treasure gets to keep it.

Ring Toss – Super Charged

This classic carnival game can easily be a part of your outdoor party. All you need are a few hula hoops and a wooden dowel to get the game going.

Hammer the dowel into the ground and give the kids turns at throwing the hula hops over the dowel. You can play the game with levels to make it more interesting.

The first level will be closest to the hoop and will carry fewer points than the higher levels that will gradually be placed further away from the dowel. The player with the most points at the end of the game wins.

Musical Chairs

If you’re looking for a game that will have the kids squealing in excitement and the adults roaring in laughter, “musical chairs” is it. The game starts with 2 rows of chairs lined up back to back – enough for all the players.

A song is played and everyone gets up and walks around the chairs in single file. Once the song stops, everyone sits down where they are. The process is repeated but this time, when they get up to walk, a chair is removed.

Once the music stops, everyone sits down again. The person left standing is eliminated. The game continues in this manner until there is one chair and one person left.

Miniature Golf

You don’t have to spend a fortune on this game, all you need do is purchase a cheap set of plastic golf clubs and golf balls. The good thing about miniature golf is that you can make a lot of variations of the game.

For example, you can set up your holes in a vertical or horizontal position. You can also get a cardboard box and paint it to look like a castle and cut out a drawbridge that will work as the “hole”. Balloons make for great obstacles too. Be creative and have fun.

Backyard Volleyball

All you need for this fabulous game is a ball and a net. If you don’t have a net, don’t worry, you can improvise by using a piece of rope. You can play singles, doubles, or any number to suit the party.

Balloon Darts

An easy to set game but very exciting to play, balloon darts will definitely make your party a blast. Stick some balloons onto a board and have the kids throw some darts at the balloons.

You can add to the excitement by assigning different points to different colored balloons or by hanging the board on a string so that it swivels.

Lawn Twister

Spray paint your lawn into a twister board and take this indoor game outside. Make sure to use non-toxic paint.

Jumbo Checkers

Purchase a jumbo checkers set and have a great time playing this classic game on your lawn. You can buy many sets for the party and have a checkers tournament. This can even be the theme of the party and have guests come dressed in checked clothes.

Catch with a Twist

This is another great team event for your outdoor party. Separate the kids into teams, according to how many they are. Choose one child from each team and place a helmet with a bucket on their head.

The rest of the team members try to throw water balloons inside the bucket. The team that manages to catch the most balloons wins. You can also play a variation of this game with the bucket being held in the hands.

Marble Race

Turn a single pool noodle into 2 race tracks for an exciting marble race. Place start and finish lines at both ends and place the “tracks” on an incline. Kids can race their marbles in 2’s, 3’s, or however many numbers suitable.

Cheap Doesn’t Mean Boring

There you have it, 12 exciting games you can play at an outdoor party. Just because games are cheap, it doesn’t mean the party will be dull, on the contrary, as you have seen for yourself.

Tips And Tricks: How To Re-grip Golf Clubs For A Better Swing

/0 Comments/in , /by

If you are a regular golfer then you probably spend countless hours practicing, playing, researching the latest developments in equipment, and fine tuning your game.

However, one of the most simple and effective changes people can make in their game often goes overlooked. Re-gripping golf clubs is a regular maintenance task that should be done regularly based on how often you play and practice.

man hitting the golf ball

Avid golfers who practice several times per week with a few 18 hole rounds on top of that may need to change their grips once or twice per year. Regular golfers who play every week will want to consider changing their grips yearly.

Knowing how to re-grip golf clubs is a handy skill to have that can save you time and money.

Why Re-Grip Golf Clubs Regularly?

Before we learn the how we need to understand why it’s important to re-grip golf clubs on a regular basis. Over time, dirt, sweat, and water can break down a golf grip.

This is why cleaning grips after every round is important to making them last. In addition to that, the force generated by swinging your clubs can wear out grips and reduce their tackiness or feel.

a man raising his golf club with strong grip as he is about to swing and hit the ball

If you cannot grip your golf club properly then you will not be able to play to the best of your ability.

Cost is one of the reasons that people avoid re-gripping golf clubs. This why knowing how to re-grip golf clubs yourself is an important skill.

Grips and re-gripping materials are not expensive but golf courses or retail stores will often charge a per club re-gripping fee which can add to the cost substantially. Buying your own grips and doing the job yourself can save you a lot of money over the years.

The Tools You’ll Need

If you have never re-gripped golf clubs then you may be worried about the tools needed to get the job done. Luckily, most of the things needed are regular items any handyman will have around.

Obviously, you will need new golf grips as well as grip tape. These can often be purchased together in an affordable bundle package. As well, you will need grip solvent to complete the process.

In addition, a straight blade or hook blade knife is required. Finally, a vice grip and bucket will be needed to make the job quick and easy with little cleanup required.

Time to Get to Work

Now it’s finally time to learn how to re-grip golf clubs.

  • First, you need to remove your existing grips and grip tape. Firmly secure the shaft of your club in a vice. It is advisable to use a rubber protector to prevent damage to the shaft.

  • Now, use a knife to cut off the old grip. One straight cut from the bottom of the grip to the butt end of the club is all you need. If you have graphite shafts, use a hook blade knife and caution to prevent damaging the graphite shaft.

  • Peel away the leftover grip tape and then clean the exposed shaft with a damp cloth. If there are some stubborn sections of tape, use a bit of grip solvent to help with the clean up process. Be sure to dry the shaft completely after cleaning before moving on to the next step.

  • Hold your new grip in line with your shaft to judge how much grip tape you will require. Your grip tape should extend from the very base of the grip to the butt end of the club with an extra half inch extending beyond the end of the shaft. This extra length will be folded into the hollow area of the shaft.

  • Now, grab a new grip and cover the hole on the butt end with a finger.

  • Pour grip solvent into the open end of the grip and swirl it around to coat the entire interior of the grip. Now you can remove your finger from over the hole and let the grip solvent wash over the grip tape you have applied.

  • This is where a bucket comes in handy. Place the bucket below the club you are re-gripping to collect used grip solvent.

  • Finally, slide the grip onto the newly applied tape until it is secure and in position. Remove the club from the vice and lightly tap the butt end of the grip on the ground to ensure that the grip is fully seated with no unused space.

Your club is re-gripped! Give it a few hours to dry before playing. Ideally, you will allow an entire night for the drying process but some avid golfers may not be able to wait that long before testing their new grips.

Easier Than it Sounds

a golf bag full of different golf clubs

After reading all of that you may think learning how to re-grip golf clubs is not easy or time efficient at all. Once you get into the process you will understand how quickly re-gripping can be done.

After you have done it a few times you should be able to re-grip an entire set of golf clubs in just half an hour. Like with your golf game, learning how to re-grip golf clubs can take some practice!

Featured Image via Pixabay