Backyard Party; 5 ways to enjoy while it’s still sunny in Perth

This summer Perth was lucky enough not to hit the 40 degree mark over the last few months for the first time in years! This meant we could enjoy the glorious sunshine and host a great backyard party without worrying about being scorched (still applying sunscreen every 4 hours though). Even though summer is officially over we thought we would come up with a few things to keep you busy before we have to say goodbye to our beloved sunshine and welcome the grey skies and cold winds of winter (winter is coming folks).

1. BACKYARD CRICKETThis one has been around since the beginning of time (okay maybe not but close enough) but playing a sport in your backyard is something we can all attest to growing up with. Particularly for kids growing up in Australia playing cricket in the backyard with your Dad and Grandad is a very fond memory. Running around till you couldn’t anymore and when that moment arrived, Mum came outside to save the say with some delicious food and drinks to refuel. This tradition should be carried onto your own kids because it is something so simple but will treasure for the rest of their lives. Rally the kids, cousins and friends if it’s school holidays and set up some stumps and start scoring runs! Alternatively this activity could be done at the beach too, we all know how hard it is to run on sand (but you can definitely save that run by sliding to the wicket). This is a great way to bond with the whole family and keep up an active lifestyle. It’s also another motivating way to get the kids off the couch and running around, if they know Mum and Dad want to play too why would they say no!Of course the backyard is not limited to cricket, why not play some basketball or soccer even? Depending on how many people you have available form teams and set up a temporary hoop or some soccer goals. All of these sports require a whole lot of running around so make sure to drink plenty of water to keep hydrated.
2. POOL GAMESIf you are lucky enough to have a pool in your backyard that’s great because we have some fun games that can be enjoyed by the whole family! We’re hoping it’s still warm enough to get wet but we all know that kids don’t think about this. As long as they can run and jump into the water they are happy as ever. Enjoying days by the pool in your own backyard is a cost effective way to spend the evenings and weekends. You can relax nearby and read a book while the kids splash away to their heart’s content. If they’re showing signs of boredom from just swimming then keep reading because we have some interactive games you can play (don’t worry you don’t need to get wet).The first one is grabbing some spare coins around the house and tell the kids to close their eyes. Once they are closed toss the coins into the pool and then it is their job to swim around and collect as many as they can. It’s a play on hide and seek in a way. The winner is the one who found the most coins (rather than the total value of the coins collected). The second game tests their endurance levels, it’s a race to the end to see who can stay underwater the longest. This one always brings out the competitive side in anyone.The long standing game that was probably played by yourself in your own childhood is ‘Marco Polo’ this one is such a simple crowd pleaser. Again it is another take on the traditional hide and seek. The person who is ‘it’ must close their eyes while the rest of the gang swims around the pool. The ‘it’ person calls out ‘Marco’ and the rest of the kids have to yell ‘Polo’ by doing this the ‘it’ person can follow the sound of their voices to tag the next person. There is also an option where one of the people swimming around decides to jump out of the water to get to the other side of the pool to avoid being tagged, if the ‘it’ person suspects this at any time they can yell ‘FISH OUT OF WATER’. If the person is caught doing this then they become tagged by default. It’s amazing how such simple games can keep the family amused for hours on end. We know one thing for sure is that you’ll have to prepare a huge range of snacks or a big dinner to be able to fill the appetite that is coming!
3. HOST A BBQWho doesn’t enjoy a good bbq every now and then? Once again this is such a huge part of the Australian culture and is also a great way to have a relaxing evening at home. If you feel like having some company or host a party then why not invite the rest of the family over, you can allocate each person to bring a dish or some drinks. The only thing that can go wrong is the mosquitoes in the warm weather. Those pesky things just won’t let up, we’d suggest you keep a bottle of aerogard nearby and keep reapplying this. Alternatively you can also buy some citronella candles which is a natural way to keep them away too.Back to the important bits, the food! There are so many ways to spice up standard bbq food, like actually adding in some chilli powder into the marinade (haha, see what we did there). Check out this website for some crazy but delicious new recipes to create something fantastic for your guests. Although you can never go wrong with a good old fashioned snag on the barbie. This one will forever be a fan favourite. While the Dads are firing up the bbq the kids will be getting bored if they aren’t given something to do. This is where our last two suggestions come in handy! Start up a game of backyard cricket or jump in the pool if the weather permits. Combine all of these factors and you have yourself a very successful Saturday or Sunday afternoon with the family. Our last suggestion would be to create a playlist to get the party started!
4. HIRE SOME AMUSEMENTS
   Perhaps you have a birthday coming up or you’re looking for something unique to have the best backyard party over the weekend. Hiring a giant inflatable is a great way to keep the kids entertained (yes mums and dads can also have a go). Monsterball Amusements & Hire have a huge range to choose from and will have something to suit every budget and backyard size. If you have the room and it’s a super hot day then check out the amazing Ningaloo Slide at 17m long and 7m high! This giant super slide will keep you cool and busy all day long. If you’ve ever wanted to go up to the Coral Coast but haven’t had the time, hire this water slide out to get a feel of what it will be like to swim with the whale sharks. If the weather isn’t warm enough to swim then check out this Giant Inflatable Dart board. It’s a great way to practice your kicking aim and can be a fun and competitive way to hang out with the family. There is nothing quite like a bit of healthy competition (it’s good for the heart).If this isn’t really your cup of tea then we would suggest Bubble Soccer! It’s such a fun way to stay fit and run around. You can’t really get hurt because you’re literally wrapped in a giant bubble. You do have the freedom to run around because your legs stick out and you can bump into your friends too. It starts from a package of 6 bubbles, the perfect size for a wind down Sunday session with the kids. If you’re worried about sizing then fear not, Monsterball has both bubbles for kids and adults! We think this is a great way to spend your weekend.
5. EAT A FAMILY DINNER OUTSIDEThis is such a simple but wonderful idea to share an evening with the kids. Sitting together to share a meal has been one of the oldest and most effective ways to try and have a conversation with the children. It’s a great time to catch up on the day and weeks events (if this isn’t a daily occurrence), it provides a way to spend quality time with the family that does not involve any type of screen time. A great way to enjoy the cooling summer breeze in the evenings is to take your dinner plates outside. Once again refer to our earlier point about mosquitoes!! Stock up on the citronella candles and aerogard just to be safe. Other than this eating a meal outdoors can be incredibly relaxing and a lot more informal rather than sitting at a dining table indoors.

We hope we inspired you with a few fun ideas on what to do with the family! You don’t always need to spend money to have a good time.