It’s A Jungle Out There
Preparing Your Backyard For
Summer Play & Summer
B-Day Games

The painful screams of a child can bring any picnic
or barbecue to a screeching halt. More than 11,400
children under the age 14 are injured every year
from burns and fires says Ron Bistolfo, Director of
Education at the American Red Cross Bay Area Chapter
in San Francisco, California.

Backyard injuries are a contributor to that
whopping number.

1. Survey the Yard For Poisonous Plants



2. Pets If you have pets be sure all droppings are
   cleaned up from the lawn area



3. Playground Equipment Hazards check it..tighten
   it..look around make sure it is safe..on and around
   the area



4. Putting Pedal to the Metal check the
   equipment..make sure they wear helmits..even
   pads are a good idea


better to be safe than sorry



5. Barbecue Basics make sure the kids can't
   cross a designated line..use chalk rope and
   set up a square where the kids can't cross


specailly if thier are alot of people for the
party


6. Preventing Sunburn and Dehydration make
   sure you have plenty of water and sunblock



7. Watch the Water if you have a pool..make sure
   it is safe..if kids are in..have someone watching.
   or an adult in there with them at all times.
   

Summer B-Day Games

Party Pass:
You can do this with any fruit. Pick your
favorite fruit: apple, orange, grapefruit
for a real challenge. Line up your guests
in two even rows (four players on each side)
and have the first person in line hold an
orange between his chin and neck. The orange
gets passed to each person in line and the
team who successfully passed the orange all
the way down the line without dropping it
wins!

Sack Race:
Sturdy canvas sacks or even large kitchen
trash bags will do. Line up your guests and
make the finish line about 20-25 feet away.
When the kids are ready, call out "ready-
set-go" and the first child to cross the
finish line wins.

Relay Race:
This is an outdoor game. The object of this
game is to fill a glass of water. Line up
your guests in two even rows (four players
on each side). The first person in line
dips the spoon in a pitcher of water and
then carefully runs to an empty water glass
fifteen away. He then runs back and gives
the empty spoon to the next person in line.
This person dips the spoon in a pitcher of
water and then carefully runs to the glass.
The first team who finishes with the most
water in the glass wins.

Water Balloon Toss:
This is an outdoor game. Fill water balloons
and have kids pick partners (you need an even
number of party guests or you'll have to play,
too). Have the kids toss the balloons back
and forth, taking one step back each time
they or their partners catch the balloon.
Whoever is dry at the end of the game wins!

Hula Hoop Heave'Em:
This is ring toss for tots! Decorate or paint
some brightly colored, oversized boxes the day
before the party. Get two hula hoops and line
up your guests in two even rows (four players
on each side). Each child gets three tries to
toss the hoop around the box. The team that
gets the most hoops around the boxes the most
times wins.

High Water/Limbo:
How low or how high can you jump? Line up your
guests and start with the jump rope at ground
level. Raise the rope after each person jumps
over it. The guest who can jump the highest
wins! (For Limbo, start with the rope really
high and lower the rope as each person goes
across.)