Help - BBQ planned but supposed to rain

[Chitowngirl]

I need everyone’s advice on what to do. We have a large (for us) party planned. It’s a BBQ in the backyard. We have rented a bounce house. We have a tent and folding tables. We have a play set in the yard and a basketball net in the driveway. We planned to cook burgers/hot dogs/etc, and planned to host the majority of the party outside. It will be different friend groups who don’t know each other well (ie a good friend from my husband’s work, a neighbor, two friends I work with, etc.). There will also be a bunch of kids that don’t know each other well from a wide range of ages (babies up til about 14 or 15). Problem is they are now forecasting rain. I have a feeling we won’t be outside much or at all as even if it doesn’t rain all day it will likely be muddy. What can I do to entertain this diverse crowd inside the house. I’m afraid people will just awkwardly stand around not really socializing as they don’t know each other and the kids will be running round bouncing off the walls. I have NO ideas. If it helps, we can get our money back for the bouncehouse as they refund for inclement weather so I can use the refunded money to buy something or pay for entertainment if anyone has any suggestions. I just can’t think of anything - especially anything I can get at the last minute. Thanks!


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[SnuggleBuggles]

Do you have an area of the house (basement...) where the kids can just run free? Maybe hire a sitter or 2 to help manage them so the parents can relax.
I’ve been to plenty of parties where people don’t know each other well and they are rarely awkward. Plus, it sounds like these aren’t strangers to each other. They can certainly socialize (as much as colleagues like to socialize after hours...which is hit or miss).
I don’t really think you need to hire entertainment but that’s your call.
Unless a monsoon is expected, I’d stick with your plan. Maybe just add an extra tent or something for outside.

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[mom2binsd]

I'd get a larger tent so you can still be outside. Plan for the kids to play outside, I mean rhe bounce house can get wet can't it? If it's warm enough, have the kids do water guns, slip n slide (embrace the rain). Then then can spend sometime outside.

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[gatorsmom]

Get and extra tent and have lots of seating under it. Have the drinks set up under one of these tents and I guarantee that is where the adults will congregate. Like pp said, embrace the rain for the kids. Water balloon/towel toss competitions, squirt guns wars, etc. Buy extra pool towels and have them at the entrance of the house. Put some on the floor (or put down some extra rugs) to mop up the rain/wet dragged into the house when they inevitably want to go inside to change clothes. Tell them to bring a change of clothes for when they are done outside.

Maybe have a craft station on a table under one of the tents for those kids who would rather not get wet and wild if there were other activity options.

[Chitowngirl]

Thanks for the tips. I will investigate a bigger tent (the one we have is a flimsy one from Costco more to keep the sun off than to keep you dry) but not sure if outside will be an option. The are predicting thunderstorm - not just rain. And there are also supposed to be thunderstorms for the preceding 4 days. When we get that much rain it gets really muddy with areas of standing water. I’m afraid even with a tent being outside won’t be practical, but I’m keeping all options open at this point while still hoping the weather reports are wrong.


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[gamma]

If you have a basement, I would send all the kids down there. I empty my garage of vehicles and whatever can be out in the rain. We put a few nails in and hang tarps over the shelves and move everything to one small area and hide it behind a wall made from a hanging tarp. Set up tables and chairs, tubs and coolers with ice and drinks and you have a party space!

[khm]

Can you incorporate your garage / driveway into the party zone? We use our garage a lot, it is right off the kitchen, don't have to worry about mud, etc.

Set some of the food and all of the drinks on tables in the garage. Bunch of chairs (sports chairs, yard chairs, plastic chairs, whatever ya got). A tent out into the driveway can give a bit of extra space if the rain is light. We've done this with just regular sports shade tents.

[gatorsmom]

Thanks for the tips. I will investigate a bigger tent (the one we have is a flimsy one from Costco more to keep the sun off than to keep you dry) but not sure if outside will be an option. The are predicting thunderstorm - not just rain. And there are also supposed to be thunderstorms for the preceding 4 days. When we get that much rain it gets really muddy with areas of standing water. I’m afraid even with a tent being outside won’t be practical, but I’m keeping all options open at this point while still hoping the weather reports are wrong.


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If you have thunderstorms forecast, i’d look into the cost of renting a tent from an events company. The company usually will deliver it, put it up and take it down for you. Also, with thunderstorms- meaning lighting is present- you will need for safety’s sake to provide more serious shelter than just the tents. In that case, I think the idea of clearing out your garage and putting seating in there is a good idea. As one pp said, putting the tent over a portion of your driveway will help with the mud.

I’d definitely buy more rubber-backed rugs to lay out paths to the bathroom and kitchen in your house. Wet and mud is probably going to get everywhere otherwise. Kohl’s usually has some reasonably-priced pretty rugs.

[KpbS]

For thunderstorms, I’d plan on everyone being inside and having some tables with games set up for the kids to play. Uno, Apples to Apples, etc are good multi age games. Maybe play some music and just let people mingle and have a good time. Muddy plus storms is really not great for outside time—esp with the kids. Some will be crazy and get covered in mud just for the heck of it. Changing clothes isn’t an easy fix when your kid is head to to covered in mud, not to mention your house would get filthy. Of course, If the forecast is wrong and the rain has cleared up, have it outside and just ask people to stay out of the muddy areas. Maybe tape them off if not too big? Have a fun party!

[DualvansMommy]

Can you incorporate your garage / driveway into the party zone? We use our garage a lot, it is right off the kitchen, don't have to worry about mud, etc.

Set some of the food and all of the drinks on tables in the garage. Bunch of chairs (sports chairs, yard chairs, plastic chairs, whatever ya got). A tent out into the driveway can give a bit of extra space if the rain is light. We've done this with just regular sports shade tents.

We did this for our st Patrick’s Day annual party one year. And adopted same thing for memorial BBQ another year too. It’s so successful that it’s our go to method of setup for rainy/thundy days.

The tent over driveway would solve your other concern of wet muddy ground if you had excessive rain prior days. Like now our backyard looks like a swamp due to the endless rains we got since Saturday!

Tables in garage for crafts if you don’t have any other kid friendly space like basement or bonus room. I use our large living room for the kids craft setup, as wanted to keep the garage for more of soccer game/food stations space extending out to driveway.


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