8 Ideas for cottage party entertainment. Wholesome time with people you love
I am not a big party person. Otherwise I guess I would not choose a lifestyle away from the fast and furious city life. But now and then we have a desire to share with the nice people the beautiful sunsets, the blooming roses, the whisper of the summer evening… and then there is a time for visitors. And a cottage party.
When you’re planning a party at the cottage, you want activities that will appeal to all your guests, young and old. And chances are there will be children and those who prefer a bit slower time. Cottage means almost time travel.
No tech, no dictated focus. So I picked up several things we love.
Here are 8 ideas to get your party started:
1. Lawn Games
2. Family-friendly board games
3. Great food and picnic baskets
4. Bug finding and nature walks
5. Cottage/ nature scavenger hunts
6. Campfire Sing-Along and Tell along
7. Old fashioned charades
8. Making the “secrets” and mini hotels for fairies
1. Lawn games
Badminton, frisbee, and other lawn games
One of the best things about cottage parties is that they provide ample opportunity for lawn games. Badminton is always a classic, but frisbee can be fun as well. If you want to get a little more creative, there are plenty of other lawn games you can play.
Our classics include sneak up granny, “old ladies underwear” (which is a great game for those who aren't keen on running around and can be played inside and outside),
Five stones is the latest discovery and apparently is such an old game!
(A player begins by throwing all five stones onto the ground. He throws a stone into the air, picks up a stone from the ground and then catches the first stone with the same hand. He continues picking up each stone in this manner until all five stones are in his hand).
2. Family-friendly board games
At a cottage party, board games are a great way to entertain everyone. Here are some family-friendly board games to get everyone involved in the fun that are popular in our family:
Triominos - something we got into for the past two years and still enjoying it now and then.
Quiddler - word making game, and the battles can be hot.
Professor Noggin's games - these are more educational games but it is amazing to find out what you don't know and get your curiosity woken up.
7 Wonders: A card game, 7 Wonders has players acquiring different types of cards in order to build one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
The old dominos
Woodland families card game - such a cottage feel with the beautiful pictures of the cutest woodland creatures and perfect for both - the young players and older ones. .
3. Great food and picnic baskets
There are so many things you can do to make sure everyone has a great time. And one of the best parts of any party is the food.
When you're planning a cottage party, make sure to have plenty of picnic baskets packed with all of your favorite snacks and drinks. You can also set up a buffet of finger foods so everyone can help themselves.
If you're feeling extra festive, you can even have a barbecue! Just make sure to have everything you need so everyone can enjoy a delicious meal. And remember - a country cottage is not a restaurant of exotic menus. Simple food can be delicious no doubt. The food topic is worthy of a big writing some other time🙂
4. Bug finding and nature walks
There's something about being in nature that just makes people feel good. Maybe it's the fresh air, or the sunshine, or the ability to move around freely. Whatever the reason, being in nature is a wonderful way to enjoy some quality time with the people you love. It's also a great opportunity to bond with the people you're with.
One great way to enjoy nature is to go on a bug hunting expedition. You do not need to catch and destroy. The best way is to hunt the images and make a photo collection. Or even draw. This can be a lot of fun for kids and adults alike.
Nature activities are great ways to enjoy some wholesome time with the people you love. They're also great ways to get a little bit of exercise. So get out there and enjoy nature!
5. Cottage/ Nature scavenger hunts
Scavenger hunts are a great way to keep everyone entertained during a cottage party. Get everyone involved by dividing into teams and sending them off to find items on a list. The team that finds the most items in the allotted time wins. To make the game more challenging, include a time limit or bonus points for items that are difficult to find.
One of our favorites with kids is a nature scavenger hunt. Looking for something with the big whiskers or something that is “rough to touch” … the lists are prepared beforehand and it is so much fun.
If you're looking for a more structured activity, try a photo scavenger hunt. Give each team a list of items or actions to capture on camera, and see who can come back with the most creative photos.
This is a great way to get everyone exploring the outdoors and taking some fun snapshots along the way.
6. Arts and crafts projects
If you're looking for some wholesome fun for your cottage party, why not try some arts and crafts projects? Here are the ideas to get you started:
Paint a picture of the cottage. This is a great way to capture the memories of your time spent at the cottage.
Make a collage of your favorite cottage memories. Gather up some old photos, postcards, ticket stubs, etc. and create a one-of-a-kind collage. A bit messy and space taking but can be so much fun and for us a chance to lessen the amount of old country life/ nz gardener magazines we have a lot.
And of course with the right people it can be a quiet knit/ sew/ embroidery or even sculpture on the go…
7. Making the “secrets” and mini hotels for fairies
The collection og pretty petals, “gemstones”, and other pretty little things are coming handy for this one. As a child I used to spend hours with other girls preparing the little treasures in the sandpit for each other to discover. You make a whole may be 10 cm deep and start making the “bottom floor” treasure - usually the prettiest one as it will be the last to find - the beautiful flower with the design of little stones covered with the flat piece of glass or something protective and see through, the a layer of sand, then another design and so on till the surface. Usually there are 5-6 layers there. And then an “archeologist” carefully digs it out and marvels at the findings.
Mini hotels for the fairies with the materials from the cottage garden are another fun thing to do. Creative and whimsical.
8. Campfire stories, songs and s'mores
Gather around the campfire and enjoy some of your favorite sing-along songs. Don’t forget the marshmallows!
There's something about sitting around a campfire that makes stories come alive. Maybe it's the crackling of the flames, or the way the light dances on everyone's faces. Either way, campfire stories are a great way to pass the time at a cottage party.
If you really want to get everyone in the mood, tell your stories around a bonfire. madlibs, story make up using the prompts, stories that impressed you when you were a child, folk story night etc
If you're looking for some ideas, why not try a classic ghost story? Or, if you're feeling daring, make up your own story based on your surroundings. Just be sure to keep it PG-13 – you don't want to give anyone nightmares!
S'mores are always a hit, so be sure to have all the fixings on hand. And if you want to take things up a notch, try making s'mores with homemade marshmallows. They're not as hard to make as you might think, and your guests will be impressed.
And singing together near the fire creates an unforgettable atmosphere for sure.
So gather your friends and family around the campfire, and get ready for some fun.
There are many ways to entertain guests at a cottage party, but the most important thing is to focus on creating an enjoyable and wholesome experience for everyone involved. With a little bit of planning and thoughtfulness, you can ensure that your cottage party is one that everyone will remember fondly for years to come.
What comes to your head at the words "cottage party"?
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