Who doesn’t love a 4^th of July party? Handheld sparklers for the kids, a barbeque for the adults, and dropped hot dogs and unattended plates of food for the family dog.

IF you’re hoping for some creative ideas for this year’s patriotic bash, you can consider some of the following options. One thing that not many people do, but is really popular with the kids, is to rent an inflatable slide pool.

The kids can get all wet sliding down the inflatable slide to the pool below. Most of the inflatable rental companies set it all up for you. You just pay for it and sit back while they do the work.

Another option is to have a cookout competition. You can assign all your guests to bring a competitive dish, for a potluck, and then everyone can vote later on the best one. If you’re worried about a biased vote, just have all the kids vote on their favorite dish.

Old fashioned games can be some of the most memorable like potato sack or three-legged races, or egg and spoon team races. Or have you considered hiring a clown that can make animal balloons for the kids? Some of these ideas are so simple to implement, but can truly make a memorable 4^th of July party.