Family Fun: Cowboy Cookout with 'Truth or Dare'

Howdy pardners. It's time for some family fun. Yeeharrr!

This is the one you've all been waiting for - or at least I have. Waiting for the time and space to finally share with you our BEST family theme night ever.
This one was so much fun. A night that will live on in memory and family lore forever.

Mr G and I had just returned from a week in Hawaii (as you do) and we'd been missing our kids big-time. We were craving a family hang-out and some fun together, and in a flash of inspiration I landed on just the thing.
Back in November when Dash had his Wild West Campout party I had created a game of "Spin the Bottle Truth or Dare" that we never actually got to use. The truth and dare cards were still sitting there untouched, along with a specially labeled "Snake Oil Truth Serum" bottle, as yet unspun.
When I stumbled across my Snake Oil bottle at the back of a shelf, I thought, We should play this game! Oooh, and do a cowboy theme... I know - a cookout!
Before you could lasso yourself a heifer we were off and away, throwing together a fun family night at home in our backyard, cowboy style.

(The Truth or Dare Game printables are at the bottom of the post for you to grab and use.)

The weather was clear and mild, even though it was mid-Winter - perfect for a cookout.
So me and my right hand cowgirl, Miss Fab, got to work setting it all up purty, using stuff left over from Dash's party, hats from the dress up box and anything else we could find lying around that helped set the tone for a Cowboy Cookout.

 Rustic Jar lanterns, red white and blue cushions & cloths, old bunting...

Daddy fired up the brazier and we put the sausages, chicken and corn cobs on skewers over the fire 

(along with some garlic-buttered foil-wrapped pita bread)

 The food was simple and tasty and effortless, washed down with ginger beer, 

eaten in in the smoky fresh air under the clouds stars...

(We love doing cookouts on the brazier)

It was mighty nice. Sedate. Civilised.
Until we started spinning that bottle.
He he.

SPIN THE BOTTLE "TRUTH OR DARE"

TO PLAY YOU NEED:
One bottle (Snake Oil label optional)
One set of Truth slips (in a can)
One set of Dare Slips (in a can)
One jug of Penalty Juice (a disgusting concoction mixed from whatever liquids you have in your pantry)
plus an egg cup to drink from

One person spins the bottle. Whoever it points to has to choose "Truth" or "Dare", and then pick a slip of paper from their chosen can

They have to either complete the dare (if they chose "dare") or answer truthfully (if they chose "truth") or drink an eggcups worth of penalty juice. Ugh. (Very motivational, especially after the first person tastes it)

Oh boy did we have a hoot. Some of the dares were fairly tame...

...or just a bit wincey...

Others were silly...

...some were flippin hilarious...

...and some were just *slightly* embarrassing...

(Just as well we have awesome neighbours)

"Truths" were less popular than dares and after we had run out of dares, we kept on going making them up on the spot (we made it that the person who spun the bottle had to set the dare, but if they did one that was too silly, it would backfire on them and THEY would have to drink the penalty juice).

As the sun went down and the photo quality diminished, the laughs and warm fuzzies increased exponentially.

After toasting some marshmallows, we all cuddled up around the fire, and calmed things down with our favourite campfire game, "True or False"

TRUE OR FALSE: Each person has to make three statements about themselves. Two are true. One is false. All the players have to guess which are the true and which are the false statements. When everyone has guessed, the correct answer is revealed.

This is such a simple game, but oh so funny - and a great way to get to know each other. There are always some surprises (things you learn about each other that you didn't know) and some rip-snorting laughs as well  - especially when you play it with Miss Fab and Scrag who *just barely* grasp the rules.

"Hang on, Fab, those three things are ALL true...!"
"Oh. oops! I forgot to do a false one..." (every time)

"I like running. I like basketball. I've been to the moon."
"Um, gee Scrag... is it I've been to the moon that's the false one?"
"CORRECT!"
He he.

Love love love hanging out with this bunch. They are flippin great company and a really good laugh.

And it wouldn't be a campfire night without some of daddy's "growing up in Newcastle" stories...

(miss you Rorz!)

Like I said, best darned family night we've EVER had.

Nobody wanted to go to bed. Nobody wanted ANYBODY to go to bed. We just wanted to stay snuggled under those blankets by the fire, telling stories, forever.

So if you want to give it a go (and really, why wouldn't you?) here's the printables.
Right click. Save to your computer. Print. Snip. Stick the label on a bottle. Play.
ENJOY.

 

(I'd love to hear from you if you do this with your family - let me know how it goes!)