Sauce toss is a fun outdoor game that can be played at picnics, barbecues, or other gatherings. The game involves tossing water balloons filled with messy sauces at opponents in an attempt to hit them while avoiding being hit yourself. With some simple equipment and a large open playing area, sauce toss is an enjoyable game for all ages.
What You Need to Play Sauce Toss
To set up a game of sauce toss, you will need the following items:
- Water balloons – These will be filled with messy sauces.
- Assorted sauces – Ketchup, mustard, barbecue sauce, ranch dressing, etc. Be creative!
- Large buckets or bins – For filling water balloons and storing extra sauce.
- Open outdoor area – A yard, field, or park with plenty of room to run around.
- Old clothes – That players don’t mind getting stained.
- Tarps or plastic tablecloths – To mark off the playing area and catching stray balloons.
Fill up a number of water balloons with the sauces you have chosen, making sure to tie them securely. Set up the tarps around the playing area. Divide players into two or more teams, and establish a starting line for each team along the edges of the playing area.
Setting Up the Playing Area
When setting up for a game of sauce toss, you’ll want a large open outdoor area, at least 30 feet by 30 feet or larger. This gives players plenty of room to spread out, run around, and avoid incoming balloons.
Use tarps or plastic tablecloths secured with weights to mark off the boundaries of the playing area. This will help catch stray water balloons and keep the game contained. Leave an opening along each side for the starting lines where teams will line up.
Within the playing area, set up some obstacles – think things like hula hoops, cones, buckets, or lawn chairs. This creates hiding spots and strategic barriers for players to use during the game.
Make sure the ground is clear of debris, holes, etc. that could trip up running players. And verify there’s nothing breakable nearby that could get hit by a stray balloon.
Finally, fill up a kiddie pool, bucket, or bin with water balloons filled with your sauces. Place them near the middle of the playing area, equidistant from each team’s starting line.
Sauce Toss Game Rules
Here are some standard rules to follow when playing sauce toss:
- Divide players into two or more equal teams, with a minimum of 2 players per team.
- Each team lines up behind their designated starting line along the edge of the playing area.
- Fill one central bucket with water balloons filled with sauces.
- On “Go,” one player from each team will run to the bucket and take as many sauce balloons as they can carry – usually 2-4 balloons.
- Players then throw balloons at members of the opposing team(s) while trying to dodge incoming balloons.
- If a player is hit by a sauce balloon, they are out and must leave the playing area. They can rejoin the game after their team scores a point.
- The round ends when all players on one team have been hit. The team with any players left wins a point.
- New rounds start with new players running to gather balloons. Rounds continue until a team reaches a set point total, usually 5-10 points.
Depending on the number of players and balloons available, feel free to adjust these rules as needed. The main goal is fun, messy competition!
Sauce Toss Strategies
To excel at sauce toss, teams should employ some strategies and work together. Here are some tips:
- Communication – Constantly talk to teammates about who has balloons, where opponents are located, when you’re out of ammo, etc.
- Protect the balloon runner – Shield them as they retrieve balloons from the bucket and run back to your side.
- Flank – While some players engage the other team head-on, have others loop around the sides for a sneak sauce toss attack.
- Use obstacles – Duck behind barriers to avoid getting hit or launch surprise balloon attacks.
- Retrieve balloons – When opponents are hit, grab their unused balloons before the other team can.
- Sauce balloon banter – Some light-hearted trash talk can boost team morale during the messy matchup.
Sauce Recipes for Filling Water Balloons
For an extra fun element, whip up some homemade sauce recipes to fill the water balloons. Here are some messy suggestions:
Chunky Salsa Sauce
- 2 cans diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
Mix ingredients together in a bowl. Use funnel to fill water balloons.
Creamy Ranch Dressing
- 1 cup mayo
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 Tbsp dried parsley
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dried dill
- Salt and pepper to taste
Whisk ingredients together. Fill balloons using a spoon.
Sweet & Spicy Barbecue Sauce
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
Stir ingredients in saucepan over medium heat. Let cool before filling balloons.
Conclusion
With some simple setup and preparation, sauce toss is an easy, messy game for your next outdoor gathering or barbecue. Just be sure to have plenty of balloons filled with fun sauces, establish boundaries, divide into teams, and let the flying messy madness begin! Employ a few strategies like communication and protecting your balloon runner to help your team succeed. But no matter the outcome, sauce toss is guaranteed sloppy fun for everyone involved.