Looking for Game Ideas for a Sports Themed Backyard Bday Party

Obstacle Course. I googled ideas and this is the first one I saw...
To set up an obstacle course, think of terms such as jump, hop, crawl under, climb over, walk along, go right or go left. Eight to ten stations is a good number for school age children.
-Use a ladder flat on the ground to run through
-Crawl under a table or broom hung between 2 chairs
-Hop through hula hoops set on the ground
-Step over an obstacle such as yardstick between 2 chairs at knee height
-Walk across balance beam (4"x4" board)
-Weave in and out of poles made with PVC pipe inserted in sand buckets
-Squeeze through 2 objects placed close so child walks sideways
-Throw ball into wastebasket
-Carry an object on a spoon (water balloon outdoors, small ball indoors)
-Jump or skip 5 times with jump rope
-Bounce or dribble ball to next station (at least 5 times)
You can adjust this child physical activity to fit the ages, abilities and number of children in your group. Make the obstacle course simple at first and gradually increase the difficulty of each station. If you want, time the kids to see how fast they can complete the course. Record their individual times and see if the can practice to improve their own times. Make certificates of accomplishment and completion of this child physical activity the obstacle course.
Maybe the winning team gets their presents opened first or do ribbons. Then I would just have sport stations set up. I would think that at their age they'll entertain themselves with these things if they all know each other.

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For baseball, you can make a cutout of a player holding a glove and put a hole in the glove where they have to toss the baseball in or "through" his mitt.

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All of the ideas on here sound great. I would caution you, however, not to have too much. Even at 7, it can become overwhelming for the kids and they get out of control of themselves. Keep it organized, have a plan. Good luck!

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Limbo
Water balloon toss
Relay race (wheelbarrow, three legged race etc...)
:)
Have fun!

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I do special events and am famous for my pinatas.
It should be the last thing you do , since this can be their "goodie bags."

Make sure to hang it before everyone gets there and have it hanging high enough no one can get to it. You will need a stick and a blind fold (Put them where no one can get to them)..

I have found that using a bandanna tied in a triangle works best, because then they cannot peak underneath.

You will need on person to pull the rope and another to handle the "hitter."

The person that pulls the rope should allow the hitter to hit it 3 times, but the rest of the time, they will miss.Have them pull it way high and then way low to the ground. Even if the pinata is on the ground, it can be funny to see them miss.

If once everyone has had their turn and it has not been broken you can then allow each child to take a big whack at it without the blind fold.. Once it breaks, grab the stick and let them go for it. Shake and spin the pinata in all directions so the kids will not be in one big pile..

Make sure you tell them the rules, that no one is to rush towards the goodies, till you have pulled the stick out of the hitters hand. I hand out a bag or a cup for everyone to use to put their goodies in, I have them each write their names on them, . as you hand them the stick you can hold their cup or bag. No goodie bags needed!

I fill the pinata with all sorts of things.. Tattoos, gum, candy, bandades, collectible cards, small toys, quarters, gift cards, balloons.

Have fun!

I also have an adult list of prizes if you ever need it..

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If you have a wading pool full it with construction fish and let the boys go fishing, They rod would be a small pole or stick with a pin on it or a magnet if you tape magnets to the back of the fishes.

If there is wind they could fly kites, get a small bowling game ,

For a cart you can make a sea in a bottle I did not have the directions for one but you can found it on the net. I hope this helps some.

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Why not make it an "olympics" sort of thing? You can make each sport a "station" in your yard?

Other ideas for "sports" -
- frisbee golf: pick a target for the player to try to hit or come closest too, it can be a tree. Count how many tries it takes to hit the tree.
- soccer: have them kick the ball and weave between some cones. They can start, weave, then have to come back the same way to finish at the starting line.
- Bozo bucket - remember those! - Have kids throw a ping pong ball into numbered buckets. Make them stand at a line, then throw it into bucket #1. Stay at the line, then thrown it to bucket #2...each bucket should be further and further away all in the same line.

Then you could give out "sports" prizes either for the winner, who does the best or for participating. Your adult family members could help run each station.

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go to birthdaypartyideas.com
you can you to a theme and age group, and get an outline of a party.
There are several mom's that have thrown these parties and written about them step by step. They tell you want kids liked and didn't like. You can get ideas from several people.

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An obstacle course would totally be a huge hit!

Also, what about bowling something over (plastic water bottles?), a golf hole (wiffle golf balls), nerf football toss through a hula hoop...

The piñata could be a baseball and they could use real bats to hit it.

You can give out a water bottle filled with referee whistles on a string, a box of cracker jacks, baseball card bubble gum, and the candy from the piñata.

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Football toss- you can use laundry baskets to throw them in, each one further from the line they will throw from. You could do pretty much the same with basketballs too if you don't have a hoop.

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do something with water balloons. Like make Dad the target.......they'll love it!

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I love love love your theme - I have 2 boys that are very much into sports. However, not all boys are. I would suggest a non-sport themed craft - coloring table or something for those that aren't sports oriented. I would think a relay race of some sort that all participate in at the same time, rather than boys just having free-time. We have done 2 lines of boys on either side of the yard carrying a spoon with an egg across the yard until one line finishes (I know it's hard to picture, sorry)
Good luck!

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This might sound silly, but you can actually do a "bean bag" toss.
Go to the dollar store and get a hula hoop or two, and they have little weighted balls that are actually used for water play. It's kind of like horse shoes, only you try to get them in the hoop. It's pretty fun, actually. If you sew, you can make your own bean bags. But the ones at the dollar store work great too. Touch football with nerf footballs is fun. No tackling.
Pinatas are super fun but most you have to fill with your own treats so it doesn't have to be candy. Hang it in a tree branch, blind fold the kids one by one, keep the others out of reach and let them have at it.
One of my friends son's loves a pinata and that's what we get him every year for his birthday. He never knows what it's fillled with. We loop the rope over the tree limb so we can pull it up and tease the kids. That's all part of it. Kids love scavenger hunts as well, and you don't need a huge yard. Just a stash of little treasures for everyone at the end.
The other thing is a relay race. You can have them hold oranges under their chins or a ball you get at the dollar store to hold between their knees. They're not allowed to use their hands. It's pretty funny so get lots of video.

7 year olds can really have fun!

I'm sure you'll get some great ideas.

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