This post is sponsored by The National Watermelon Promotion Board, but all content, comments, suggestions and enthusiasm remain my own!
This past week, I hung out at the lake with a couple dozen of my nearest and dearest family members for an extended long weekend. It was our annual family reunion but I aptly renamed it “Camp Watermelon 2019” because reflecting over the years, I’ve noticed that there is probably not a single, significant summer memory in my life that has gone by without sharing a watermelon with loved ones.
Yup, watermelon creates more than happy bellies and sticky, sweet chins . . . watermelon is woven, sometimes subtly and sometimes boldly, right into the fabric of my very being and perhaps yours, too. This summer, I decided to kick up the watermelon fun at our reunion for guaranteed memories (and laughs) . . . read on to discover what we did at Camp Watermelon and get some fun watermelon ideas for yourself!
Of course, we ate this beloved melon every which way, by the slice, in fruit salads, in watermelon smoothies and uniquely seasoned watermelon on skewers. Check out my recent post on 4 Ways to Simply Season Watermelon that will Blow Your Mind. We went through five jumbo-sized watermelons in four days, and I’m thankful for my hubby who put the muscle behind the watermelon cutting! 
If you’ve followed along with me for any time now, you likely know that I’m all about #LivingOnTheWedge and doing crazy stuff with watermelon – like watermelon workouts, watermelon for running, and watermelon yoga! I thought it would be fun and perhaps hysterical to take a watermelon down to the lake dock for some fun and games like Greased Watermelon Football (slather a melon up with Vaseline and toss into water – everyone jumps in and first out successfully holding the melon wins). We also had some watermelon challenges, like trying to get in various yoga poses on a stand-up paddleboard while holding a watermelon – watermelon yoga is not as easy as you’d think! Here are some watermelon yoga poses to try on a paddleboard: 1) Tree Pose 2) Side Plank (pictured) 3) Legs Up (Invisible) Wall
I wasn’t sure how the kids, let alone grownups, would respond to my funny watermelon games, but once I tried and failed splashing into the lake, the watermelon fun was a HUGE HIT. The $4 watermelon was BY FAR the cheapest lake toy down on the dock and it paid out big dividends in watermelon fun – plus, afterwards, I washed the rind with soap and water, sliced it up and devoured it.
Of course, knowing my family, the watermelon games quickly escalated into one-upping insanity! You’ll get a good laugh from these videos with watermelon yoga fails and watermelon toss and catch from paddle boards. After dinner, the whole big family gathered around the television for a “Camp Watermelon Funniest Videos Show” where we laughed and laughed at these antics and others. 
My kids and the cousins are getting older (ages 12 to 22), and losing interest in arts & crafts, but we did make some impromptu Watermelon Paper Fans to cool us off in the stifling Texas weather. As far as watermelon crafts go, making watermelon paper fans is super easy and fun– even for the craft impaired. Just bend a cheapie white paper plate in half, use a glue gun to fasten a wide ice pop stick into the center, and then paint to resemble a watermelon. We used Dot Art Paint Markers because they travel well and don’t make a mess to clean up.
We cooled off with Watermelon Mojitos for the grown ups and other refreshing, hydrating watermelon drinks for the kids. 
After all the watermelon games, paddle boarding, jet-skiing, boating, swimming, hiking (and a side trip to Denton, Texas so I could compete in the CG Games), we were all dog tired – including the dog! However, wonderful memories were made that will never be forgotten – Camp Watermelon was a huge success and now I have the whole gang plotting our activities for next year! 
The whole watermelon-loving gang (below)!
What are your ideas for watermelon games, watermelon fun, watermelon yoga — or just all-round other activities that an array of generations can share together at a family reunion? Do you have a special watermelon summer memory? Please share in the comments – XOXO, Jennifer