5 Fun Bowling Games

I am not a bowler. I like to bowl, but you will not see me twirling three times, skittering up to the lane on my tip toes, and throwing my ball for a strike Fred Flintstone style. Usually if I am in a bowling alley it's for something fun to do with the kids, hubby and/or friends. Over the years we have acquired a few fun "bowling games" to make the experience of gutter balls less humiliating and more entertaining. Here are our top 5 fun bowling games.

1. Bumper Ball

Put the bumpers up - on purpose for everyone. With the bumpers up you can't even get a gutter ball. Here's the catch. See who can get the worst game with out being able to throw the all embarrassing gutter ball. It's harder than it sounds.

2. Skittles Ball

I have no idea of the origins of this little game, but my kids used to play it all of the time on big group dates. Bring a bag of skittles to your next bowling trip - or if you're like me and hate skittles, M&M's work wonderfully. Have an action for each color in the bag:

Green - spin 5 times before rolling your ball

Yellow - granny shot your ball

Red - roll your ball backwards between your legs

Brown - throw with your opposite hand

You get the idea: each color has an action. Before your turn "draw" a skittle - or if you're playing with me an M&M. Whatever color you get, you have to do the action associated with it. The sillier the actions the funnier and more entertaining your game is. Since people are twirling, spinning, and throwing with one leg in the air no one is going to have an amazing game. It's all about the fun, not the score.

3. You Must Bowl Like....

Before you meet for bowling come up with ten different ways to bowl, one for each frame. Before each frame a "technique" is drawn and for that entire round everyone has to bowl that way. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Bowl with your opposite hand

Bowl blindfolded

Bowl while standing on one foot

Granny shot your ball

Bowl like a really old person

Bowl through the legs of three people

Bowl while holding the hand of someone

Bowl without using your legs

Bowl with your feet

Bowl like Fred Fintstone

4. Bowing Poker

This is a great game for those who are not willing to look silly in front of a bunch of strangers at the bowling alley, or who just really like to bowl and are actually good at it. For every strike or spare that you throw you get to take a card. At the end of the game whoever can put together the best poker hand wins (you decide the prize)

5. Glow Ball

A lot of bowling alleys have night bowling on the weekends where they have music - sometimes even a DJ - and the whole bowling alley is lit in black lights. It makes your regular game of bowling much more exciting. Make sure to wear a lot of colors that look cool in black lights: white, yellow, orange and pink are awesome.

Now get out there and have some fun!