BACKYARD BLOG

Best Backyard Games to Play This Summer

Jul.18.2017

Let the Games Begin! Here Are Our Top 8 Backyard Games to Play This Summer

We’ve put together a list of our favorite yard games. We chose these yard games because they are cheap, quick, and easy to set up, will fit in almost any size yard, and are appropriate for just about any age.

1. Corn Hole

With a few tools, you can build your own corn hole set and paint your own designs on each board. Corn hole sets are also available at many stores. You only need two people to play a game and up to four people can play at once. You can also design a simple tournament if you have a large group of people over.

Corn Hole is also easy to adjust for younger players. Bring the boards closer to make it easier. Pull them farther apart for more of the challenge.

2. Soccer Shoot Out

You can build a simple soccer goal out of PVC pipe and vinyl netting. And, of course, you can buy a small net for a reasonable price at your local sporting goods store. Now, imagine you are part of the final death shoot out of a championship soccer game. Each team has a certain number of shots on the goalie. We recommend 7 to 10 per team. The team that scores the most goals wins. It is a quick game, but requires very little space and is perfect for younger kids with shorter attention spans.

3. Ice Block Breakout

This is another great games for younger kids. First, gather or buy some small, durable, plastic toys. Then, freeze those toys in a small block of ice. Bring the block of ice out and give your kids something with which to break up the ice and discover the toys inside.

4. Giant Kerplunk

Do you remember Kerplunk? If you played this tabletop as a kid, you’ll love reliving the fun in this giant, DIY version. You can make the game out of chicken wire, small and round pieces of wood, and small plastic or rubber balls. While the balls rest above the wood, each player remove one piece of wood at a time. The player that pulls a piece of wood that makes the balls fall loses.

5. Balloon Darts

You may have an old set of darts lying around the house. Turn those darts into a fun yard game that everyone can enjoy. You just need metal darts, a piece of plywood, and some balloons. Blow up the balloon and pin or staple them to the plywood. Players take shots trying to pop the balloons. You can even fill the balloons with confetti for some extra pizzaz.

6. Lawn Scrabble

This is another tabletop game given new life by taking it out the backyard and making larger. Find discarded cardboard or tagboard and cut them into large squares. Each square is assigned a letter and a point value. Just copy the wooden blocks in Scrabble for how many each of letter to write and how many points each letter is worth. Then, start making words on the yard.

7. Yard Twister

While you can simply play Twister on the plastic sheet on your yard, there is something very summer about having your hands and feet in the grass. Simply paint small circles in your yard in the pattern of a standard Twister board. If you have more people and need more room to play, just add more circles!

8. Potato Sack Races

You may want your yard games to feel a little more Little House on the Prairie. If so, this is your game. Hop in the potato sacks, line up, and go!

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