One theme you’ll see throughout this article is giant-themed games. For example, giant Jenga is a great game to play outside. It’s much more visual, and its way more entertaining when someone makes the tower collapse.
Backyard bowling has quite a few iterations, but they’re all fun to play. You could build a whole run, or you could just use some plastic bottles and a ball. The amount of work you want to put into it is up to you, but everyone will love it.
Make a creative tic tac toe board that anyone can play. You can keep it next to your furniture, put it out in the garden, or just have it sitting around for decoration. Be creative and make the board and pieces as fun as possible.
If you really want to build a fun backyard game, try a giant chess set. Unless you have some mad wood-carving skills, you’ll probably need to buy the pieces (or make some simpler ones), but the idea is still the same. This is a way to keep your kids using their brains throughout the summer.
You could also try backyard checkers. The setup is a bit simpler, and it’s still a fun game. It also doesn’t require as much adult involvement. Which I always appreciate.
Make or buy some giant dominos that can be used all around your backyard and patio. You can play Mexican Train, other games, or just make a fun dominos path to knock down. There are some really cute domino kits online.
Another giant game is giant Scrabble. This is fun whether you want just a quick game or an intense battle! The board can be any surface, as long as the tiles fit.
Croquet is a classic backyard game that I loved playing when I was younger. I’ll be honest, I don’t really remember the rules, but it can’t be too hard to remember. And it can be portable, which is also a plus.
Horseshoes is one of the simplest games to set up and play. You just need the stick in the ground and the horseshoes. The rest is pretty understandable and easy to do.
Cornhole tosses are pretty popular at the state fair, but you can also bring them to your own backyard. There are a few different ways to set this up, but they’re all pretty easy DIY projects. You’ll be surprised at how addictive these games can be.
This bucket toss game is another variation of the cornhole game. It has a more vertical dimension to it, which can make it more fun. Your kids will love this game, I bet. I know mine do.
I’d only seen cup races played a few times before, but I immediately fell in love with the idea. All you need is a string, cups, clips, and water or Nerf guns. Each player races against the others to be the first to shoot their cup to the finish line. Isn’t that so creative?
Bring some fun and games to your yard with Yahtzee! The dice are huge, which makes it much more fun, and you can use a whiteboard to keep track of the points. Watch your family and guests get pretty competitive with this yard game.
My mom was a tetherball champion in her grade school days. At least that’s what she always tells us. Either way, tetherball is a game that our family has always loved, so of course it has to be a backyard idea I suggest. It’s quick, fun, and easy to learn.
Help improve your memory by making this giant lawn matching game. With fun designs and easy rules, even your youngest kids can play. It’ll be fun to see who has the best memory out of everyone!
