When the weather gets warm, who wants to spend any time indoors? In the warmer months, we’re all striving to figure out ways to spend more time outside, be it through outdoor cooking, activities to keep the kids entertained, or games that you can play on the lawn (preferably one-handed, so you can hold your White Claw in the other).
We consulted frequent outdoor enthusiasts for the best lawn games and sets on the market. Some of these take regular indoor games, like Yahtzee, Connect Four, or Jenga, and supersize them so you can play them in a backyard without having to worry about losing any tiny pieces. Others are imports from around the world, like the Italian pastime of bocce, or the similar kubb, which hails from Scandinavia. Still others are classic lawn activities, like croquet, cornhole, or horseshoes, which prove year after year why they’re perennial favorites. (And, if you do play them every year, maybe it’s time to trade in that old, cheapie set to something nicer?) Last but not least, there are higher-energy games like Spikeball, which aren’t really casual and definitely get the blood pumping. Check out our favorites below for ideas for new outdoor games, ways to upgrade your old favorites, and find out what the heck a Flickin’ Chicken is.
Foldable Cornhole Game Set
For families, nothing is funnier than hurling a rubber chicken at a target. But these birds bounce and roll, so “flicking” them into the bullseye isn’t as easy as it looks.
Re-live your college years and sharpen your frisbee skills with this at-home Kan Jam set. You can opt for this original version, or get the glow-in-the-dark set for nighttime fun.
Yardzee
Yeah, it is basically just like Yahtzee, but everything is more fun when you can play it in the sunshine with oversize pieces.
Pickleball
This set was approved by the USA Pickleball Association, so you know it’s legit. The set comes with four paddles and four balls.
Bocce
Bocce is a game that combines strength, strategy, and skill — and yet is still able to be mastered by young and old alike. Teams take turns getting their balls near the pallino (small ball), and can try to knock their opponents out of the way. This set comes with eight balls, a pallino, and a carrying case to store it all in.
Tic Tac Toss
Think you’ve mastered Tic Tac Toe to the point where it’s boring? Try this version, where you only get the square if you can successfully toss your pieces into it.
Country Living Washer Toss Game
This washer toss game packs up into a beautifully designed box, so it’s perfect to stash in the trunk and bring to your next tailgate, where you can argue about whether it’s called “washer toss,” “Texas horseshoes,” or “hauchas.”
Kubb
Kubb — a game that traces its origins back to Viking times — is like a cross between bowling, bocce, and horseshoes; the object is to knock over standing wooden blocks, so it appeals to anyone with a destructive impulse.
Playing Jenga at home on a table is fun. Doing life-size, backyard tower building — with blocks big enough to make a 5-foot structure — is even better. Feel like playing at night? Try the glow-in-the-dark version.
Ladder Golf
This ladder golf set is the only set that’s been sanctioned to use in ladder golf tournaments. It comes with two ladders, two sets of bolas, and a heavy-duty duffel bag for storage.
Four in a Row Game
As seen at every outdoor music festival, Connect Four takes on a new meaning when it’s done outside with life-sized game board. This wooden set measures more than 4 feet wide and 3.5 feet tall.
Croquet Set
If you know a clan who’s serious about croquet, there’s no better family gift than this high-quality, L.L. Bean croquet set. It comes with everything, including a “Boat and Tote” carrying case that can be monogrammed with up to 10 characters.
