8 Outdoor Lawn Games That Take Backyard Gatherings to the Next Level

Maybe you are thinking about how to make your backyard get-together epic. Lawn games offer fun ways for people to interact. You can have active games that require some setting up. The Swedish game of Kubb is one such option. Croquet and Spikeball are two others. You can also have games that incorporate paddles. Two games that involve hitting a ball with a paddle are Street Racket and pickleball. Additionally, for people who enjoy playing traditional indoor games, there are large outdoor options. Games for which such giant options exist include Jenga, dominoes, and Connect 4.

Three Lawn Games to Set Up and Play

Kubb is one lawn game possibility. Epicurious explains: “Kubb is a Swedish throwing game, with some added rules and strategies.” The game involves ten rectangularly-shaped blocks called kubbs. There is also a central king kubb and a set of batons. There are two teams. Each team has five kubb blocks. Each team knocks down the kubb blocks of the other team using the batons. Once one team succeeds at knocking down all the kubb blocks of the other team, there is one more step. To win, it is necessary to knock the king kubb over. The king kubb is located in the middle of the game space.

Croquet is another outdoor game you can play. According to Epicurious, croquet is “unparalleled in fanciness.” Enthusiasts have enjoyed this game on lawns for hundreds of years. Lauren Schaefer plans events. Schaefer describes the age-old game of croquet. She states in The Strategist that “figuring out how to play is half the fun.” First, you set a series of hoops up in any desired pattern. Then, players attempt to negotiate balls through the hoops. There should be a set order in which hoops are approached.

A third game you could play is Spikeball. The Strategist states: “Spikeball is like volleyball.” As with volleyball, a ball and a net are featured. The game of Spikeball has become popular. It can be fun to play with your family. Spikeball has two teams. Each team has two players. Play involves bouncing the ball off the net.

Two Games Involving Paddles

There are backyard games with paddles as part of the necessary equipment. Pickleball is a game that includes paddles. This game is a versatile one. The Strategist states: “Pickleball can definitely be played outdoors.” It can even be played without a designated pickleball net or court. You can set up a net yourself. When playing outside, ensure that you are using balls suitable for outdoor pickleball play.

Another game you can play outside that includes paddles is Street Racket. According to The Strategist, this is “a paddle sport played with an oversize yellow ball.” Street Racket is played on a playing space shaped like a rectangle. This rectangle is split into three square components. You can play Street Racket by yourself with a wall to bounce the ball against. You can also play with multiple players.

Three Giant Versions of Popular Games

One fun choice of activity is a giant domino game. Tom Rosenberg is the American Camp Association’s president. Rosenberg enthuses about a very large set of dominoes as potentially enjoyable for all ages. Rosenberg suggests: “It can be intergenerational fun.” The Giant Wooden Domino Set from Yard Games is particularly recommended by Rosenberg. The set is sturdy and visually appealing. It also comes with a convenient case for transportation.

Yard Games also offers a large version of Connect 4. The Strategist states: “This classy-looking wooden version of the beloved game will last forever.” This game also has a handy transportation case. The Strategist recommends this game set as a “way to take the living room outside.” 

You can also play Jenga Giant as a backyard lawn game. The Strategist enthuses: “The outdoor version… is even more fun than the real thing.” The stacked block game offers nostalgia and good cheer. You can play the enjoyable game as it is. You can also create an alternate version to help people get to know one another. Jordan A. Maney, an event planner, suggests writing “questions on each block that encourage conversation.”

Backyard Lawn Games to Bring People Together

Lawn games can create an entertaining atmosphere for your backyard party. You can set up Kubb, croquet, or Spikeball for some engaging competition. Additionally, people can play the paddle games of pickleball and Street Racket. You can also provide giant sets of dominoes, Connect 4, and Jenga. All of these are options to make your party one at which people have fun.