Outdoor Games for Families (That Both Kids & Adults Actually Like)
Spending time with your family outdoors is always a good idea. Not only do you get fresh air and sunshine, but you also get to bond with your loved ones in a fun and engaging way. Whether you have young kids or teens, outdoor games are a great way to keep the family entertained and active. In this post, I'm sharing the top outdoor games for families, including those that we personally have and love. I've included options to buy or DIY. So get ready to have some fun in the sun!
Lots of moms are thinking it, but I'll say it out loud… There are some outdoor games for families that I just don't like. Add in the sweltering heat and humidity here in the South, and most yard games do NOT appeal to me at all. Chances are I'm pretty tired after a day of working and then cooking dinner and cleaning up. After dinner is really the best time to play a game outside since the temperature is somewhat tolerable in the evenings. So if our girls ask us if we want to play [fill in the blank] after dinner, there are only a few games that will elicit a “yes” from me. I know that makes me sound like a downer, but it's the truth.
I figure I am not the only parent who feels this way. So I decided to put together this post all about yard games that my husband, daughters and I all genuinely love.
Yard Games We Have and Actually Love to Play
Cornhole
Cornhole is a popular outdoor game that’s easy to learn and perfect for families. It involves two boards with holes cut into them and bean bags. The goal is to toss the bean bags into the holes to score points. It improves hand-eye coordination, develops teamwork skills, and promotes friendly competition.
If you have followed me on Instagram for any length of time, you have undoubtedly seen me playing cornhole with my family in my Instagram stories. We made our own set years ago and it's still a favorite. We all love it and have fun every single time we play it. It never gets old. I kind of wish we didn't already have a set so I could have an excuse to purchase this colorful cornhole set.
I recently purchased this inflatable cornhole set to take on vacation with us later this summer. Perfect to set up on the beach! Our regular cornhole set is far too bulky and heavy to take on vacation, but this inflatable version is PERFECT!
Yard Pong
We purchased this Yard Pong set for Joe for Father's Day this year and gave it to him over a week early because we were so excited to play it. It has not disappointed. This game has quickly become a favorite of ours. It's so good, in fact, that we have been playing it more than cornhole recently. It's MUCH harder than it looks, but it's so fun. I also love that it takes very little space to store it when we aren't using it. We highly recommend it.
Trampoline + Trampoline Sprinkler
Our girls graduated from 5th grade this year and we bought them this trampoline for their graduation present. Frankly, they have begged for a trampoline for years and we have never wanted to do it (for various reasons, including safety concerns). But we finally relented and we have zero regrets. Not only do they love it, but Joe and I hop on it more than I ever would have imagined. We recently hooked up the trampoline sprinkler for the first time, making it downright pleasant to jump on even in the blazing heat.
Other Popular Outdoor Games for Families
Here's a list of games we don't personally own, but that people seem to love genuinely.
Spikeball
Spikeball is the one game on this part of the list that I plan to order because we have talked about getting it for so long. Our girls have played it at school and are big fans and it does SEEM like something we will all really like. But at the moment, we don't have it so I can speak to it's popularity amongst my family just yet. Spikeball is a little bit like volleyball. Two teams of two people can play, so it's perfect for a family of 4. One person from a team throws a rubber ball on a net. The other team can use 3 alternating touches to get the ball back onto the net (kind of how a team of two works to get a ball back over the net in volleyball).
Croquet
I actually LOVE Croquet. If we had a yard flat enough to play it, I would absolutely buy a set for our family. But it just wouldn't work in our yard (we play cornhole, yard pong, etc. in our driveway since it's reasonably flat). I love this croquet set for kids.
Bocce Ball
Bocce ball is a game that originated in Italy and is now popular worldwide. It involves tossing balls at a smaller ball called a pallino and scoring points based on the proximity of the balls to the pallino. Believe it or not, I fell in love with bocce ball when I learned to play it with Joe's grandmother at her retirement community. It's fun and manageable for all ages and activity levels. I love the look and practicality of this cute bocce ball set.
Tic Tac Toe, Yard Dice, Giant Jenga and More
You can find more outdoor games for families by clicking on the image below.
Click the image below for links to all the outdoor games pictured.
10 Awesome DIY Outside Games
If you are a DIYer who prefers to create your own outside games, go for it! There are tons of incredible games you can create with your own two hands. Here are some of my favorites!
DIY Yard Dice by Blue I Style
DIY Giant Dominoes by Lemon Thistle
Angry Birds Football Toss by Her Tool Belt
Big Kid's Seesaw by That's My Letter
DIY Cornhole Boards by Amber Oliver
Backyard Connect Four by Jennifer Largesse for The Home Depot Blog
Monster Toss Yard Game by Reality Daydream
Giant Jenga by Lemon Thistle
Bug Tic-Tac-Toe by Chicken Scratch NY
Backyard Ker-Plunk by Amy Vowels for allParenting
Aren't these awesome? I am obsessed with the huge Connect Four and the Yard Dice. They look so fun– makes me want to have friends over for a couples' game night!
More OUTDOOR IDEAS
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