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The Best Outdoor Games for Summer Backyard Fun

Get your croquet sweaters out and your bocce toss dialed, it’s lawn game season.

collage of outdoor games Bespoke Post, Amazon

By Will Porter and Johnny Brayson

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If you’ve ever wanted to find out which of your most well-behaved, unassuming friends is actually a competitive monster, break out the outdoor games as soon as the weather turns up. Ok, so maybe you haven’t wanted to find that out, but one errant toss of the bag or mishit on the croquet pitch might tip you off. You’ve seen cornhole on countless college campuses and probably think croquet is reserved for the Royal Family, but they, and all their yard game brethren, are good for the average person (30-rack of Natty Light not required).

Lawn games are a must-have for summer hangs, so we compiled this list with some of the most essential ones around. They range in skill level and space required to play, but we are confident that you will find the right game for your next outdoor event, whether you’ve got an acre to work with or just a few square feet.

Products in the Guide

Things to Consider in Yard Games

Number of Players

Like indoor games, outdoor games vary depending on how many players are involved. For party games, opt for games that can accommodate large teams so you don’t have too many people sitting on the sidelines bored. If you’re more interested in a game you can regularly play with your family on summer nights, then go for games requiring 2 – 4 players.

Space Required

Unless you’ve got a football field in your backyard, space is probably at a premium. If your lawn is tiny, you probably shouldn’t be setting up a badminton net. Instead, opt for a game that doesn’t require a ton of space you can play comfortably without risk of injury or causing damage to your house (or your neighbor’s).

Skill Level & Difficulty

Many yard games are designed to be quick to learn and easy to play for practically anyone, but some can have complicated rules or require decent levels of skill. Decide how serious or casual you want your outdoor game sessions to be and choose something that matches your criteria.

  • Players: 2 – 4
  • Space Required: 24 feet between the boards

Is there a more quintessential yard game than cornhole? Elakai Outdoor makes a number of outstanding cornhole boards, including this series featuring artwork inspired by U.S. National Parks. They’re regulation size (2 feet x 4 feet) and are made from a mix of solid mahogany and plywood. They also fold up and feature built-in carrying handles, making them easy to take on the go. Just be aware that beanbags are not included and will have to be purchased separately.

  • Players: 2 – 12
  • Space Required: 16 feet x 26 feet

Kubb is about as old school as yard games get, but that doesn’t make it any less fun. This version of the classic set ’em up and knock ’em down game is crafted from solid wood and includes everything you need to play: 10 knights/kubbs, 6 throwing dowels, 4 field markers and 1 king — plus a nylon carrying case for hauling everything around.

  • Players: 2 – 4
  • Space Required: 40 feet between the stakes

Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades, as the saying goes, and while we don’t condone throwing handheld explosives in your backyard, this luxe horseshoe set from Shinola makes for the ideal lawn game. It consists of two pairs of forged-steel horseshoes in the brand’s signature blue and orange colors, two stakes and a nice canvas carrying tote from Steele Canvas. Best of all, the set is officially sanctioned by the National Horseshoe Pitchers Association, making it as legit as can be.

  • Players: 2 – 6 players
  • Space Required: Officially 100 feet by 50 feet (or scaled down to fit your yard)

One of the best-known lawn games, croquet sometimes has a reputation for being a bit hoity-toity, but it’s actually a blast. This full set from Elakai Outdoor will have you falling in love with the game in no time. Inside its padded carrying case, you’ll find six mallets, six balls and a pair of stakes, all made from hevea wood, along with nine galvanized iron wickets. The look is classy yet colorful and is sure to impress any outdoor party guests.

  • Players: 2 – 4
  • Space Required: 15 feet between the ladders

Ladder toss (also called ladder ball or ladder golf) is one of the simpler backyard games out there, which makes it a great choice for anyone looking to play an outdoor game with their kids. This set has a DIY feel thanks to its wooden construction and colored golf ball bolas. It’s easy to set up and packs down to fit in the included carrying case when not in use.

  • Players: 2 – 4
  • Space Required: Officially 91 feet by 13 feet (or scaled down to fit your yard)

There is no shortage of bocce ball sets available to purchase, from budget sets to luxury versions from some of our favorite outdoor furniture brands. But for our money, we like this set from L.L.Bean. Unlike many sets, this one’s balls are four different colors, making it more suitable for four-player games. The balls, including the target, are made from unbreakable high-quality resin — like the pros use — and the included carrying case can be monogrammed for a small fee.

  • Players: As many as you like
  • Space Required: At least 24 feet for the “lane”

If kubb seems too confusing for you, then why not pick up an even simpler lawn game that calls for knocking over pins. Everyone knows how to bowl, and this lawn bowling set lets you do so with no lane or special shoes required. The set comes with ten pins and two mini balls (3.15 inches across), all made from solid hevea wood. And of course, it all fits in the included carrying case.

  • Players: 2 – 4
  • Space Required: House rules

Beer pong (or Beirut, depending on where you went to college) can of course be played outdoors, but it’s best played indoors where you don’t have to worry about the wind wreaking havoc on your ping pong balls or Solo cups. This mega-sized version solves that issue and is designed exclusively for the great outdoors. The cups and balls are all made from heavy-duty plastic and built to withstand the rigors of outdoor use, and a strapped carrying case makes taking the party on the go a breeze.

Franklin Sports Badminton SetAmazon

Best Badminton Set

Franklin Sports Badminton Set

  • Players: 2 – 4
  • Space Required: 44 feet x 20 feet

Badminton is more than just a yard game, it’s a legitimate Olympic sport. But for those of us who aren’t launching shuttlecocks at 300 mph (it’s literally the fastest sport in the world), the net and racquet game makes for a chill and fun backyard game. Franklin’s set comes with everything you need to play, from the net to the birdies to the racquets, and is available in a few different versions depending on your skill level.

  • Players: 4
  • Space Required: 50 feet between the cans

Frisbees and throwing discs show up in a number of great outdoor games, from Ultimate Frisbee to disc golf. But if you’re looking to toss some discs in the backyard, there’s no way to do it that’s more fun than Kan Jam, which blends elements from other disc games and lawn games alike. The simple original set consists of two cans and one Frisbee-like disc and officially requires a 55-foot strip of land to play — but if you want to play in a smaller space, no one’s going to stop you.

  • Players: 2
  • Space Required: Any

If you’re not looking to set up any nets, goals or hoops and just want the simplest outdoor game to play, then Kadima (or the similar Frescobol of Brazil) is the game for you. Often played on a beach but suitable for any outdoor space, all it takes to play is a pair of paddles and a ball. This super affordable set will get you set up with everything you need for less than 20 bucks.

  • Players: 4
  • Space Required: 20 – 40 feet between stands

Bottle Bash, which also goes by Beersbee and Polish Horseshoes, consists of trying to knock a bottle off of a stand with a Frisbee. This official version of the game includes plastic bottles, making it a kid-friendly game, but you can also go with actual beer bottles or cans (the game is called Beersbee, after all) for an adults-only version that will liven up any get-together.

Jenga Official Giant JS7Amazon

Best Outdoor Block Tower Game

Jenga Official Giant JS7

  • Players: 1 – 8
  • Space Required: A table or a 52 square-inch patch of flat land

The 0riginal version of Jenga is an all-time classic when it comes to indoor games, so it makes sense that the wooden block-stacking game would translate well to outdoor fun. Taking the game outside calls for a supersized version of Jenga, and this “Giant” version of the game stands five feet tall … and that’s before you start stacking blocks on top of it.

  • Players: 4
  • Space Required: 1,300 square feet is recommended, but can be scaled down

Roundnet is almost like a miniaturized version of volleyball, but instead of hitting a ball over a net, you spike it onto a small and springy net. Spikeball is a name brand and the best-known version of Roundnet, and while it takes a few minutes to set up, it can be played practically anywhere and takes no time at all to get the hang of.

Pickleball has taken the country by storm over the past couple of years, and while it can’t be played in a backyard, we’d be remiss if we left it out of this guide. Recess makes the best pickleball gear known to man, and the brand’s customizable Sunday Set includes enough paddles and pickleballs for a foursome. There are a ton of patterns and colors to choose from, so find some that suit you and get ready to begin your next hobby.

  • Players: 2 – 4
  • Space Required: 15 feet on all sides of the goal

What do you get when you mix pickleball with Spikeball? You get this, PaddleSmash. Debuting in the summer of 2022, PaddleSmash is quite literally a hybrid of those two aforementioned games. You use paddles to smash a ball onto a pad, and it has to clear a net on the way out. Time will tell if this game ends up becoming a classic, but it sure is fun to play.