The 25 Best Yard Games of 2024 for the Whole Family
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Grab them all at Amazon in time for summer entertaining
People / David Hattan
From beach days to park picnics to family barbecues, this is the time to get outside and soak up some sunshine. Bringing a yard game to your next outdoor gathering is guaranteed to amp up the fun and add a touch of friendly competition.
If you haven’t shopped for a new backyard game recently, you’re in for a treat. There’s a new world of creative, active, and family-friendly lawn games (plus a few just for adults) that will get any group laughing. From classic favorites to popular picks you'll see everywhere, we've got games people of all ages will love.
Here are 25 of the most engaging outdoor games to play this summer.
Yard Games for the Whole Family
ApudArmis Kubb Viking Chess
Amazon
This classic family-friendly yard game is made from durable, splinter-free wood rubber that’s built to last. The tournament-sized pieces come with a handy carrying case for portability, so you can set up a game of Kubb at the beach, in the park, or on the side of the Fourth of July parade. You can play this game with up to 12 players, making it one of the best yard games for large groups.
Spikeball The Original Kit
Amazon
This active yard game is guaranteed to get your group on their feet. It’s a four-player game that moves fast, so expect dives, lunges, and lots of high-energy spikes.
Giantville Giant Tumbling Timber
Amazon
You’re sure to draw a crowd over the suspense of a will-it or won’t-it-fall tower of wooden bricks. This game is entertaining but low-energy, so you can play it in heels during a wedding reception or bring it out to entertain kids at a family barbecue.
Yard Games Giant 4 Connect in a Row
Amazon
The only thing more satisfying than besting your bestie at Four in a Row is doing it on a giant scale. This classic game is simply more fun to play when it's big, especially when it’s constructed from high-quality wood, which adds a touch of class to the competition.
Sports Beats Giant Wooden Yard Dice
Amazon
Play a riotous round of “Yardzee” or “Yardkle” with this set of four giant wooden dice. The set includes instructions for two different dice games and paper scoring cards, so you can appease the hyper-competitive guest at the party.
Ropoda Giant Yard Pong
Amazon
The whole family can join a game of good, clean pong with this supersized set. Your goal is to sink a tennis or wiffle ball (depending on how challenging you want to make it) into a series of big plastic buckets rather than cups. This is a great one for the beach, as it’s lightweight and easy to transport.
Yard Games Giant Ring Toss
Amazon
There’s a reason the ‘ole ring toss is still around: it’s simply fun. This giant version pits two teams against each other and makes for an engaging spectator sport for all ages. The kit includes two sets of colored rings, a wooden post (your target), and a carrying case to pack everything up.
Get Out! Giant Wooden Dominoes
Amazon
These life-sized, colorful dominoes lend themselves to a variety of games that kids and adults love. The kit includes 28 dominoes in a carrying case that are ready to be lined up for a tumble or turned into a giant, high-stakes game of traditional dominoes.
GoSports Ladder Toss Set
Amazon
The ladder toss is a crowd-pleasing favorite that pits two pairs of partners against each other to land their bolos on the tiered goalposts first. This game is made from lightweight but durable PVC piping and can be quickly assembled and disassembled for transport.
GoSports Bocce Ball Set
Amazon
Channel an Italian summer with this classic backyard game that involves eight color-coded balls and one smaller pallino for play. The balls are well-weighted to give you a satisfying “clink” when they bump into each other on the court.
EastPoint Sports Badminton Set
Amazon
In honor of Paris 2024, try your hand at this popular Olympic sport in your own backyard. It’s easy to create a court anywhere with this pop-up net, and the set includes four racquets and two birdies, so you can play doubles or singles. This is a great one for a sandy beach, park, or campground that will get you on your feet.
GoSports Classic Cornhole Set
Amazon
A good cornhole set is a nice thing to keep on hand to keep guests entertained at a summer cookout. This set from GoSports comes in multiple sizes and color options, so you can go big or opt for the smaller size if you plan to travel with your boards.
Editors Say
"My family is big on cornhole (we have tournaments every year; it's a whole thing), so my parents have cornhole boards in our backyard. It's such an easy and fun game to play with anywhere from two to 30+ people!" — Madison Yauger, PEOPLE shopping editor
Amazon Basics Croquet Set
Amazon
Nothing says "classy afternoon" quite like a round of croquet on a lush green lawn. This six-player set is a nice game for a larger group. It includes color-coded wooden mallets, matching balls, and the wickets and stakes you need to set your course.
Joyin Lawn Darts Set
Amazon
This game is a fun one for nighttime, as the darts and rings glow when the sun goes down. Players toss nine-inch plastic darts towards circular targets that you can set on the ground. You can make it as challenging as you’d like for a game that suits all ages.
Throw Throw Burrito by Exploding Kittens: Extreme Outdoor Edition
Amazon
This dodgeball-style card game is designed for the outdoors. It includes two to six players, two giant inflatable burritos, and a set of cards. The card game proceeds until one player challenges another to a burrito fight, which involves launching a burrito directly at your opponent. It’s guaranteed to get laughs from everyone.
Related: The Best Outdoor Furniture for Backyard Entertaining This Summer, Tested by Real People
Yard Games for Adults
PaddleSmash
Amazon
This pickleball-inspired lawn game will bring out your competitive side. It’s fast-paced and high-energy — the perfect activity to work up a sweat on the beach before going for a dip. The game is designed for two or four players who face off around the collapsible net — pickleball and paddle in hand.
Related: The 10 Best Pickleball Shoes of 2024, Tested by Real People
GoSports Tipsy Toss Game Set
Amazon
In this adult-friendly frisbee game, two or four players attempt to knock their opponents’ plastic bottles off the top of four-foot-high stakes. The pro set, which is slightly heavier, is for more advanced players, but the standard option is great for beginners.
Kan Jam Disc Toss Game
Amazon
This is another flying disc game that will test your aim and arm. Teammates attempt to hit or sink a frisbee into their opponent’s can for points. The first team to rack up 21 wins. If you slide your disc seamlessly into the slot on the front of your opponent’s can, it’s an instant win.
SGSport Disc Golf Game Set
Amazon
This heavy-duty game is less portable than the others, but it’s great to install in the backyard if you regularly entertain or want to practice your frisbee aim. You can start with one basket, or if you’re a serious frisbee fan, set up your own disc golf course.
Related: The 11 Best Adirondack Chairs That We Sat on in Backyards Across the Country
Yard Games for Kids
Ayeboovi Toss and Catch Ball Game
Amazon
Get little ones exercising their hand-eye coordination with this active beach game. Kids attach a Velcro paddle to one hand and toss a fuzzy-colored ball back and forth. Sets include two, four, or six paddles, so everyone in the group can get involved.
Editors Say
“I used to have this game as a child, so it was so fun buying it for my four-year-old son. While he loves playing this toss-and-catch game in the backyard, it was even more fun taking it to the beach and tossing it back and forth on the sand. Plus, it’s super portable and can be thrown in a beach bag.” — Kayla Kitts, PEOPLE shopping editor
Stomp Rocket Original Dueling Rocket Launcher
Amazon
If the name of this yard game for kids isn’t enough to build some excitement, then I don’t know what will. Kids compete to see whose stomp is powerful enough to launch the highest rocket. They’ll be jumping with all their might in no time and watching as the plastic rockets soar into the air.
Banzai Bump N' Bounce Body Bumpers
Amazon
There’s nothing like a low-impact contact sport. Players in this game don a soft and squishy inflatable cube and have a blast running around and bouncing off of each other like pinballs. The game is for kids four and up and includes two bumpers.
Mattel Toss Across Game
Amazon
Take tic-tac-toe off the page and into the three-dimensional world with this supersized version of the kid-friendly doodle game. For an added challenge, players toss bean bags on their targets in an attempt to get three in a row.
Giggle N Go Giant Inflatable Bowling Set
Amazon
Bring the fun of a bowling alley to your backyard for the summer with this blow-up set of wobbly pins and a giant ball. The game can be as easy or as challenging as you like, depending on how big of a lane you set up. It works best on flat grass or sand.
Toy Life Bean Bag Toss Game
Amazon
This easy-to-assemble lawn game for kids captures the fun of an arcade game without the coins. Players attempt to land bean bags and plastic balls in the baskets to earn points.
Related: The 53 Best Gifts for Kids They'll Actually Like
Take Our Word For It
Lizzy Briskin is a contributing commerce writer for PEOPLE. She’s a former editor at Real Simple and Food Network Magazines, and her work has also been featured in Women’s Health, SELF, The Kitchen, Insider, and more. If the sun is shining, you can find Lizzy outdoors, and whether she’s at the beach, in the backyard, or at a park, she’s always down for a game that gets the group moving. She, along with PEOPLE editors, curated the best lawn games for all ages, including tried-and-true favorites from serious beachgoers.
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