Backyard picnics and barbeques are a family’s sanctuary from the world. They’re the ideal time to relax, reconnect, and soak up laughter and sunshine while digging into sandwiches and salads, too, of course. As the weather warms up, you can take all the excuses you can get to spend more time outdoors, including a bit of friendly gaming.

Playing best backyard games can help lower stress, strengthen bonds, and even enhance cognitive function. And playing yard games get everyone outside for a healthy dose of vitamin D. Backyard games can be traditional contests — tic-tac-toe and checkers, perhaps — but on a greater scale. There are games only meant for outdoor play; cornhole and lawn darts are best played in your yard.

1. Bocce Ball

Ever heard of bocce ball? This fun game is one of the oldest yard games, having started in Italy many millennia ago. It’s a bit like bowling, but it has some parts of curling if your family loves that sport every time the winter Olympics roll around. It’s a great time to learn together as a family! Excellent for all ages, bocce could very well become your family’s next favorite reason to go outside.

2. Cornhole Set

A favorite at yard barbecues and laid-back breweries, cornhole has soon become the must-have yard game. The boards are large and usually quite heavy, but they can be beautiful and an actual statement piece in your backyard. These boards are wonderfully stained for a durable finish. You can also choose your bag colors to match any outdoor decor or team loyalties you may have.

3. Lawn Darts

Another excellent lawn game for kids and adults, lawn darts, sets your throwing skills to the test. This set packs up nicely so you can take it with you to a beach or park. And if the sun is setting and the lawn is getting darker by the second, don’t worry. These rings and darts glow.

4. Ladder Toss

This yard game is also called ladder golf or bolo toss. It is a classic tailgate and beach game because it’s portable and comes with a carrying box. Players throw bolos at target ladder rungs that are of various colors. The score is determined based on which and how many rungs you snag.

5. Horseshoes

Most everyone who turned up decades ago probably played horseshoes as a child with those heavy, metal horseshoes that today would cause parents to recoil in horror at the possible danger of injury and property damage. But with the latest rubber version, you can still enjoy the classic, family-oriented lawn or beach game without the crazy 1970s-era risks.

6. Bottle Bash Game Set

Set your aim with Bottle Bash, a flying-disc yard game that tests your skill to knock an unbreakable bottle off its perch. Just stake the two telescoping poles into the ground at a distance from each other, steady the bottle on top, consider the wind’s direction, and throw it away. It all packs up into a net carrying case for storage and easy travel. 

7. Croquet

The classic game of croquet is one of the best backyard games. You’ll need a good-sized yard for this, but croquet is a fantastic way to engage multiple ages as players try their best to hit the ball with a mallet through many hoops to win.

Author’s Bio:

William Lewis is a published author, passionate about helping people understand content marketing through his easily digestible materials.