30 Backyard Games Perfect For Keeping Kids Out Of The Clutches Of Boredom

If you don’t have the luxury of a sprawling mansion complete with several tennis courts, we feel you. Instead, it can be simple and inexpensive to set up a tennis-like game of badminton in your own backyard. The kids will enjoy swinging at birdies and running around while you take comfort in knowing that they are getting some much-needed exercise.

Ditch the old pencil and paper and instead try out a larger version of tic-tac-toe that you can play in your yard. Get creative and make the game pieces yourself, like this fancy version set on rotating blocks that allows players to spin their choices. What a great way to revamp an old favorite!

Bring all the fun of a bowling alley — minus the rented shoes — to your yard with a game of backyard bowling. If you don’t have a set of your own, no problem! In just a few quick and easy steps, you can make your own. Gather up some empty soda bottles to make mega DIY pins, fill them with dirt or sand, and then let your children decorate them. Soon your kids will be rolling a ball, knocking down the pins, and maybe even getting a strike or two!

Take beanbag toss to a whole new level with cornhole, a game that will put your family’s hand-eye coordination to the test as you hurl beanbags in order to score points. And if you and your family feel the urge to go pro, don’t worry, there are actual cornhole leagues for that. Happy tossing!

If you love playing Connect Four with your family, then why not get everyone together to build your own personalized (and massive) version of the game for your backyard? Then share some laughs as your kids try to strategize their way to achieving four discs in a row for the win.

The game of croquet has been a popular social activity since the 1830s and could be just the thing you need in order to keep your children entertained and engaged. Place some wickets around the backyard and let your kids whack the ball with a mallet in this pastime that's both fun and challenging.

Bocce ball is a game that you can take almost anywhere and can be enjoyed all over your backyard. Also known as Italian bowling, bocce ball is played with one small target ball and eight larger balls. Players try to either hit the target ball for extra points or attempt to be the closest to the target to win. Now get rolling!

This isn’t your average game of checkers! In just a few easy steps, you can create your own giant checkers game, which can be a stellar and simple way to get the kids up, outside, and having fun. No longer saved for boring rainy days stuck inside, a game of giant checkers is sure to keep the kids busy in the sun while having big-time fun.

For an amazing activity for the kids that won’t cost you a dime, why not try a backyard scavenger hunt? Either look for items that nature provides for you — like leaves, flowers, and rocks — or hide some treats and toys from around the house. Get outside, get creative, and get searching!

Futpool is a fantastically fun spin on billiards that involves ditching the pool cue and instead relying on your soccer skills to do the work. But don’t let the kids climb up on your home pool table quite yet, because this game is played outside on a larger version of the playing surface.

Battle Toss is a backyard game that blends cornhole, Connect Four, and Plinko into one exciting package. Toss the colored balls into the net to block your opponent while also trying to get four in a row to win. Looks like a fun — and potentially fast-paced — game for your kids to enjoy outdoors!

Get out those old squirt guns and get ready to get wet! To start a water cup race in your backyard, run a long piece of string through a plastic cup and have your kids squirt water at it in order to get the cup moving. The first one to squirt the cup to the finish line is your winner. Have a wet and wild time!

Finska is a “Finnish log throwing game” that's perfect for backyard playtime! The rules of the game are easy, just toss the Finska, or “throwing log,” and try to knock over the numbered pins. The first person or team to reach 50 points is the winner.

Great for kids and adults alike, ring toss can be a simple and exciting way to spend some time outside. Just pop a stake in the ground and start tossing your rings. When you need to freshen up the game, try using hula hoops instead of the regular rings to up the difficulty and enjoyment.

Get your kids off the screens and into the yard with an engaging game of ladder ball. Set up in your backyard and play by tossing the “rubber bolos” on the ladder to score points. Your kids will benefit from both the fresh air and a little friendly competition.

If you're looking for a simple family project that could result in hours of outdoor excitement, then try making a jumbo Jenga set. By simply sawing up some wood blocks, you could take the enjoyment of the classic Jenga tabletop game to the yard for some oversized fun.

You don’t have to take a trip to the golf course to be able to enjoy hitting the links. Your kids can ditch the clubs and pick up a Frisbee for some disc golf in their own backyard. Disc golf has been growing in popularity over the years and is a great way to keep the whole family active.

Horseshoes or horseshoe pitching has a long and rich history, and the game can be just as fun now as it was all those years ago. The kids can take aim and throw to their hearts' content as they see who can get their horseshoe closest to the stake.

If your kids are fans of volleyball but you don’t exactly have the room for a big net in your backyard, then Spikeball might be an ideal option. This game is played by using some of the basics of volleyball but adds the unpredictability of a mini-trampoline into the mix in order to serve up hours of fun!

There are so many fun ways that you can play with a standard set of dice. But if you want to get your kids outside, then how about making your own set of yard dice? Get your kids rolling with engaging games like Yardzee, Yarkle, or Beat That.

Shuffleboard is a game that can be great for all ages. Have the kids grab their tang and biscuit (yes, that’s what the equipment is actually called) and head out to the back deck to enjoy some sunshine as they shuffle their way to victory.

When you have dominoes around, then your kids can have a blast by either playing a wide variety of games or simply taking their time to carefully create an elaborate arrangement in the yard just to knock them down again in one thrilling moment. Whether you use a traditional set or shake things up with your own large wooden DIY dominoes, it’s sure to go over well with children of all ages.

Need an activity with lots of action but that's light on the rules? Then try building your own tetherball game in the backyard. Your kids will tire themselves out by smacking the ball back and forth to each other, and there’s the added comfort of knowing that with a rope attached to the ball, you won’t have to keep running into your neighbor’s yard to fetch it back.

For all the little Bobby Fischers in the making, why not take the strategic game outside? You can even make your own mega chess set by using old toys for the game pieces or get more elaborate with a hand-carved design. If your kids just happen to have a party of 32 or you have an enormous family, everyone can act as their own game piece and play a life-sized version. Checkmate!

Hungry Hungry Hippos has entertained countless families since it was first released by Hasbro back in 1978. The object of the original game is to make your hippo snatch up the most marbles, but why should the hippos have all the fun? Grab some plastic balls and baskets and head outside to enjoy your own version of the game, where you become the hungry hippo.

For a way to get your kids exercising their bodies while also exercising their brains, have them create a giant lawn memory game. Your children can make their own set of large memory cards using the power of their imagination. Then they simply shuffle the cards, lay them out on the lawn, and try to make a match.

For a twisty, tangling good time, give backyard Twister a try. If you don't happen to know, Twister is a popular game that uses the participants as the play pieces, which can be just as much of a blast in the backyard as it is in the living room. Either take your existing game out on the lawn for a round or create your own semipermanent playing surface by spray-painting on the ground. The kids will enjoy the random hilarity of trying to twist into a human pretzel.

For a surefire way to get your children up and active, suggest a game of capture the flag. The game involves hiding, tagging, and lots of moving around, and it could very well end up with plenty of laughs. For extra amusement, you could have the kids design their own flag to show off their creativity.

Hopscotch is an awesome old-school game that kids can enjoy on their own or with others. All you need is some chalk or tape and a stone, and voilà, you’re off — but when you throw the rock, be sure to avoid the spot that it lands on! Your kids will have fun stretching their imagination while designing their own hopscotch course that can be as easy or as difficult as their hop-happy hearts desire.

There’s nothing like a simple game of catch to shake off the boredom. Whether you have a baseball, football, beanbag, or Frisbee, there are plenty of engaging games to choose from. Not only is playing catch a great way to spend an afternoon, but it also has some amazing benefits that can help with your child’s development. We'd call that a win-win situation!