backyard games for the family

Best backyard games and toys for summer

In Toys by Angela Amman2 Comments

Backyard games make summer fun

Enjoy the sunshine with toys and games meant for the outdoors this summer. Even if you have a play structure for your kids, backyard games can make outdoor time more fun for the entire family.

Backyard games and toys
Lawn games for the whole family

Badminton is a classic game that kids and adults can both enjoy. The flying birdies go over the net with much less speed than a tennis ball or volleyball, so kids and parents can play together. The Stats Badminton Set comes with everything you need to set up the game (Toys R Us, $30).

backyard games for the whole family

Cornhole, sometimes called simply “bags,” began in the midwest but is becoming more popular everywhere in the United States. Give points for tossing the bag through the hole or for staying on the board. When playing with younger children, move the boards closer together so even preschoolers can get in on the fun. Purchase a custom set of corn hole boards representing your alma mater, and take the game from summer backyard fun to fall tailgates (Etsy, $160.)

backyard games for the family

Kids will improve their aim with Jarts (Toys R Us, $22). Billed as “everyone’s favorite lawn game,” Jarts is an easy game to set up and stores easily without taking up much room. When you want to move from the backyard for a beach day, Jarts is perfect for sand, too.

backyard games for the whole family
Beat the heat with water toys

Amp up the spirit of competition with the Quad Racer Waterslide, (Toys R Us, $30). If you’re worried about young children staying in their own lanes, stagger the starts or only use two of the lanes for each race.

backyard games for the whole family

If you can’t travel somewhere that has palm trees, bring the palm trees to your backyard. The Shaky Tree Sprinkler is a fun way to cool off in the summer heat (Toys R Us, $25). The inflatable tree can be bumped without bruising small arms, and the water-filled base keeps it from tipping.

backyard games for the family
Let them play ball

A pick up game of baseball is a popular way to spend an afternoon. The always-popular WIFFLE Balls and Bats are light enough for everyone in the family to take a turn (Amazon, $7). If you have serious hitters in your house, pick up a set of replacement balls (Amazon, $7 for three).

Does your family have a favorite backyard game?

Meet the Author | Angela Amman


Angela Amman is a short story and essay writer. Collecting her family's stories is a gift-in-progress for her daughter and son, and she blogs at Playing with Words, capturing the craziness and beauty that weave together to create something extraordinary. As the co-director of Listen To Your Mother Metro Detroit, Angela is thrilled to bring others' stories to the stage and to celebrate the magic of words, storytelling, and the courage to share that magic with an audience. When she should be sleeping, she works on her latest short story collection. Her writing has been featured on Mamalode, Peacock Journal, and Scary Mommy. Her personal essays and short stories have appeared in her collection, Nothing Goes Away, and various anthologies.

Comments

  1. I usually like to combine things, like playing badminton with bats, just to invent some new things. My kids adore that. Thanks for this post!

  2. Games are fun, especially backyard games and they provide healthy activity, so It is important for both children and adults. Backyard games provide both fun and healthy exercise. There are lots of ideas here that are great .My favourite lawn game is Water Balloon Catch .This game is fun, especially on a hot day! Simply fill balloons with water and play catch. Play in pairs or teams with the participants moving one step farther apart for each throw. Your kids definitely liked it.

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