The Best Backyard Games

Summertime is perfect for getting outside. Try this selection of lawn games to play with loved ones and test your skills.

Bocce

The Italian bowling game of bocce is one of the oldest and most popular lawn games. To play, choose a flat playing area and throw your bocce balls as close as you can to the small target ball. This backyard game can be played one-on-one or in teams. Bocce can also be adapted for players of various skill levels and ages, as the balls are lightweight, and you can increase or decrease the size of the playing area.

Cornhole

In the bean-bag toss game of cornhole, players throw their bean bags at the opposing player’s or team’s cornhole board. You win points by landing your sacks on the board or in its hole; more points are awarded for tossing a bag into the hole.

Ladderball

Another toss game, ladderball is played by flinging bolas, or two balls connected by a cord, at the competitor’s three-tiered ladder. Points are awarded for getting your bola on a rung, with the most points typically awarded for bolas that settle on the top rung.

Spikeball

The widely popular game of Spikeball premiered on Shark Tank in 2015. It uses a small trampoline-like net and a small, bouncy ball. Inspired by volleyball, the action starts with bouncing the ball off the net. The opposing team has three touches to ricochet it off the net, and you score points when the opposing team can’t return the ball.