10+ Fun Outdoor Games For Families

Spend more time outside with these 10+ Fun Outdoor Games For Families: cornhole, Kan Jam, ladder ball, DIY yard dice, and more.

For more ways to play together as a family, check out all our posts about games.

We live at the keystone of a quiet cul de sac, which is amazing because the cul de sac ends up being an extension of our property. So we use it on holidays, like yesterday, the 4th of July, to light fireworks and set up fun outdoor games for families.

We do invite all our neighbors to our parties, so it works out.

And the cul de sac works out right now too because we’ve been home and outdoors a lot more lately, so we’ve been using that space pretty much every weekend.

We put together a list of our favorite outdoor family games. To make it easier for you, and so you don’t have to wonder where to buy outdoor games, just click the “purchase here” button at the end of each description to be brought to a page where you can buy the games and other yard games for families).

More Family Games:

If it’s too cold for you to play outside, but you want to host game night, check out our list of 20 Board Games For Families To Play Together.

10+ Fun Outdoor Games For Families

Affiliate links are included in this post and Drugstore Divas may make a small commission if you use them.

Gigantic Jenga

Jenga is so much fun as a table game, but it’s even more fun as a gigantic backyard game. You can actually make your own Jenga game, if you have the time and tools. If not, you can just purchase Gigantic Jenga.

Whichever way you get a set, Gigantic Jenga is one of the best outdoor family games. The keyword there is outdoors. Because these will last a lot longer if they fall outside than inside. And they’ll be a lot louder if they fall indoors than outdoors. You know what I mean?

Yard Dice

Just like Gigantic Jenga, we made our own set of DIY Yard Dice. Pete cut the wood for me and sanded the dice, and then I painted them to finish them. We bring them outside to play Yardzee — which is a word I wish I came up with, but unfortunately, someone beat me to it.

You don’t have to make Yard Dice. You can actually buy a set and play your own dice games.

Cornhole

Cornhole reminds me so much of Pete’s family because the first time I played cornhole was on summer vacation with them. We played so many times during that trip.

Cornhole can get competitive when adults play, but it’s still fun with kids. Although every time I play with kids, the kids end up just running up to the board and dropping the bean bags in the hole. Those aren’t the rules, obviously, but everyone has fun that way.

Gigantic Beer Pong

Gigantic Beer Pong is something fun that you can play with the whole family … as long as you play it without beer. If you’re playing with responsible adults, cool. Play however you want. When you play with kids, just skip the drinking part of the game. That’s what we do.

If you have a bunch of 5-gallon buckets, you can just make a DIY Giant Beer Pong game. If not, you can purchase a version of it online.

Ladder Ball

I call this game Ladder Ball because it’s shaped like a ladder. But I’ve also heard it called Monkey Ball. Whatever you call it, it’s a great family game.

What I love most about it is no matter how athletic you are, Ladder Ball is hard to master. So everyone is on a level playing field, which means everyone will have a good time playing together, making it one of the best fun family outdoor games to play with all ages.

Giant Tic Tac Toe

I made a Travel Tic Tac Toe game a few years ago. It’s small enough to fit into my suitcase or carry on and we’re able to play it on a plane or in a hotel.

Giant Tic Tac Toe is exactly the opposite of that and the perfect backyard game. The “board” is made from stakes that you can stick into the ground so you don’t have to worry about the board moving while you’re playing. When you’re done, just pull them up.

Jumbo Connect 4

There’s one bar near us that has a Jumbo Connect 4 game. We love to play it, but when the game is over and you push the tab to let the discs escape, it’s so loud.

Outside, Jumbo Connect 4 is so much quieter. The grass stifles the sound. So this is the perfect outdoor game.

Outdoor Ring Toss

One of the best parts of my trips to Japan is going to the street fairs. There’s a bunch of food and games. And one of the games is ring toss. It’s so much fun to play. And would be great to play at home.

I actually feel like buying an Outdoor Ring Toss for us for this summer. It’s one of the few outdoor games on this list that we don’t have yet, so I think I need to add it to my shopping cart. You should too.

Kan Jam

One of Pete’s friends had Kan Jam and we played it at a BBQ forever ago. Honestly, Kan Jam looks boring. A garbage can with a slot that you have to shoot a frisbee through. But my gosh, it’s so much fun. And addicting.

Kan Jam gets really competitive. And gives you a bunch of physical activity because you’re chasing the frisbee and trying to time it right so you can slam it into the can.

Hookey

I’m not very good at darts. I like the concept of the game, but getting the dart exactly where it needs to go isn’t my forte. So Hookey seems right up my alley.

Hang the game on a tree or a post outdoors. Then, you throw rings at the board, add up the score, and there’s a winner. You can score using dart rules, or just add the numbers up.

Oversized Checkers

I would love for Pete and I to collaborate and make a homemade oversized checkers game for our backyard parties. I’ve seen a few that I like, but I’m trying to thing about storage so I haven’t made it yet.

Instead of making one out of wood, you can purchase Oversized Checkers with a fabric board. That way, you can just fold it up and bring it outside. Set it up on a table (or on the grass because it’s huge!) and play for hours.

Lawn Bowling

We have a mini outdoor Lawn Bowling game that we set up in our backyard when we have parties, and it’s always a big hit with the kids. Lawn Bowling is a lot easier than traditional bowling.

Plus, if you set up the Lawn Bowling set on grass, the pins tend to wobble a bit, making them easier to knock over. If you want more of a challenge, set it up on the driveway where the concrete will hold them in place a bit better.

Outdoor Dominoes

My family loves playing dominoes. We play Double Dominoes, which is also known as Mexican Train Dominoes, and it’s really fun. You need a lot of dominoes to play, though, and the game gets really large and takes up our entire kitchen table. So bringing the game outside would be a great idea.

You can make your own set of Outdoor Dominoes if you have wood, time, and patience. Or you can just purchase it online — which seems a lot easier, honestly.

Purchase The Best Outdoor Family Games Online:

These are the best outdoor games according to us, but they’re not the only outdoor games you can purchase online. There are more, like the outdoor Left Right Center game above.

Check out the stores below for more fun games to play outside:

• Amazon
• Etsy
• Target
• Walmart

Be sure to look at a store’s minimum cart total to qualify for free shipping. Also, consider curbside or instore pickup to avoid shipping costs.

Which of these 10+ Fun Outdoor Games For Families do you think your family would like best?