In the warmer months, we’re all striving to figure out ways to spend more time outside through outdoor cooking, activities to keep the kids entertained, or games that you can play on the lawn. The first Saturday of each month is National Play Outside Day which is especially easy to celebrate as a Michigander in summer and early fall. As our summer days are unfortunately numbered, it’s the perfect time to soak up the rays and play outside.
As parents, we all know the importance of kids getting fresh air and burning off extra energy. And like most kids, my 5-year-old loves playing outside, especially playing games. We are also a pretty competitive family, so every get-together is filled with all kinds of games. Here’s our top five favorite yard games to play as a family:
Bocce Ball
Get ready for some friendly competition with bocce ball. Teams take turns getting their colored balls closest to the small white ball in two tries. Players can even try to knock their opponents out of the way to win.
NOTE: The colored balls are a little heavy, so this game may not be suitable for little ones.
Cornhole
Cornhole is one of the most popular backyard family games and is typically a staple at any tailgate, bbq or camping trip. Teams try to score the most points by throwing bean bags onto wooden boards. To get the most points, try to get your bag in the hole of the board. Cornhole boards also come in a variety of colors and designs to best suit your style.
Ladder Golf
This ladder toss game can be used for one-on-one or team competitions. Each individual or team needs to try to score the most points by tossing their rubber bolos so they wrap themselves around one of the rungs of the PVC ladder. To score more points, aim high.
Mölkky
A cross between bowling, billiards, and blackjack with a mix of strategy, skill, and luck. You arrange the 12 numbered pins in a diamond on the ground, like bowling. Then, from about ten feet away, you take the throwing wooden peg without a number and toss it underhand, toward the diamond. You earn points depending on the number of pins that hit the ground. When more than one pin falls, your score is the number of fallen pins, but if you just hit one pin, you earn the number on the pin.
NOTE: The throwing wooden peg is a little heavy, so this game may not be suitable for little ones.
Yardzee
Just like the name, it is basically just like Yahtzee, but everything is more fun when you can play it in the sunshine with oversize pieces. Place the five wooden dice in a basket or bucket, and roll to see if you can get a Yardzee—five of a kind. Keep score on a dry erase board.
With many more National Play Outside Days to come, and more games to try, make it a family tradition on the first Saturday of every month.
