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Backyard Summer Camp

Backyard Summer Camp

Have the best summer ever in your own backyard!

Home » Play » 21 Backyard Games You Can Make and Play

21 Backyard Games You Can Make and Play

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Backyard games are a great way to get the kids moving outdoors in the sunshine. Make a few of these backyard games to have fun all summer.

Collage of photos including washers, dice, sponges, quidditch hoops, kubb, and plinko with text overlay that reads "21 backyard games you can make and play."

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Go play outside is sometimes easier said than done. If your kids are the type who go outside to play but come right back in to tell you they are bored, we’ve got a solution. We collected the best outdoor games you can make at home.

Make a few of these backyard games at the beginning of summer and you’ll have an easy outdoor activity that lasts all summer long. Most of these games are appropriate for kids and adults of all ages, so your whole family can enjoy them.

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Ring Toss

Play root beer ring toss with a few simple items from Fireflies and Mud Pies.

Dominoes

These DIY dominoes from The Country Chic Cottage can be used to play several different games.

Kubb

You can purchase a set, but it’s easy to make your own Kubb game from scrap wood following the instructions from Our Handcrafted Life.

Wooden kubb backyard game pieces on a green lawn from Our Handcrafted Life.
Photo courtesy Our Handcrafted Life

Bean Bag Toss

This bean bag toss game from Thrift Diving is fun for kids of all ages.

Twister

Tip Junkie has the secret to playing Twister in your backyard without fussing with a plastic mat.

Tic Tac Toe

Make a set of painted rocks with Xs and Os to play Tic Tac Toe as we did here on Backyard Summer Camp.

Rocks painted with Xs and Os to make a tic tac toe game outlined by sticks from Backyard Summer Camp.

Memory

With a set of giant game pieces from Growing Book by Book, your kids can play memory.

Hopscotch

Your kids could draw a hopscotch board on the concrete, but this built-in hopscotch game from Wunder Mom is easy to make.

Sponge Toss

Prepare to get wet when you play sponge toss with your kids! Crafts by Amanda shows you how to make the sponges with some great tips.

Bucket full of water and sponges tied in a starburst from Crafts by Amanda.
Photo courtesy Crafts by Amanda

Cornhole

Cornhole is a variation on a beanbag toss game. Make your own board with the instructions from Family Handyman. Then get a refresher on how to play.

Connect 4

Make a giant version of Connect 4 to play in the backyard with your family like Build Basic.

Plinko

To play Plinko you just need to make a game board like Happiness is Homemade. Don’t tell the kids they’re doing math!

Plinko board with pegs and numbered stars from Happiness is Handmade.
Photo courtesy Happiness is Handmade

Ladder Golf

Playing ladder golf is surprisingly addicting. Learn how to make a set and play from Deeply Southern Home.

Jenga

As far as giant games go, Jenga is the perfect one to play outdoors with a group. See how Seeded at the Table made theirs.

Quidditch

Harry Potter-loving kids will be thrilled when you announce that you can play Quidditch in your own backyard with this setup from The Scrap Shoppe Blog.

Set of 3 Quidditch hoops stick in the ground at opposite ends of a playing field from The Scrap Shoppe Blog.
Photo courtesy The Scrap Shoppe Blog

Kerplunk

Kerplunk is a classic board game that’s easy to make giant-sizes for outdoor fun. Learn how from All Parenting.

Scrabble

Practice spelling and have fun when you make this backyard version of Scrabble by Consider the Peel.

Washers

The rules for playing washers is similar to horseshoes. Make an outdoor game board from My Crazy Good Life.

Washers boards for backyard game from My Crazy Good Life.
Photo courtesy My Crazy Good Life

Water cup races

With a little setup, your kids will love these water cup races from All For the Boys.

Flamingo Ring Toss

Sugar and Cloth made a DIY version of ring toss that’s too cute to miss. See how she made this quirky game using plastic lawn flamingoes.

Yardzee

Yardzee – aka Yahtzee that you play in the yard – is easy to make at home with these instructions from A Turtle’s Life for Me.

Stack of 5 large wooden dice beside Yardzee score cards and colored markers from A Turtle's Life for Me.
Photo courtesy A Turtle’s Life for Me

Make a few of these backyard games for your summer camp at home this year. Many of them are also fun for playdates and parties too.

Plan your summer with the DIY Summer Camp Planner!

Cover page of the DIY summer camp planner with a tent and camping icons in a 3-ring binder.

Our step-by-step guide will help you organize a day, a week, or a whole summer of fun activities for your kids.

Learn More

More fun ideas from Backyard Summer Camp:

  • 12 Family Nature Walk Ideas
  • 30 Popsicle Stick Crafts to Make All Summer
  • DIY Cardboard Box Fort Ideas for Your Kids

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About Keri

Keri is the creator of Backyard Summer Camp as well as her family lifestyle blog, One Mama's Daily Drama. She lives in Texas with her family, where she spent her kids' childhood summers planning fun activities to keep them entertained.

Follow @CampBackyard on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram for inspiration to plan your own DIY summer camp with your family.

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