The prime responsibility of every adult is to ensure the proper development of their kids, and the best way to do so is through games. So, Gritr Outdoors, one of the major outdoor sports stores in the US, decided to compose an article on the best outdoor games for everyone. It’s not uncommon for people to think that there are very few games that both kids/teens and adults can play together. Well, there are plenty! All games on our list are fun to play regardless of age.
We understand that people have different levels of tolerance towards physical activity. For that reason, we structure our games into three groups: games focused on strategic thinking, throwing and rolling games, and high-activity games. Now let’s familiarize you with what they are.
Giant Jenga
If you love classic Jenga, how about a sized-up version of it – the Giant Jenga. We believe the concept will never date. The game is simple, inclusive, and anyone can start playing it right away. Besides, bigger blocks are easy for kids to manipulate, and the wood is pleasant to touch. A standard Giant Jenga set includes 54 blocks and is generally intended for eight players, but you can increase the number of players to your liking.
Connect Four
Another oversized version of the timeless classic, Connect Four, is a strategy game that you can play naturally everywhere, outside or in a living room on a cozy rainy day. The rules here are super simple, and players need to use strategic thinking.
There are many variations of this game, all-plastic gigantic sets with bagel-like pieces or sets with nice wooden boards and thin nylon coins. What you choose depends on your preferences and intentions, but natural materials and strong plastics are generally better for children.
Rollors
We are moving on to our next group of games that focus on coordination and body control. Rollors is a relatively new outdoor game for families, but it managed to win the hearts of many outdoor enthusiasts. The concept is similar to Bocce Ball, but players must roll wooden disks towards the goal instead of throwing balls.
The set consists of 6 wooden disks and 2 goals and is very portable. The objective is to deliver disks as close to the goal as possible. The scoring system is interesting. Each side of the disk has a unique number. For example, the disk that has 5 on one side also has 2 on the other side. You need to roll the rollors in a way they stop on the edge or land on a side with a smaller number so that a bigger number is showing. This fun game for kids and adults encourages you to concentrate on your movements to cut the luck factor to the minimum.
Cornhole
Cornhole, otherwise called Bags, is the American classic and one of the best yard games. If you aren’t familiar with the concept, there’s an inclined board with a hole where players throw bean bags. Bags that make their way into the hole are scored 3 points, whereas bags laying on the board get 1 point. (mydelta8store.com) Bags that touch the ground don’t count. When the round is over, the teams count their points and apply cancellation scoring to decide the winner of the round. Once you score 21 points, you win.
Depending on the situation, you can play proactively or defensively, and this is the beauty of Cornhole. The market carries relatively massive backyard boards and lightweight and compact versions for easier transportation.
Kubb
A combination of horseshoes and bowling, Kubb is a lawn game with absorbing gameplay and fun rules. The game pieces include 10 kubbs (wooden blocks), 6 tossing batons, 4 marking pins to designate the corners of a rectangular pitch, and 1 king kubb.
Once the pitch is set, each team sets up 5 kubbs between the marking poles, and the king kubb is placed in the middle of the pitch. The objective is to knock over the opponent’s kubbs with batons. Once the baseline kubb of Team A is knocked down, it’s thrown into the opponent’s side of the field and becomes a field kubb of Team B. Now Team A has to first knock down the field kubb and then move on to baseline kubbs of Team B.
The game continues until one team gets to knock down all kubbs of the opponent. The king kubb must be knocked out in the last turn, and if it is toppled during the game, it’s considered an instant loss.
Skittle Scatter (Mölkky)
Mölkky was created by a Finnish company in the late 1990 and has become one of the most beloved backyard games. The set consists of one throwing pin and 12 numbered pins (skittles), and the objective is to knock out numbered pins and earn scores according to the rules.
The game starts with the skittles placed in a tight group and organized as follows: the row closest to the player – 1-2; 2nd row – 3-10-4; 3rd row – 5-11-12-6; 4th row – 7-9-8. When several pins fall, the player is awarded the points equal to the number of pins knocked down, and when the player knocks down one pin, it gets the number of points equal to the number of the pin. The fallen skittles are set up where they come to rest. The team that first reaches 50 points wins, and if it knocks out more than 50, the score lowers to 25 points.
Bottle Bash
Here we move on to our high-activity games. This game is a competitive variant of simple frisbee throwing. Bottle Bash is intended for four players. The set includes a frisbee and two poles on top of which bottles are placed. The objective is to hit the pole with the disk to cause the bottle to fall to the ground. The defensive team should catch both disk and bottle. Sounds pretty easy, right? Well, add the rule requiring each player to use only one hand for catching frisbee and bottle, and you get your challenge.
Kan Jam
Kan Jam is another frisbee game on our list. The set includes a disk and two cans placed opposite each other. The game requires four players, and each can have players from both teams standing near it.
The objective is to earn scores by hitting the can with the disk. For instance, Player 1A throws the frisbee to Player 2A. Team A is awarded 1 point if the disk hits the can, 2 points if the disk is deflected into the can by Player 2, or 3 points if Player 1 manages to throw the disc right into the can without aid. Then Player 2A returns the frisbee into the can of Player 1A. After that, Team B does the same. The game continues until one team strikes 21 points.
Pro Kadima
Pro Kadima set consists of two relatively short wooden rackets and a ball intended for constant volleying, not bouncing like in tennis or street racket, which makes the game a bit harder but less demanding in terms of the surface. You can play it on the beach, at the park, and in your backyard. Pro Kadima helps kids and teens develop hand-eye coordination.
Spikeball (Roundnet)
Spikeball is a viable alternative to volleyball. It doesn’t require a big net dividing the field and instead uses a round net that looks like a small trampoline for kids. Spikeball requires four players, two for each team. The players from one team need to bounce the ball off of the roundnet in a way that would prevent the players from the other team from bouncing it back.
Now you won’t be frustrated planning over your backyard family party or a day on the beach with your dearest friends. Spend more time outside and have a nice day.
