Like many of you, I am scrambling to come up with different ways to entertain my kids while we shelter in place. One idea that came to my mind was outdoor games. As we speak, it is raining, but soon we will have nice weather and will be able to spend more time outside. Fortunately for us, we have a large yard with room to roam and play.

When I need help with ideas, I hit the internet. I reached out to my Facebook friends asking what some of their favorite yard games were. As always they came through for me. They had games that I had never heard of!

After compiling a list with my friends, I went in search of more ideas. In total, I came up with a list of 26 Yard Games To Entertain Tweens & Teens. Many of these games only need two players but are also fun with a group.

1. Corn hole
2. Washer toss
3. Crossnet
4. Lawn Twister
5. Mölkky
6. Giant outdoor games- bowling, Jenga, checkers, chess, dominos, tic-tac-toe, etc.
7. Frisbee golf
8. Kubb
9. Bocce ball
10. Spikeball
11. Croque
12. Tailgate golf/ladder ball
13. Yardzee
14. Hook and ring toss game
15. Badminton
16. Rollers
17. Horseshoes
18. Capture the flag
19. Kan Jam
20. Lawn darts
21. Bottle Bash/ bottle smash
22. RampShot
23. Pickleball
24. Pong
25. Majik
26. Volleyball

Now, the title ” 26 Yard Games To Entertain Tweens & Teens” maybe a little misleading. My focus is on tweens and teens because of the age group of my two daughters; however, many of these games can be played by older/younger kids and adults, alike.

If you don’t want to purchase these games, many of them can be made from products you might already have around the house/yard. They could require a bit of construction or time putting them together but that’s half the fun. We got three generations involved in making a cornhole set and a tailgate golf set. Grandpa made the game portion and then handed it off to the grandkids to decorate (paint/stain), and Mom was in charge of coming up with the “bean” bags and balls.

Getting everyone to put down their electronics for a while so they can go outside and move, laugh, reconnect and play games (some of which have been around for many generations), is quite possibly one of the best things to do during stressful times such as what we are experiencing now. What better way to forget about the day’s stress and, instead, focus on letting go, relaxing, and enjoying those around you. Your mind and body will surely reap the benefits.

Did I miss your favorite yard game? Which one from my list do you play the most?

Laurie

Hello, my name is Laurie. My family and I live near the Oregon coast. When we aren’t at work, in school, or on the volleyball court, we enjoy traveling, cheering for our favorite sports teams, playing outdoors, and checking off items on our bucket list. We are lucky in that both sets of our parents, as well as our siblings and their families, live within an hour of us. We get together often to help one another out, celebrate milestones, and go on adventures together.

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