Backyard games are a great solution if you’re hosting a party or simply want to relax with your friends. Moreover, they’re a real salvation if you need to entertain both kids and adults. Today we are going to present you some useful suggestions for DIY backyard games that will keep you and your guests busy for quite a while.
DIY Backyard Games that Will Make Your Party a Blast
1. Stump Tic-Tac-Toe
If you have a stump and some rocks lying around, you can set up a game of tic-tac-toe. Get the rocks and paint them as you wish. Of course, you can go for the classic X and O, but you can use your creativity. One surprising option is to paint them as bumble bees and ladybugs. For this, you need black, red, and yellow paint. The ladybugs ones need to have the end black, as well as some black spots on the back. Meanwhile, the bumble bees have horizontal lines that alternate between yellow and black. Use a knife or something sharp to split the stump into 9 squares. Then, you just need to place them where you wish. May the best win!
2. Mini Golf Course
You don’t need to buy expensive sets to play mini golf in your backyard. It’s very easy to do a mini putt course track yourself. You just need to get one sheet of plywood and an artificial grass rug. First, decide where you want the hole to be and use a jigsaw to cut it. Then, attach the artificial turf to one side of the plywood with the help of a staple gun. Next, cut an X in the hole and pull the turf to the back, stapling it in place.
You might want to secure the plywood with some base supports and some edges and trims. You can also embellish this project with some flags or other customized items, but this is optional. The best part about this DIY project is the fact that you can move it indoors when you’re done playing outside. This means it can last longer if you protect it from winds and rains. Combine this with some gardening games and you will convince your kid to hang out in the backyard all day long.
3. Outdoor Checkers Table
This is one of the DIY backyard games that don’t need so much money. If you already have a table, you can sacrifice that one. Otherwise, you can buy lumber and build it from scratch. However, if you want the table to be used by kids as well, remember that it should be lower so that they can reach it.
Next, you just need to paint the table to be checkered. Ideally, you should first draw with a pencil the lines and use a ruler to make sure they’re equal. Then, use black and white paint to color them up. However, you might find out you need bigger checkers or chess pieces for this table. This is one of the garden activities children will love if you teach them how to play.
4. Lawn Twister
Do you and your family love Twister? Then this is a very good news for you: you can make up your own Twister game right on the lawn. For this, you will need to buy some yellow, green, red, and blue paint. Then, spray big dots of each color on the grass. Make sure they are symmetrically disposed and round. You can choose to make your spinner using cardboard, but you can also use the one you already have in the box. This is another one of the best DIY backyard games that will keep children entertained for hours in a row.
5. Ring Toss
Setting up a ring toss game is easy if you have some pool noodles around. For this, you need to match the diameter of the noodle hole with the diameter of a couple of wooden dowels. For the stakes to be stable, you need to use the dowels. Simply insert them into the noodles and stick them into the ground. The height depends on how tall you want the result to be. Next, for the rings, you just need to curb a noodle with a dowel in it and to secure it with some duct tape.
Adding a personal touch to these DIY backyard games is something we totally recommend. As such, you can either set the vertical noodles into the ground and throw the circles or the other way around. An option would be to stick the circles one to another and all of them to other vertical shafts.
6. Lawn Scrabble
This is one of the DIY backyard games that might be inaccessible for younger children if they don’t know how to read or don’t know many words. However, it’s perfect for your adult guests. You need some plywood which you should cut into equal pieces. Make sure they’re not too big, otherwise, the game will be uncomfortable to play.
It’s important to sand the edges of the wood pieces first to avoid any accidents. Use some wood stain on them if you plan on using them in the long run. Then, all you need to do is to paint the letters and score points on them. If you’re not sure of your skills, simply use some stencils.
7. Bottle Bowling
If you’re interested in recycling and want to use one of the most fun DIY backyard games, this one is perfect for you. Prepare some recycled soda bottles, which you need to clean and dry. If you want a mini bowling set, you can stick with six, but for a more realistic experience, you should use 10. Use red and white paint. Paint the bottles white, as well as two red stripes on their neck.
Meanwhile, get a tennis ball and paint it completely red. Make sure it’s dry before you use it. Then simply find a smooth surface in your backyard or house and start the game.
8. Lawn Dominoes
The process of making this game is just like the one for making the giant Scrabble pieces. Get yourself some wood boards or lumber and paint them to resemble domino pieces. A suggestion would be to cut them in sizes of 3.5 x 7 inches. If you think about the fact that there 28 pieces in a set, you will need 196 inches of wood. Remember to use wood stain on them as well if you want them to last.
For the dots, you have various options. You either use a stencil and paint them on the wood, or use adhesive paper and punch holes in it. You will need to have a lot of dots, so be careful with counting them. Consider yourself warned, this might take you a lot more time than you think, so make sure you allow enough for it.
9. Bean Bag Toss
This is a simple, yet entertaining game, suitable both for adults and kids. You will need to get some beanbags, clay pot saucers, spray paint, and some printed paper. The idea behind it is simple: you need to throw the beanbag as far as you can into one of the saucers. Paint the saucers white and glue on them the printed numbers with the points you earn if you throw it there: 10, 20, 30, etc. Then, place the saucers as spaced apart as you want. If you want the game to be harder, leave more space between them.
10. Giant Jenga
It seems that oversizing regular games can be very fun for an outdoor activity, right? So why not turn to Jenga as well? The principle behind it is simple: you cut some wooden pieces and play Jenga. However, it does take a little more time than you might expect. You need to set the sizes, which is 2×4”. Remember that you need 54 pieces, so buy enough wood.
However, the hard part is just beginning. After you cut them all, you need to sand them. Use some rough sanding paper to make sure there are no splinters. Just imagine how long it will take you to sand 54 pieces. Finally, you need to use some wood stain to preserve them. Think about the fact that you need enough space to lay them to dry out. Use wood stain on both sides. Next, use some finishing paste or some hemp seed oil. These help them look better and stay in a good shape for many years to come.
Conclusion
All these DIY backyard games are rather easy to do. Most of them involve cutting material and painting or printing things. For the simpler ones, you can also involve your children in creating the game. Most likely they’ll love seeing the great things that come out of your hands. Whether you choose giant Jenga, Scrabble or improvised bowling with recycled bottles, we’re sure you’re going to have plenty of fun. If you’re using wood, remember to sand it first and use some wood stain to protect yourself and other players.
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