Get the kids off their tablets and boost their vitamin D levels with a bit of sunshine. The following lawn games are aimed at the entire family and can provide hours of backyard fun. There are games suitable for all yards, from a courtyard patch of couch to a double block of buffalo.
Giant Jenga
Build your own set. Make it big. Stack. Play. Remember to scatter when your tower tumbles!
Slip and slide
Obviously suited to sloping yards, this is a classic backyard activity for the youngsters – great from late spring, through to early autumn. You could make one yourself with a number of tarpaulins strung together with a sprinkler at the top.
Bocce
Bond over Bocce! By no means limited to the older player, though requiring less effort than slip and slide, say, this classic game is terrific for all ages.
Yard dominoes
Here’s another one for the avid DIYer. Make them out of wood or whatever you can dream up. You could supersize them by using foam. Make it easy and have it cut by the supplier. Just add the dots. Now, there’s another activity for the hobbyist in the family.
Connect four
There’s a theme running here – build it and they will come. Show off your dovetail joints and make your own giant four-in-a-row game. Get the whole family involved by getting the kids to paint the discs the colour of their choice.
Lawn twister
If you’re not a lawn fanatic you may be happy to paint spots directly onto your lawn. Alternatively, you could use coloured paper plates.
Giant Yard Pong (AKA BucketBall)
Like the smaller version, but on a larger scale! (Excluding beer of course)
