Let your backyard serve as the playroom of your home
No matter the size or shape of your backyard, there are always activities you can enjoy with your family and friends. When you think of backyard games, you might imagine a family football game, but that’s not the only way to get everyone up and moving. These games are fun for kids and great for adults at any fitness level.
1. Cornhole.
Sometimes called a beanbag toss, this game can be played in teams or individually. With cornhole, you take turns throwing bean bags at a tilted platform with a hole in the far end. The goal is to get the bag through the hole, although you can also score points for landing on the platform. You can modify the game for children by placing the platforms closer together. You can build a cornhole game yourself using some wooden planks as the platform, or purchase a pre-made one for around $100.
2. Kickball
Kickball is like baseball or softball but requires fewer materials. What is ideal about kickball as a backyard activity is that you can modify the game based on how many people you have, the space and the age of the participants. Other than a ball, nothing is required for purchase to play this game unless you insist on using official bases. The ball should be rubber and size can be determined based on the size of the players (bigger balls are easier for small kids to make contact with). Kickballs will generally cost no more than $20.
3. Twister
You don’t need the board game to play Twister in your backyard—and you don’t need to ruin your lawn with spray paint either. Ground marking spray naturally grows out of your grass within a few weeks and allows you to make the board as big as you want! You can also customize the size of the dots depending on the age of the players (smaller dots for small players).
4. Limbo
The one game where the younger kids can beat the adults easily, this game requires no purchase. Use a long pole, broom or mop and try to bend your body underneath as you move the pole lower with each round. Don’t forget the music!
5. Outdoor scavenger hunt
A scavenger hunt creates unique adventures for groups of family and friends and encourages you to explore your backyard in new ways! This is another backyard game that requires no purchase. There are various ways you can customize your scavenger hunt. The easiest route is to create a list of things that each team, or individual, must locate. Whichever team or person completes the list first, or accomplishes the most after a specified amount of time, is the winner. This game is more difficult (and interesting) to play at night.
In today’s screen-dependent society, outdoor games are a guaranteed way to get family and friends spending time together without any distractions from phones or TVs. The only thing that could distract your guests would be mosquitos. That is until you invest in the Platinum Mosquito Misting System. Check out our photo gallery of recent projects, installations and see how our system can let you enjoy your backyard games bite- and buzz-free.