With the festive season upon us, no doubt you’ll be planning a few get-togethers with family and friends. No matter who you’re entertaining, backyard toys are a great way to bring people of all ages together. Unleash your inner kid with toys that have been scaled up for adults as well.
Here’s a roundup of some fun backyard games for the whole family including some (possibly forgotten) classics and some new kids on the block:
Giant Jenga
Giant Jenga is the same as normal Jenga but on a bigger scale. The starting tower of wooden blocks varies from 60cm to over a metre tall. The game is played by removing one block out of the tower at a time and placing it on top of the tower. The game ends when the tower collapses. Perfect for the back yard, or as a great way to keep kids (and big kids) entertained at parties and events.
Quoits
Quoits is a game of skill and accuracy. It has many variations but generally requires players to throw rope rings from a distance onto upright pegs or spikes. Each peg has points allocated to it and the first player to reach a pre-determined number of points wins. Great for kids and adults in the backyard, down the beach or at the park.
Totem Tennis
A true classic, Totem Tennis has been around since the early 1900’s, a two-player game using a central pole (totem) with a ball attached by string that players hit to each other with small racquets. Many incarnations and small variations have developed over the years including scoring methods. A wonderfully potable game suitable for young and old alike.
Boules/Petanque/Bocce
A popular pastime in Europe, this is a low energy game for the whole family. There are slight differences across various regions in Europe but as far as backyard play is concerned, the objective is to throw or roll heavy balls as close as possible to a small target ball. It’s a lovely, leisurely way to get your toes in the lawn on a summer evening without breaking a sweat.
Molkky Game
A relatively new game on the market, created by Finnish company Lahden Paikka in the nineties. They originally started producing Molkky using excess wood from other projects. The throwing game consists of twelve wooden pins marked from 1 to 12 and one bigger throwing pin (the Molkky). The numbered pins are arranged in a formation and players take turns throwing the Molkky from a few metres away to hit the pins. The pins are stood up in their landing position after each throw. The first player to reach fifty points wins.
Slip n Slide
What’s an Australian summer without a slip-n-slide? This backyard classic has been around since the sixties, making memories for generation after generation of kids. It’s a fun way to cool off at the end of the day if you have a reasonably flat yard. A long piece of plastic, connected to a standard garden hose that sprays water over the plastic. You then take a run up and go for a slide down the very slippery plastic. Recommended to only be used under supervision and If you are a big kid, make sure you exercise caution when using the Slip n Slide to prevent injury.
This summer, make the most of the great outdoors and invest in some memories. Happy gaming!