How to play

Just like in classic Jenga, you set up the wooden blocks in a tower by placing three planks down at a time and reversing the way that they are facing when you work upwards. This version works great because you can play with just two or you can get the entire family in on it. Each player walks up to the tower, removes one block and places it on the top. The first person to be unable to place a block without the entire tower tumbling down is considered to be the loser.

Set Up

If you have ever played Jenga indoors, you know that setting up the tower is the least fun part (but it’s worth it in the end). The blocks are a little heavy, so you might want to employ one of your guests to help with setup. The tower starts out at just over 2 feet tall and can grow to be up to 5 feet before tumbling down.

Value

The cost of this unit might set you back just a little bit more than some of the other options, but it is nowhere near as expensive as a cornhole set. If you were in the market for something that is made from solid materials that might become your families new favorite post-BBQ activity- this set is likely to last you many, many years.

Summary

This model is something that is really beginning to pick up steam and might be more of the popular picnic activities this summer. It has a simple design that is easy to learn and to play for the younger guests. It’s also great for the other members of your family that might not be able to move around so great because you can play it by simply standing in one place.

How to Play

Bowling is a really easy game to learn and is able to accommodate quite a few players. Once the pins are set up- and they don’t necessarily have to be set up on a hard surface, a player will throw the ball towards the pins in hopes of knocking all of them down. They get two chances to knock all ten pins down. If they knock them all down in their first try, it is considered to be a strike. If it takes them two tries, it is a spare. You can make your own scorecards, or you can download a template from the internet.

Set Up

Set up is relatively easy. Simply place all 10 of the pins in a classic triangle design on your lawn (they are able to be placed in the grass, or hard surfaces like brick or concrete) and you are ready to go. The only downside to bowling in your backyard is that you won’t have the pin reset like you do at an alley. In this case- you are the pin resetter, and it can get pretty tedious and time consuming after so long.

Value

The cost of this set is pretty affordable, especially compared to some of the others out there on the market. This set will likely cost you the same amount of money that you would spend filling up your gas tank to head out for a camping trip.

Summary

Explaining the rules to anything can really be difficult- especially when you are working with a large group of people who are difficult to wrangle. Investing in this yard bowling set will eliminate the need to explain the rules because almost everyone already knows how to bowl.

How to Play

The goal of Rampshot is to get your ball into the net, much like your goal of cornhole is to get the beanbag into the hole in the board. Where Rampshot differs is that if player 1 doesn’t get their ball into the net, player 2 has the option of scoring a point by catching the ball as it bounces off of the ramp. It may sound simple, but the grooves in the ramp make the trajectory of the missed shot unknown, and difficult to predict.

Set up

Set up is pretty easy and can be done in a matter of minutes just by unfolding the ramps and setting them up in the grass or sand. When you are done, they are able to be folded up to be folded flat and stack neatly to be transported in the trunk of your car. There are some users, however, that had a little bit of trouble with the initial setup. Some found that the nets were a little difficult to secure to the frame.

Value

The cost of this unit is about par for the course for products that can be played in your backyard. It will run you about the same price as it would take to fill up your gas tank if you are heading to the beach for the weekend.

Summary

If you are someone who wants to play something that is a little bit more fast paced and a little bit more exciting, Rampshot will be the perfect addition to your next summer BBQ. Plus, because it is so engaging, you might be able to work off that extra slice of strawberry pie with just one round.

How to Play

You aren’t going to be spending a long time trying to explain complicated rules to a group that might have the attention span of a moth. The rules are simple- you have to use the frisbee to knock a can off of the stand. Adjusting the complexity of this product is really easy. If you are playing with a group of older or younger people, you can set the posts closer together. If you are playing with a group of seasoned frisbee pros, you can set them farther apart. The first one to knock their opponent's soda can or water bottle off the top is the winner.

Set Up

Set up is relatively easy and will not take you all that long. Out of the box, there are multiple hollow tubes that you screw together to create the pole and a set of anchors that are used to affix the poles into the ground. Once the pole is standing, simple place the stand on the top, and you are really to place a soda can or water bottle on the top. When it’s time to head home, you can simply unscrew all of the pieces and parts, and load them back into the box.

Value

Basically, this model is two sticks that are set up into the ground with a flat surface- so it isn’t too terribly expensive. In fact, this might be one of the more affordable options out there on the market. Considering that it also comes with a frisbee, and has a design that is accessible to a wide range of players- this is a great value that will bring you many years of enjoyment.

Summary

If you were looking for something that is incredibly simple, easy to explain, and not too hard on the wallet- this is an excellent option that will bring a lot of fun and laughs to your next family get together.

How to Play

The aim is simple- wrap the 2 balls that are tethered by a string (called bolas) to wrap around the bars in front of you. The higher on the bars you are able to get your bolas to wrap around, the more points that you will get. The point system and turn order of this design is a lot like cornhole. There are various degrees of scoring, and each side takes their turn one at a time. The rules and learning curve makes this model perfect for your younger and older party guests.

Set Up

Putting this set together is pretty simple, and it is just a matter of screwing the metal bars into one another and then securing them with screws on the outside of each leg. The ladder is made from a solid metal frame so it will stand firm during gameplay. You can opt to keep this unit assembled and store it in your garage when not in use, or you can disassemble it and store it in its nice nylon carrying case for parties on the go.

Value

This unit runs about in the middle of the road in terms of price. It’s not the most expensive design out there, but it is also not the least expensive. Considering that the frame is made of a solid steel design, this is a really great value for something that will last you many summers to come.

Summary

Ladder ball is something that is really starting to gain popularity within the past few years due to its engaging gameplay and simple design. If you have this set up at your next summer BBQ, your guests will be sure to get a kick out of it and make it a very memorable party.

How to Play

Simply place two plastic rings on the ground a good deal away from each other. Taking turns, each team throws one of their darts as close to the inside of the circle as they can get. Each dart is has a wide rounded and weighed tip so there is no risk of anyone getting hurt. Each time you get your dart inside of the circle you gain a point, and the first person or team to reach 21 points is considered to be the winner.

Set Up

There is virtually zero set up with this set. Simple place the two plastic circles on the ground a good distance apart, and you are ready to play. There is a design flaw in the plastic score circles that make them susceptible to breaking or coming apart- but many users have found a simple fix with a little bit of tape or gorilla glue. Even if the circles break completely or become lost over the years, you could always improvise with a string.

Value

The price of this unit is one of the more affordable options on the market, and will likely set you back the same amount of money you would spend on ground beef and buns for the hamburgers you plan to grill up for your next summer cookout.

Summary

If you are in the market for something that is perfect for everyone ages 6 to 96 and is incredibly safe, this unit will be a real hit at your next party, and you won’t run the risk of impaling any of your party guests.

How to Play

Simply place two plastic rings on the ground a good deal away from each other. Taking turns, each team throws one of their darts as close to the inside of the circle as they can get. Each dart is has a wide rounded and weighed tip so there is no risk of anyone getting hurt. Each time you get your dart inside of the circle you gain a point, and the first person or team to reach 21 points is considered to be the winner.

Set Up

There is virtually zero set up with this set. Simple place the two plastic circles on the ground a good distance apart, and you are ready to play. There is a design flaw in the plastic score circles that make them susceptible to breaking or coming apart- but many users have found a simple fix with a little bit of tape or gorilla glue. Even if the circles break completely or become lost over the years, you could always improvise with a string.

Value

The price of this unit is one of the more affordable options on the market, and will likely set you back the same amount of money you would spend on ground beef and buns for the hamburgers you plan to grill up for your next summer cookout.

Summary

If you are in the market for something that is perfect for everyone ages 6 to 96 and is incredibly safe, this unit will be a real hit at your next party, and you won’t run the risk of impaling any of your party guests.
The rules of bocce are a little confusing at first, but upon one playthrough players should really get the hang of it. To play, someone throws the white scoring ball- called the pallino- onto the field. Each team then takes turns throwing their balls as close to the pallino as they possibly can. The team that gets their balls closest to the pallino wins. This may sound incredibly simple- but there is a lot of strategy that can develop. For instance, if you notice that the other team is closer to the pallino, you can use one of your throws to knock theirs out of the way or even knock the pallino closer to your balls.

Set Up

There is absolutely nothing that you need to do to set up this game. This set comes with a nice carrying case with a strap, and all of the requisite balls that you will need to get a match started. Once you throw the pallino onto the field, the game is ready to start. And when you are finished, all of the balls fit perfectly into the bag. What makes this set great is that it comes with the addition of a cloth measuring tape so that there are no arguments over balls that are a little too close to call.

Value

The cost of this set is a little surprising, considering that it is just a bag with 9 balls and a measuring tape. However, once you notice the high quality of not only the bocce balls but also the carrying case that comes with it, the slightly higher price tag makes a little more sense.

Summary

If you were looking for a good old tried-and-tested away to have a little bit of competitive fun this summer- bocce ball is a great way to achieve that. We should warn you, though, that if you have some overly competitive party guests- a round of bocce can get intense pretty fast!

How to Play

The rules are a little bit more complicated than that of bocce ball or cornhole, but a lot of the complexity lies in the setup (which we will get into a little later). The aim is to use a mallet to have your color ball pass through all of the wickets to make it to the end of the course. Think of it as an obstacle course for your ball, and your mallet is what guides your ball. The first person to make it to the end of the course wins. Be careful, however, because if another player's ball lands right next to yours- that player has the right to send your ball to the opposite end of the course!

Set Up

The set up is probably one of the more complicated sets to make this list. To play, you have the option of selecting a number of templates that will be available in the instruction manual. Stick the wire wickets securely and evenly into the ground, and then use one of the mallets to pound the finishing post at the end of the course. Once the design is set up, and the course is explained to the players- you are ready to go.

Value

This is a little bit more expensive than some of the other models on this list, but croquet has a reputation of being a rather expensive game- so the price tag should come to you as no surprise. It isn’t the most expensive option on the market, however, so if you were looking for something just above the middle of the road- this is a great option.

Summary

Croquet is great because it has a slow and relaxed pace that is perfect for a hot summer day and can be played by young kids, and even some of the older folks that are at your next cookout this summer.

How to Play

As we mentioned earlier- the rules are pretty simple. Two players, or four players divided into teams of two, stand next to a board and take turns trying to throw their bean bag into the hole. After each round, teams are allotted points. For each bag they get in the hole, they get 3 points. Bags that land on the board are called ‘ace’ and count for one point. The first team to reach 21 points is considered to be the winner. If a team reaches 11 without the other team scoring, they are also considered to be the winner.

Set Up

There really isn’t much set up involved to get playing. Simply drag the boards out from the garage, and place them on the lawn approximately 27 feet apart (you can always decrease the length apart as needed). The GoSports model also comes with a nice drawn string carrying bag to store the bean bags when not in use.

Value

Cornhole sets are notoriously expensive, but this GoSports model is a little more on the affordable side. The boards are just a simple and solid wood, and they don’t have any logos or designs on them, which is probably why they are a little bit more affordable than most.

Summary

If you are in the market for a classic cornhole set and don’t want to pay the hefty price tag as some of the other designs out there- this is an excellent alternative that will last you many summers without breaking the bank.

How to Play

It doesn’t get any easier than Tiki Toss. There is a hook that is affixed to a board, and a metal ring that is at the end of a long string. The aim is to swing the metal ring so that it latches onto the hook at the base. The first person to successfully make the connection is considered to be the winner. It may seem a little too simple and elementary, but it is a lot more difficult than it looks.

Set Up

While playing it is pretty simple, set up is a one-time thing- but it requires you make some very exact measurements. If you don’t line up the string to have the ring precisely make contact with the hook, you have made a game that no one can win. However, once you have everything set up to be exactly where it needs to be, you will never have to set it up again, and it is something that you can leave up all year round.

Value

This is one of the more affordable options on this list, but it isn’t the least expensive. Considering that is is just a carved piece of wood with metal rings and a string- it can seem a little pricey. However, considering that you will always have a fun activity to play on your patio at every cookout that doesn’t need explanation or set up- it will be worth the lightly padded price tag.

Summary

If you want to increase the fun level of your patio without taking up all that much room or spending that much money, you and your friends and family will likely get years of enjoyment out Tiki Toss.