As everyone with a Pinterest account knows, Aaron and I tackled the front yard this spring. But what you might not know is that our backyard is actually in worse shape than the front yard was. I’m not going to go into detail now because we aren’t planning to so much as look at the backyard until the temperature drops about 30 degrees. But I will tell you this: There will be a patio. And a firepit and grill. And places to sit. And parties and barbecues and all the other stuff you do when it’s delightful outside and you have a patio.
So if I plan to have lots of people over to hang in my backyard oasis, I need some sort of yard game, right? Let’s explore our options, shall we?
Croquet
Requirements: A croquet set (mallets, balls, wickets) and a level stretch of lawn
Pros : Minimal set up, easy to play, makes you feel fancy/British/like a Kennedy
Cons: I’d have to put out the wickets every time I wanted to play, because they’d get stolen otherwise.
Badminton
Requirements: a net (blah), racquets, shuttlecock
Pros: Still makes you feel fancy/British
Cons: Set up’s a bit more complicated, since I couldn’t leave the net outside all the time. Also, I suck at racquet sports.
Yard Bowling
Requirements: balls, pins, a wooden bowling alley if I want to be awesome
Pros: I LOVE BOWLING
Cons: I will probably not be building a wooden bowling alley any time soon, so this photo loses a bit of luster.
Horseshoes
Requirements: stakes, horseshoes
Pros: Incredibly easy set up, simple rules, reminds me of my roots (BEEBE, AR 4 LYFE!)
Cons: Is it enough to keep people really interested or would they bore easily?
Bocce Ball or Pétanque
Requirements: A court – could be grass or sand but needs sides and backboards of some sort, a bocce set
Pros: Can have many players, is similar to bowling (I LOVE BOWLING) and seems like an addictive sport
Cons: Set up is mid-level, not the easiest, not the most complicated. Also: I don’t exactly know how to play.
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What do you think? Do you have a favorite lawn sport? Am I missing a very important one?
rosemary on the tv 
Good post! Although you did forget my personal favorite……volleyball. Unfortunately, I haven’t played volleyball in about a decade and it would probably kill me now.
I took volleyball in college and was actually pretty good. I fear set up would be a headache though.
CORNHOLE. I put it in all caps not because I’m a big fan, but because I think it’s funny. And I never heard it called that until I moved to South Carolina.
I swear, I didn’t include it because I can’t its name. But yes, BEAN BAG TOSS is an alternative, though I don’t have much room to store the wooden box things…
Ladderball! It is relatively inexpensive to buy, easy to set up (and also portable for tailgate), and similar to horshoes and Baggo (or Cornhole, if you must) in that you toss something at a target.
I have played Ladderball. It’s soooo addictive! Good call.
Yay, bocce ball! That’s our game. We have a great set of bocce balls. You don’t need a course. Just a yard. It’s really easy and fun to play. xo.