With summer around the corner, the kids and even adults would obviously want to spend more time in the backyard soaking in the sun and playing their favorite games. But games and lawn don’t go hand in hand – Right? Your perfectly manicured grass is bound to get trampled or even damaged during the games, which isn’t a pleasant sight. You can not stop your kids from playing on the lawn; afterall, where else can they play? Also, you can’t always ask them to play indoor games as it lacks much-needed physical activity and may actually be counter-intuitive for the kids. To save you from the frustration and at the same time to let the kids enjoy to the fullest, we have rounded up 5 backyard games that are easy on your lawn.
1. Croquet:
First on the list is a classic English game – Croquet. The game is not only gentle on the grass but also quite fun and engaging. Although a manicured lawn works best for the game of croquet but from a recreational point of view, an unkempt lawn would also work. Tip: For backyard croquet, you don’t need perfectly manicured grass. If you have a lawnmower (riding or manual anything will do), just trim down few millimeters of top grass, and your is court ready for play. The object of the game is to hit the ball through a series of wickets using the mallet. Two teams compete with one another, and whoever completes the circuit in the right order earliest is the winner. The game is great for parties and kids and has an easy learning curve. The best thing about the game is that it’s relatively inexpensive, and you can own a durable set for well under $50. You can read more about the game and find the best croquet sets here.
2. Cornhole:
Cornhole is an iconic lawn game suitable for players of all ages or skill levels. The game is quite popular and is commonly played at parties, weddings, and tailgate events. It requires minimal setup – a cornhole board and a couple of bean toss bags. Each player is given three bean bags, which he/she must throw at the cornhole board. The player earns 3 points if the bag goes inside the hole, and 1 point is the bag remains on the board. The winner is the one who reaches 21 points first. Cornhole may look like a simple game but requires precise hand-eye coordination and accuracy. As there are no running or heavy movements involved, you can be sure that your lawn grass won’t be damaged.
3. Ladderball:
This is one game that your kids are sure to love. You may ask why? Because it involves a ball and throwing both of which the kids usually love. The game is easy to set up, a lot of fun yet very competitive. The objective of the game is to throw the bolas (two balls connected with a rope) to the target stand such that bola wraps around the horizontal rungs. The points are scored by landing the bolas on one of the three rungs. You get 3 points for the top rung, 2 points for middle rung, and 1 point for the bottom rung. The first one to reach exactly 21 points is the winner. The game tests your reflexes, consistency (aim/accuracy) and is something the whole family can play together.
4. Horseshoes
A perfect summer backyard game that’s quite relaxing yet at the same time quite competitive. You can literally play the game anywhere from your yard to the beach, and you don’t really need a professionally designed pit. The game can either be between two players or two teams. Each player needs to toss the horseshoe at stake, which is typically placed at a distance of 40 ft. Points are earned, – if the horseshoe completely encircles the stake – known as ringers. It’s worth 3 points. – If the horseshoe leans on the stake, it’s worth 2 points. – The person who lands the horseshoe nearest to the stake gets 1 point. The rules of the game are pretty simple, making it an ideal game to get for your backyard.
5. Lawn bowling
Coming to our last pick and also the swankiest among all – Giant lawn bowling. This giant version of indoor bowling offers the utmost fun and thrill. As the equipment is practically made of inflatable material, it’s totally lawn safe as well. All you need to do is set up the pins at the far end of the lawn or the garden and roll down the large bowling ball such that the maximum number of pins fall. This is a game that kids and adults both can enjoy at the same time, and the simplicity of the rules makes it a hit. However, one thing to consider here is that your lawn should have a thick covering of grass; otherwise, the chances of the ball getting punctured is high.
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Wrapping Up
Traditional games like football or for the matter any running games mattes down the grass and may lead to a dead patch, which is an eye-sore. However, if you stick with the game listed above, you can rest assured your lawn would remain pristine all day long. Fellow gardeners, I hope you liked the post. If you would like to suggest any other game which I’ve missed, please comment below!