SPORTS & RECREATION

Must Play Backyard Games

Try these fun, outdoor games to get your family up and moving!

By Alina Hoarau

Gone are the days kids roamed their neighborhoods after school playing all sorts of outdoor games, with their parents just requesting they be home before dark, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun in your own backyard. While traditional games such as flag football or baseball are typical options, consider some of these games the next time you step outside with family and friends.

Bocce ball

The goal is to roll the bocce balls, much like a bowling ball, closest to the target. One team throws the “jack” to determine the target. The balls are color-coordinated to differentiate each team. One point is scored for each ball that is closer to the tagret than the opposing team’s ball. The game finishes once a team achieves a set amount of points.

Pickleball

Originally created by three dads, this game combines elements of tennis, badminton and ping-pong. While usually played on a court, you can use chalk and tape to create a backyard court split in half by a net. This game can be played as doubles or singles. Each serve must be made underhand.

Players are not allowed to step into the non-volley zone marked off on the front of each side unless the ball has already bounced on their side. The ball must bounce at least once on each side of the net for the players to begin volleying it in the air.

Points are only scored by the serving team. Each match is best two out of three games, with game one and two played to eleven points and game three played to five points. All matches must be won by two points.

Horseshoes

The game of horseshoes is played between two or four people. Each team takes turns tossing four horseshoes back-and-forth between two stakes (typically set up 40 feet apart, but this can be adjusted depending on the size of your backyard). Teams stand at opposite ends of the stakes. Once all four horsehoes are tossed, called an inning, points are calcuated. The object of the game is to throw your horseshoes closest to the stake. Horseshoes that are within six inches of the stake are worth one point while those wrapped around the stake, known as ringers, are worth 3 points. The game is played to 21 points, but the winner must win by two points.

Croquet

This old English game consists of knocking wooden balls with a wooden mallet through a course of metal wickets. Croquet can be set up in your backyard by applying a central peg in the middle of your lawn and placing four wickets on each corner and two wickets on opposite sides of the central peg to create a midpoint between the cornering wickets and central peg. Croquet can be played with up to six people in singles, three versus three, or with teams of two. Colors can be assigned to distinguish player order. Players each take one turn to correctly guide the ball in the correct order and direction with a mallet. The ball must completely surpass the hoop to be considered a point. The first team to finish with 14 points wins.