Summer is here, and outdoor get togethers are happening everywhere. And there's nothing more fun that playing outdoor games that all the familiy can enjoy - think your standard board game but scaled up several times in the size department. And this is the kind of think you can create yourself, all you need are some power tools, basic skills, and determination.
These are 10 of our favourite super-sized games and how you can build them from scratch:
1. Super-Sized Jenga
Avid woodworkers will love the challenge of creating a massive Jenga set and wow their loved ones. All you need is a drill, a circular saw, sandpaper, and threaded feet for the foundation.
To set up the game, you will need to build a Jenga platform to support the structure on top, cut out 54, 10.5-inch long pieces of plywood with dimensions of 2x4 inches, sand individual pieces, paint the sides, and the set is ready to be played with.
2. Cornholes
The authority on cornholes, the American Cornhole Association, specifies that platforms need to be rectangular built from ½ inch thick plywood with dimensions of 48x24 inches. The front of the platform is required to be 2.5-inches thick while the back portion must be elevated 12 inches off the ground.
Using these specifications, you will require:
● Two pieces of 24x48x0.5 inches of plywood for the back and front of the board.
● Four pieces of 2x4x48 inches and another four pieces of 2x4x21 inches of plywood for the frame.
● Four pieces of 2x4x11.5 inches of plywood for the stands.
To build this structure, you need to cut out wood based on the above measurements, join them together, sand them, and finally paint over them. Enjoy the finished result with a friendly match!
3. Cup Contest
Cup contests are versatile games that you can adjust and play in different ways. The game mainly involves making participants’ cups race against each other. Two major ways cup contests are held include:
● Using a water gun to push cups threaded through with a piece of string.
● Using the cup to hold water or sweets.
If you want to play the game with a water gun, you will need to:
I. Punch a hole onto the circular bottom section of a plastic cup near the circumference of the circle.
II. Thread through the hole with some string or baling twine.
III. Secure the ends of the string or twine to a post or a chair.
IV. Shoot air or water into the cups to get them to move. The first participant whose cup reaches the endpoint of the string wins!
If you want to play the game with just water or sweets:
I. Create a starting and ending point for the race, and appoint teams.
II. Fill the cups of participants with either water or sweets.
III. Each participant must run from starting to the ending point and then back to their teams without spilling. Every member of the team must do this for the team to clear the game. The team which finishes first wins!
4. Backyard Twister
If you are a fan of twister but are worried that it's an indoor game and your mat isn’t in optimal condition for use by everyone, fear not! Twister is a classic game played and loved by many since childhood, so you won’t have any trouble finding players.
As for the mats, no need to go out and get a new one when you can make your own. Spray paint some different colored dots onto a spare mat. You will need the classic blue, green, red, and yellow colors. Use the spinner from your old game, or create your own if you can’t access it.
5. Cushion Toss
Do you have a couple of cushions to spare for a game? Then the cushion toss is for you! This game is insanely easy to set up. All you need are some clay dishes, mod podge, and construction paper. To do this:
I. First, you need to come up with a scoring system, e.g. 100 points if you throw the cushion 50 meters.
II. Then, draw the numbers on the construction paper and cut them out.
III. Next, use mod podge to attach these numbers to the dishes.
IV. Finally, set the plates in a neat line with the points getting higher with increasing distance.
6. Hoop Throw
The hoop throw is another simple object tossing game. The aim of this game is to throw your hoop, so it falls on top of a bottle. You can use pool rings, rope rings, or even hula rings to play. Use empty beer or milk bottles as targets, organized according to your preference.
7. DIY Tic-Tac-Toe
When lunchtime rolls around, and everyone is hungry, it's normal for the energy to fizzle out a bit from the atmosphere. Keep loved ones engaged and energized with a low effort and low energy game, such as tic-tac-toe while you are attending to the delicious barbecue cooking on the grill. Get out some rope to make the grid, and use cut-outs of X’s and O’s painted in bright colors to catch the children’s eyes. Adding glitter and sparkles to the cut-outs will calm fussy toddlers.
Additionally, if your BBQ grill has faced quite some wear and tear, and you think it's time for a change, find new grills on BBQ queens. This website has a detailed breakdown of the ten best pellet smokers that could help you add a delicious woody taste to your cooking while being very convenient to use.
8. Bowling in the Dark
Ever heard of glow in the dark bowling? If you haven’t had this unique experience yet, you can try it for yourself in your very own backyard! This is great for playing at night when light is scarce, but your spirits are high.
Simply use ten 1-liter bottles and stuff each of them with colorful glow sticks. Screw on the cap and arrange the bottles in a reverse triangle formation. Use any preferred ball to bowl. When you play, you can keep a tally of the scores for some friendly competition or just play for fun.
9. Lawn Yahtzee with Wooden Die
Yahtzee is a fairly straightforward game to play since the materials required to play it are so commonplace. This is another great chance for amateur woodworkers to learn a new skill. Build die from wooden blocks and paint on some dots. With help from a cup, you can shake the die before each turn. Finally, you can use a chalkboard or paper to keep score.
10. Memory Games
Memory games are ideal for healthy brain development and learning. They are also incredibly fun to play, and luckily for you, quite simple to create. The ones we are talking about in particular are the matching memory games where players are required to find matching sets once the sets are placed face down on any surface. They do this after seeing all the sets before the game begins.
To set up the game:
I. Make game pieces out of wood, laminated paper, or cardboard. Ensure that all pieces have similar dimensions.
II. Attach pictures, words, or numbers to these pieces with glue or draw them on.
III. Create as many matching pieces as you prefer.
Summer festivities are a great way to bond with family members and make some great memories. Hopefully, this list of simple games has inspired you to make your next outdoor party a blast. Good luck!
