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Looking for a great idea for Father’s Day this year? Invest in a family game Dad will love and that will also bring your crew hours of outdoor fun all summer long. I’ve picked out some active family lawn games that you can play at home, at the neighborhood park or even on a summer camping trip.
Browse all my picks, or jump on the game you want to set up this summer.
Super ring toss
This ring toss takes the simple game to the next level while remaining a satisfying game that kids and grown-ups enjoy. It’s quick to set up, easy to learn and just challenging enough to spark a little family rivalry. Plus, it’s lightweight and packable — perfect for backyard hangouts, beach days or even camping trips. Bonus: The soft rope rings mean no wild throws breaking anything. Low-key fun with big replay value!
Bottle Bash
Looking for a game that gets everyone moving and laughing? Bottle Bash is a disc toss challenge that’s part Frisbee, part target practice and all fun. Players try to knock a bottle off a pole while the other team scrambles to catch both the bottle and the disc. It’s perfect for backyard barbecues and works for a wide range of ages — younger kids can play defense while older ones get competitive with their throws. Easy to set up, surprisingly addictive and a great way to burn off that popsicle energy.
Bucket golf
Bucket golf is basically golf meets cornhole — players take turns chipping a ball into oversized buckets placed around the yard. The rules are super simple, so even little kids can join in, but there’s enough of a challenge to keep older kids and grown-ups interested, too. It’s portable, easy to set up and perfect for everything from lazy summer afternoons to family barbecues. (Pro tip: If you’ve got some buckets or containers lying around the house, you could probably create your own DIY version for a fraction of the ones available online.)
Bocce ball
Bocce is a compact, portable game that’s fun for all ages. A set consists of eight colored balls that players toss underhand toward a target. The target is a smaller, white ball called the pallino. Some bocce players are experts, but this game is easy to learn and fun to play. Even little kids can throw the pallino at the start of a round, or they can help measure distance with their feet to determine the ball closest to the target. Bocce works on grass, sand or dirt.
Viking bowling
Viking bowling, or its cousin game kubb, is another fun lawn game that works for all but the littlest tots. You might think of Viking bowling as a cross between bowling and pool. Throw a thick wood dowel toward a collection of other dowels arranged in a triangular shape. Knock down the numbered dowels for points, then set them back up where they land. There are different ways to score this game, but some figure-in-your-head math is a bonus for elementary-age players. You can play with as few as two people or a larger group divided into teams.
Croquet
When my brother’s family visited from Australia a few summers ago, we hauled out our family croquet set for an all-ages family game. Players ranged in age from 7 to teenagers to middle-age (ahem) parents to senior citizens. And we definitely have some competitive types in the family. Guess who creamed us all at croquet? My mom and my aunt, both in their 70s. Look out, young’uns!
Cornhole
A cornhole set is likely too cumbersome to take camping (though you could try this collapsible version), but it’s perfect for family fun in the backyard. Cornhole, also called beanbag toss, is another game that is simple to learn and play, but there are also expert players out there. There’s even a professional cornhole league and a world championship — imagine that! So, get your set and start practicing if you want your kids to have a chance at becoming professional athletes.
Ladder ball
Ladder ball is a game you’ll spot at campgrounds around the region because it’s fairly portable and fun for kids and adults alike. Players throw a bola, two small balls connected by a rope, toward ladder frames. Land your bola on a rung of the ladder to score points; different rungs score different point values. This game is a bit trickier to play than others, so it’s best for school-age kids and older.
Lawn darts
A game of lawn darts makes for some old-school fun — and, fortunately, lawn darts have undergone a safety makeover. Too many people must have stabbed their toes with old-fashioned lawn darts, so sets are now safe and kid-friendly. Lay out the rings and try to toss your weighted, blunt-end darts into the center. Bonus: Horseshoes is another classic game that’s now available in a safer, portable version.
Spikeball
Spikeball is a relatively newer game that’s fun for the park or the yard — plus, it gets your heart rate up. Two teams of two bounce a ball off a small round net that sits close to the ground. This game has elements of volleyball and handball. Spikeball takes some practice and skills, so it’s best for families with older kids. Spikeball is a brand name; the game is also called roundnet.
More outside family fun:
- Summer Toys to Turn Your Backyard Into an Epic Playground
- 10 Fun Ideas for Your Backyard Campout
- 13 Easy Eats and Treats for Camping or Backyard BBQs
- The Messiest — But Coolest — Outdoor Art Projects
Editor’s note: This article was first published several years ago and was updated most recently with new games and a thorough fact-check on June 11, 2025, by ParentMap’s associate editor, Kari Hanson. This article contains affiliate links. If you purchase products through links on our site, ParentMap may earn an affiliate commission.
