If you’re tired of running out of things to do at your summer BBQs, why not try DIYing some of these awesome outdoor games?
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It’s time for summer fun!
Summer break is nearly here and that means (hopefully!) time spent outdoors with family and friends. BBQs, beach days, picnics, and more!
While good company and amazing food are great, sometimes you need something else to make the day memorable. That’s where this list can help!
As creatives, we’re often on the hunt for one-of-a-kind projects that we can tackle and outdoor games are no exception. While you can purchase a lot of these games online or in local stores, when you make them yourself you have the option to customize them to your tastes. Plus you don’t have to worry about the quality—you are in control of the materials that you use! Storebought games are often not particularly durable… and who wants to spend $50 on a game meant for rough outdoor play, only to have it break on the first or second use? Not me!
You don’t have to only make these outdoor games for yourself!
Last summer, an organization I’m part of hosted a big picnic at a local park. It was a family fun day, and we had a great time with food, games, and activities.
We wanted a bunch of outdoor games like the ones on this list. It didn’t make sense to buy them because we only needed them for that one day, but there was a local woman who had made all the games and rented them out by the hour. She had so many to choose from!
So, if you’re looking for a new business idea, why not make some games like the one on this list and rent them out for family and corporate picnics, outdoor summer weddings, etc.? Depending on how many games you offer and what you charge, it could be a very profitable little side hustle!
Anyway, without further ado, let’s get into the list!
10 Outdoor Games to Make This Summer
01. Giant Yahtzee Dice
Yahtzee is such a fun and simple game with rules that anyone can understand. But what is already a fun game becomes infinitely more fun with giant dice. Plus, you can use them to play any other dice games you already play! These dice are easy to make, and you can make them in any size you want.
02. Oversized Jenga Game
I love the idea of this one but be careful—it wouldn’t be safe for young kids due to the risk of the wooden blocks falling on them. Don’t forget to add a pop of color; these blocks would look amazing if they were all painted.
03. Giant Connect Four
I loved Connect Four as a kid, and it’s even more fun in its giant form. If you’re going to play this with kids, make sure that whatever you’re using for the round pieces isn’t too heavy. When you release them from the board at the end of the game if they’re too heavy they can cause injuries if they fall on someone’s foot.
04. Lawn Tic Tac Toe
Who doesn’t love a game of Tic Tac Toe? This is simple to assemble and transport, and it’s great for all ages. Add a little difficulty to an otherwise simple game by standing some distance away from the board and tossing your pieces into the places you want. If you miss the board or land on a space already occupied your turn is forfeited!
05. Ring Toss Game
Ah, the ring toss! A classic carnival game that translates well to more casual get-togethers. Plus this is another one that’s easy to construct and small enough to transport/store without trouble. You can use knotted rings like in the tutorial, or you can pick up some wooden rings at any craft store. Paint them, seal them, and you have a cute ring toss game that’s sure to delight.
06. Mini Golf Putting Course
Love mini golf? Make your own putting course! This tutorial guides you through making a pretty straightforward little putting course, but if master the skills and make as complicated of a course as you want! Add all sorts of obstacles. This could also be a great fundraiser—create a large course and host a “golf tournament” to fundraise for a local charity!
07. Bean Bag Toss
Another classic game that needs no real introduction. This tutorial guides you through a straight-forward bean bag toss board, but once you have the logistics down why not try making one with more holes? Paint some point values, make some holes bigger or smaller than the rest, and get creative with it!
08. Plinko Gameboard
This Plinko Game is adorable and would be so much fun for a family picnic or BBQ. You can get creative with how you want to set up the game—in the bottom slots, you can write point values, prizes, challenges, and more! The randomness of it makes it tons of fun, and it’s so adaptable!
09. Lawn Scrabble
I think playing Scrabble with giant tiles would be a lot of fun, and add to the difficulty significantly because depending on the size of the tiles, you might not be able to easily survey the whole “board” or playing space. You can play a regular game of Scrabble, or adapt the rules to make it a bit easier for a larger playthrough.
10. Repurposed Can Ball Toss
Simple but so much fun, this is a great way to utilize old cans. Decorate them, stack them, and try different projectiles to knock them over. You can use bean bags, baseballs, waffle balls, or whatever else you have sitting around. You can put prizes under or inside the cans, or assign different cans different point values.
Honorable Mention – Scoreboard DIY
This is an honorable mention because it isn’t a game, but it’s a must-have for those competitive groups! A custom scoreboard is exactly what you need to make sure that everyone knows that you are the winner of the party. I can’t get over how cute this is, and I definitely want to make one!
Will you DIY any of these outdoor games for your summer get-togethers?
These games will encourage everyone to spend more time outside in the sun. Whether you’re playing mini golf in your backyard, or hosting a community carnival, you don’t have to buy or rent these outdoor games when you can make them yourself! And if you make them but have no idea what to do with them afterward, consider renting them out to locals who don’t have your DIY skills!
As always, I want to see what you create! Post your pictures on Instagram and use hashtags #theserialcreative and #outdoorgamesDIY so I can admire your creativity!
Looking for more projects? Check out my Crafts and Hobbies archive and my Gift Ideas archive!
Happy crafting!
[…] more awesome DIYs, check out these 10 Outdoor Games You Can Make This Summer and these 10 Simple DIYs for the […]