12 Unconventional Lawn Games to Enjoy This Summer

Classic lawn games like cornhole and Frisbee never lose their charm, and even timeless games like tag, which need no special equipment, can make for an amazing afternoon. But if you're looking to spice things up at your next barbecue, we’ve got some fresh ideas. From the Swedish game Kubb to the playful Pindaloo, check out 12 unique lawn games to try this season.

1. Kubb; $48

In the Swedish game Kubb (pronounced like tube), the main objective is to knock over the king—the red-topped block at the center of the field. However, if you manage to topple the king before taking down all your opponent's kubbs, you lose automatically. The game has strict rules on baton throwing, setting up the kubbs, and the order of actions, making it ideal for those who enjoy structured gameplay.

2. Rollors; $50

Not a fan of tossing batons? Try Rollors, where you roll chunky wooden discs toward a pyramidal goal. Points are earned each round by the team whose disc is closest to the goal. But luck plays a part, too: Each disc has a different number on each side, and your score depends on the number that lands face-up.

3. Flickin’ Chicken; $20

Flickin’ Chicken is like golf, but with rubber chickens. One player tosses the target disc as far as possible, and then everyone tries to land their rubber chicken on it. Your score is the number of attempts it takes to land on the disc, and the player with the lowest score after nine rounds wins.

4. Tipsy Toss; $43

In Tipsy Toss, each team has a bottle balanced on top of a post, and the opposing team throws a disc to knock it off. You can prevent the other team from scoring by catching both the disc and the bottle before they hit the ground.

5. Kickit; $18

Kickit is essentially a mix between badminton and hacky sack: A shuttlecock designed to be kicked. Perfect your tricks solo so you can impress everyone during your next game of no-hands badminton.

6. Rotating Target Shooting Set; $50

This set includes two air-powered blasters, two dozen soft foam balls, and an electric windmill to keep kids (and adults) entertained for hours. You can also use your own Nerf guns or skip the weapons altogether—your hands work just as well for launching balls into the nets.

7. The Floor is Lava; $17

The slip-resistant foam “stepping stones” in this game are durable enough for outdoor use, which essentially turns it into “The Ground is Lava.” A spinner selects the color you’re allowed to step on each round, and cards with challenges like “Stand on one leg” or “Do a squat” will put your coordination to the test.

8. Inflatable Kick Darts; $145

This Velcro-like inflatable dartboard comes with four special kickballs that stick to it, along with an air pump. You fill the base of the board with water, ensuring it stays anchored even when the strongest kicker in your neighborhood takes a shot.

9. Jumbo ‘4 in a Row’ Game; $230

These days, you can find jumbo versions of many favorite tabletop games, from Jenga to checkers. Giantville’s -foot-tall version of Hasbro’s classic Connect 4 is perfect for those who enjoy counting and strategy over kicking and tossing.

10. Popdarts Board Edition; $150

Bridge the gap between cornhole fans and darts enthusiasts by introducing Popdarts at your next gathering. The official rules use cancellation scoring, meaning one team's points negate the other’s after each round. For example, if your team scores four points and the other scores six, your four points cancel out four of theirs, leaving their score for the round at two.

11. Holes in Tarp Game; $26

This hole-filled tarp offers endless possibilities. Your team can try to move all eight balls (or a smaller set) from one side of the tarp to the other without letting any fall through a hole or off the edges. Or, split into teams and sabotage each other’s balls while protecting your own. You could also aim to get specific colored balls into specific holes, or create your own custom game rules.

12. Pindaloo; $30

Pindaloo shares a similar charm with yo-yos and other simple solo games: The ball is sent through one end of the curved tube, and you attempt to catch it on the other side. If you think the solo nature might get boring, we suggest grabbing two Pindaloo sets and challenging a friend to see who can keep theirs in motion the longest. For an extra challenge, you can even set up a relay race where participants must keep their ball spinning as they reach each hand-off point.