What’s better than playing backyard games on a hot summer day with your friends and family? Playing GIANT backyard games, that’s what. Quadruple the size, quadruple the fun.
Do you remember life-size lawn chess in “History of The World, Part 1” (a Mel Brooks classic)? How much fun did that look like? “It’s good to be the King.” What about the hedge maze in “The Shining”? Very cool. (See what I did there? Very cool, I hope I’m not the only one that gets it) These are just two examples of giant lawn fun had in the movies. Well, giant lawn games are not just movie magic. Today it’s relatively common to have larger versions to life-size versions of games for the yard, and you don’t even have to be rich to afford them. From DIY to Amazon, there’s an option for everyone.
Here is a look at some of my favorite toys and games that are “relatively” easy to make yourself or readily available to buy. I’ve included DIY instructions or Amazon links for them. Here’s to having Giant backyard fun.
- Scrabble
- Four in a Row
- Beer Pong
- Giant Jenga
- Lawn Bowling
- Chess or Checkers
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Lawn Scrabble
Who knew? It’s a thing. And why not, according to Wikipedia, The game is sold in 121 countries and is available in more than 30 languages; approximately 150 million sets have been sold worldwide, and roughly one-third of American and half of British homes have a Scrabble set. There are approximately 4,000 Scrabble clubs around the world.
With all that Scrabble love out there, it’s not surprising that giant backyard Scrabble is actually quite popular.
The creator of this patio scrabble board made a wood frame, then poured concrete and scored it into 3¾-inch squares separated by ¼-inch joints. Once the concrete had cured for one month, she colored the squares using water-base concrete stains. This same look can be achieved by laying 4×4 tile inside the frame. The Scrabble tiles can be made of tile or wood.
If making the Scrabble board is too much work, just get the tiles and make anagrams. Who doesn’t love anagrams?
Four In A Row
The classic four in a row game made famous by Milton Bradly’s Connect Four is now a hugely popular backyard game.
AGIRLANDAGLUEGUN.COM BUILD-BASICS.COM
There are many different DIY designs to choose from when deciding to build a giant four in a row game for the backyard. There’s the super simple A Girl And A Glue Gun paper dish version on the easy side, and the complex, break out your woodworking tools Build-Basics.com version on the lots of work side.
Personally, my choice, in this case, would be to buy one already made. Amazon has some great choices, my favorite is made by PLAYVIBE. I like this one because of both the carry/storage bag and the pegs that hold the discs. If you love Connect 4 enough to have a giant backyard board, then this is a great one to get.
Beer Pong
I have to admit, my generation played quarters. Beer Pong came a long way after my partying days passed me by. Needles to say, the few times I did play, I lost badly. Beer Pong is a young man’s game. Now, the younger generation now has several different ways to play their favorite drinking game. From super-sized cups to giant red buckets, Beer Pong is not just a tabletop game anymore.
Take Your Best Shot by BIGTREE can be played anywhere, from the backyard to the beach. And it’s not just for Beer Pong fans, you can also play a family-friendly version. Large red buckets, two types of balls, and a carry bag make this a great game to have on hand.
Wicked Big Sports takes the concept up a notch with their Supersized Pong. It comes with 6 collapsible “cups” for 3 on 3 play. If you prefer the traditional 6 on 6 you will need to get two sets. This set combines the fun of Beer Pong with KanJam for some great backyard parties.
Don’t know what KanJam is, click here to check it out.
Giant Jenga
Jenga is another one of those beloved indoor games that transfer well to giant backyard fun. With a small number of woodworking skills and the right equipment, you can build your own set in an hour or so. I personally would purchase a set because of the easy carry bag, but if you don’t plan on transporting your giant Jenga, why not give it a shot and build your own.
DIY Instructions:
I found the easiest to follow instructions on The Family Handyman website. I love instructions with pictures and a thorough material list (this list is very short). I also like this one by GirlJust DIY.
FYI: Most home centers will cut the wood for you.
Online purchase Info
With so many versions of Giant Jenga out there, it’s really just personal preference and budget to take into account when buying the game. Click the above link to see what Amazon has to offer. Or click below for the original giant Authentic Jenga Brand Game.
Lawn Bowling
You would have to be really adventurous to build your own lawn bowling set and apparently the people over at Homemaking.com are. These crazy kids have plans for a DIY bowling lane in the backyard.
For me it’s Amazon all the way. I could handle Giant Jenga, not a bowling lane.
This Giggle N Go Kids Bowling Set is more my speed, or should I say up my alley.
Chess or Checkers
Chess, The Game of Kings. How cool would it be to have a giant chess board in your backyard? Believe it or not, this is a super easy DIY project. I’m sure it can be complicated easily by my family, but here is the simple way to have a creative built-in backyard chess (or checkers) board of your very own.
Build the board using red and black, or white and black pre-cast 12″ concrete squares. You’ll need 32 of each color. You can go to the trouble of leveling the ground and laying the squares out perfectly, or if you’re not a perfectionist, you can pick a reasonably level area of the yard and just lay the concrete out in a chessboard pattern.
As for the pieces, there are again many, many options. You can buy them, click here to see some on Amazon, or you can DIY them. I saw a set made from the finials of fence posts. Screw them into some cut-up chunks of 4×4’s, paint them black and white and you’re all set. Dunn Lumber has a nice tutorial you can see if you click here. They do complicate it, but you’ll get the idea.
You could also choose a variety of lawn Gnomes to be the pieces. However that could get pretty costly. But super cute.
So thta’s it. My favorite giant yard games. I hope you pick your favorite and have giant backyard fun with your family and friends.