Welcome to the ultimate guide to backyard BBQ games! Whether you’re planning a small gathering of friends and family or a larger party, having some fun games at your next BBQ will make it a memorable event!
BBQs are a great time to get together and enjoy some delicious food and drinks. With the right games, your gathering can be that much more enjoyable.
Not only will these games provide entertainment for your guests, but they can also help break the ice if you have friends and family over who don’t know each other well.
In this blog post, we’ll be covering a wide range of backyard games, from classic favorites like cornhole and horseshoes to more modern takes on traditional games like giant Jenga and giant Connect Four.
So, whether you’re hosting a birthday party, a holiday cookout, or just a casual get-together, these backyard BBQ games will make your event a hit. Let’s get started!
Backyard BBQ Games
1. Cornhole
Cornhole is a classic game where players take turns throwing a bag filled with dried corn or bean bags at a sloped platform with a hole in the center.
This is a great game to have at your BBQ because most people are familiar with it!
The object of the game is to be the first team to reach a score of 21 points. Points are earned when a bag is thrown and successfully lands in the hole.
Cornhole is a great game for all ages, which makes it great for family gatherings. It’s simple enough for kids to learn and play, but it’s also challenging enough for adults to enjoy.
2. Spikeball
Spikeball is a fun and fast-paced game that can be played by two teams of two players. It’s a combination of volleyball and four square, and is played on a circular net that is placed on the ground and works on any surface.
The object of the game is to hit the ball onto the net in a way that the other team can’t return the ball.
Points are scored when the other team is unable to return the ball or if the ball goes out of bounds. This game is good for all ages!
3. Water Balloon Toss
Water balloon toss is an outdoor game that’s fun for all ages and a great way to cool off on hot days! Kids love a water balloon game!
You need at least two or more players. Each player is given a filled water balloon and stands an equal distance away from their opponent.
On the count of three, the players throw their water balloons at the other person. The first person to break their balloon loses the game. You can also play water balloon tag if this game isn’t challenging enough.
4. Badminton
Badminton is a backyard game that can be played by two or more players. The basic objective of the game is to hit a birdie back and forth over a net using rackets.
It’s an excellent way to get active and enjoy quality time with friends or family and another game for any age!
5. Bocce Ball
Bocce Ball is a traditional Italian game, also known as bocci, that has been played since the Roman Empire.
Players take turns throwing a set of large balls, called bocce, towards a smaller ball, called the pallino, to score points. The aim of the game is to get as many of your bocce balls closest to the pallino as possible.
Bocce Ball is a great game to play in the backyard with family and friends. It can be played in a variety of ways and is simple to learn, making it a great game for both children and adults.
6. Croquet
Croquet is a fun backyard game that is played by two or more teams of players. The game is played on a large grassy area with two goalposts at each end. Each team has six colored balls used to hit the goalposts in order to win the game.
The objective of the game is to hit all of the goalposts with your colored balls before the other team does.
Croquet is a fun game for BBQ’s because it can be played by people of all ages.
7. Kan Jam
Kan Jam is a fast-paced, two-on-two disc-throwing game that is fun to play in the backyard.
The object of the game is to throw a disc into the Kan Jam goal (a plastic container with a slot cut in it).
Teams score points by throwing the disc into the goal or by having their partner deflect the disc into the goal. The first team to reach 21 points wins the game.
8. Ladder Ball
Ladder toss is a fun backyard game that can be played by two to four people.
The goal of the game is to throw bolas (two balls attached by a string) onto a ladder that has three rungs.
The ladder is usually mounted on a stand or hung from a tree. Points are awarded for bolas that land on each of the rungs, with the highest points awarded for bolas that land on the top rung.
The player or team with the highest points at the end of the game wins.
9. Horseshoes
Horseshoes is a classic popular game that consists of throwing metal horseshoes at a target stake.
The objective is to land the horseshoe as close as possible to the stake. The game can be played by two players or teams. The winner is the one who gets their horseshoe closest to the stake.
10. Toss and Catch
Toss and catch is the perfect game for kids and adults to play together! It’s played with velcro paddles that strap to your hands and balls that stick to the velcro to catch the ball.
It’s easier for kids than playing a regular catch, and even adults can have so much fun playing this game!
11. Flag Football
Flag football is a backyard game similar to football. It can be played in an open yard with fewer players than you need for a regular football game and no contact.
The objective is the same as traditional football: to move the football down the field (or yard) and score points.
The main difference is that instead of tackling players to the ground, defenders have to pull a flag or ribbon off the ball carrier’s belt to end the play.
Flag football makes the game safer and more fun for everyone at a BBQ.
13. Yard Pong
Yard pong is a game of skill and luck played in a backyard or other outdoor setting.
It is a variation of the popular drinking game Beer Pong. Two teams of two players each takes turns throwing balls at the other team’s buckets.
There’s no beer drinking in this game, though, just a points system, and everyone in the family can play.
14. Volleyball
Volleyball is a fun outdoor game of skill and agility that can be played by two or more players. The objective of the game is to hit a volleyball back and forth over the net without the ball touching the ground.
The rules of the game are similar to those of an indoor volleyball game, but with some variations. The court size and net height are usually smaller than in an indoor game, and players can use any part of their body to hit the ball.
The first team to score 21 points wins the volleyball game.
15. Kick the Can
Kick the can is a classic backyard game that is played with 2 or more players.
To play, one player is designated as “It,” and the other players form a circle around a metal can. Of course, these days, we have kick-the-can games you can buy that don’t use an actual can, but you can still definitely do it the old-school way!
The player that is “It” kicks the can, and then the other players have to try and run and kick the can before “It” can get to it. If the can is kicked, the player that kicked it is safe from being tagged and can return to the circle.
If “It” tags a player before they can kick the can, that player is now “It” and must kick the can to start the game again.
The last remaining player that hasn’t been tagged is the winner.
16. Egg Toss
Egg toss is a classic party game that can be played with two or more players.
The goal of the game is to toss an egg back and forth between the players without breaking it. Each team takes turns tossing the egg, and the team that successfully catches the most eggs without breaking them wins the game.
The players should stand a few feet apart from each other and use only one hand to catch and toss the egg. If the egg breaks, the team that threw it loses a point.
The game is over when one team has the most points or when all of the eggs are broken.
17. Sack Race
Sack Races are popular backyard games that can be hilarious and fun for kids and adults!
In this game, participants stand in a line and jump into a sack. The point of the game is to hop to the finish line in the fastest time possible.
The first player to reach the finish line wins the game.
18. Tug of War
Tug of War is a classic backyard game that is played between two teams of equal size.
Each team stands on opposite sides of a rope and then pulls on the rope in an attempt to pull the other team across a line in the middle.
The first team to pull the opposing team across the line is the winner.
The game can be played by children and adults alike and can be played on any type of terrain, including grass, sand, and dirt.
It is a great game to play with family and friends and can be a great way to work up a sweat and have some fun.
19. Relay Races
Relay races are played between two teams and involve running around a course in a relay formation.
To start, each team must line up behind a designated starting line.
When the race begins, the first team member from each team must run to a designated spot and tag the second team member. The second member must then run to a designated spot and tag the third, and so on.
The course can include obstacles like running through tires, hopping over objects, or carrying an object like an egg in a spoon.
The first team to have all of its members complete the course wins the relay race.
20. Three-Legged Race
A three-legged race is a classic backyard game, perfect for a large group of friends or family.
It requires two players, each with one leg tied to the other player’s leg.
The goal is for the two players to work together to race to the finish line. Whoever makes it to the finish line first wins!
You can use anything to tie teammates’ legs together, but you can buy special 3-legged race bands if you want them!
21. Blindfolded Race
Blindfolded Race is a backyard game for at least four players.
The object of the game is to be the first player to complete an obstacle course while blindfolded.
The course could be set up with cones, chairs, or other objects to form a winding path.
Players take turns being blindfolded, and a guide has to lead them through the course using verbal directions.
The first player to complete the course without taking off their blindfold or seriously messing up the course is the winner.
22. Limbo
Limbo is a classic backyard game. It involves players taking turns bending backward and walking under a stick or pole that is held up by two people or on a stand.
The pole is gradually lowered after each round, and the players have to go under the pole without touching it to advance.
The last person to successfully limbo under the pole without touching it is the winner. It’s a must to have fun limbo music on during this game!
23. Flickin Chicken
This is an easy game to learn, so any age can play!
Each player chooses a different colored rubber chicken. One player throws the target disc far from the players.
The disc is now the target, and players then take turns flickin’ their chicken at the target.
If the chicken doesn’t hit the target, each player will throw again from where their chicken landed.
Each throw counts as a point, and the player with the lowest score after nine rounds is the winner.
24. Musical Chairs
Musical Chairs is such a funny game to play. If you like competitive games, this one is a blast!
Set up a circle of chairs, one less than the number of players. Then a song is played, and the players walk around the chairs while the music is playing.
When the music stops, everyone has to find a chair to sit in, sometimes, players really get into it and shove each other out of the chairs.
The player without a chair is eliminated, and one chair is removed. This process is repeated until there is one player left who is the winner.
25. Giant Jenga
Giant Jenga is an outdoor backyard game where players take turns removing wooden blocks from a tower and placing them on top, creating a taller and increasingly unstable structure.
The game is won by the last player to successfully remove and place a block without causing the tower to collapse.
It is a fun way to enjoy time outdoors with friends and family and encourages communication and teamwork.
26. Lawn Darts
Lawn darts is a backyard game that is usually played in a large grassy area.
The game involves throwing a set of four large, weighted darts at a circular target that is placed on the ground.
The goal of the game is to land the darts closest to the center of the target. The player with the highest score at the end of the game is the winner.
The game is typically played by two to four players but can also be played with larger groups of players.
Lawn darts can be an exciting and competitive game for all ages.
27. Ultimate Frisbee
The objective of the game is to throw the Frisbee back and forth between players, with the goal of having the Frisbee land in a designated spot.
The designated spot is usually marked with cones, a rope, or another object.
Players can use any throwing technique they like, such as backhand, sidearm, or overhand.
The game is usually played to a certain number of points, or until all players are exhausted.
Ultimate Frisbee Backyard Game is a great game for backyard barbecues, family gatherings, and other outdoor activities.
28. Giant Tic-Tac-Toe
Giant tic-tac-toe is just like regular tic-tac-toe but super sized!
The objective of the game is to get three in a row, either horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.
This is an easy game to set up and a great way to get some fresh air and have some fun.
29. Giant Connect Four
The object of the game is to be the first to connect four of your own pieces in a row, either horizontal, vertical or diagonal.
The giant, weather proof, game is typically played with two to four players, each taking turns dropping their pieces into the frame.
The pieces themselves are usually made of wood or plastic, and come in different colors to distinguish between players. The game is suitable for ages three and up.
30. Ring Toss
Ring toss is a backyard game that requires two or more players who are given three or more plastic or rubber rings. They attempt to throw them onto a set of pegs or stakes set up in the ground.
The players compete to see who can get the most rings onto the pegs in a set amount of time. Ring toss is a great game for all ages!
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