Raising Kids Gear and Products The 10 Best Outdoor Games of 2021 Increase the fun factor outside By Maya Polton Maya is a mother of three and freelance writer specializing in family, food, and lifestyle content. She reviews products for Verywell Family. Learn about our editorial process Maya Polton Updated on April 17, 2020 Print More in Raising Kids Gear and Products Activities Celebrations Technology Our editors independently research, test, and recommend the best products; you can learn more about our review process here. We may receive commissions on purchases made from our chosen links. Our Top Picks Best Overall: Cornhole Ladderball Combo at Home Depot"The combo comes with everything you need, including eight bean bags, six ball toss sets, two table plugs, and two accessory bags."Best Active: Spikeball at Target"An innovative cross between four-square and volleyball this active game requires four players, but can also be played with six."Best Budget: Crayola Sidewalk Chalk at staples.com"The washable chalk set comes in 48 bright colors, so there is plenty for everyone, and it's perfect for kids ages 4 and up."Best for Young Kids: Camo Bean Bag Toss at melissaanddoug.com"Without knowing it, your kid will be working on hand-eye coordination, counting, and number recognition, all while having fun."Best Portable: Hey! Play! Jumbo Pickup Sticks at Wayfair"Super-size the classic game of pickup sticks with this jumbo set that's lightweight and easy to tote anywhere."Best for Siblings: Buddy Bumper Balls at Target"Kids will bounce, bump, and roll against each other, all while wearing these inflatable, wearable balls."Best for Large Families: Croquet at dickssportinggoods.com"Gather all members of your family and get ready for an afternoon of fun and refinement with a game of croquet."Best for all Ages: Flickin Chicken at barnesandnoble.com"A silly yard game that combines bocce, mini golf, and flying chickens for loads of family fun for all ages."Best for Adults: Bottle Bash at dickssportinggoods.com"The goal of this game is to knock your opponent's bottle off the pole by throwing your disc, and it's perfect for two to four players."Best for Sports: Sportime Ball Pack at schoolspecialty.com"These high-quality assorted balls are literally all kids need for hours of active fun outdoors." Spending quality time outside as a family is always beneficial. The addition of an outdoor game can make that time more engaging for everyone and can help keep your kids entertained for longer. The best outdoor games are easy to play, don’t require much gear, and increase the fun factor for the whole family. Our Top Picks Best Overall: Cornhole Ladderball Combo Courtesy of Amazon Buy on Home Depot This well-made and surprisingly sturdy set garners its status as the best overall outdoor game because it’ll provide both adults and kids endless hours of fun. Not only do you get two games in one, but the tables can set up to be standard tables, perfect for crafts or other activities when the games are done. The combo comes with everything you need, including eight bean bags, six ball toss sets, two table plugs, and two accessory bags to store everything. Best Active: Spikeball Courtesy of Amazon Buy on Target Buy on Dick's Buy on Spikeball.com An innovative cross between four-square and volleyball, this active game requires four players. You’ll play two versus two, so you'll want to make sure you have a crowd that can accommodate that setup, although it is possible to play with six players. Like volleyball, the ball gets served and then returned and must bounce off the net one time. The kit comes with everything you need to play and the easy set up is perfect for grass or a sandy beach. The 11 Best At-Home Craft Kits for Kids Best Budget: Crayola Sidewalk Chalk Courtesy of Amazon Buy on Staples.com Never discount the fun that a giant set of sidewalk chalk will bring to the whole family. From sidewalk or driveway decoration, hopscotch, tic-tac-toe, coloring, and more, sidewalk chalk is an inexpensive and easy way for kids (and adults) to have fun outside. The washable chalk set comes in 48 bright colors, so there is plenty for everyone. The chalk can be safely used by kids ages 4 and up. Best for Young Kids: Camo Chameleon Bean Bag Toss Courtesy of Walmart Buy on Melissaanddoug.com Kids ages 4 to 10 will love this double-sided bean bag game that can be played horizontally or vertically by one or two players. Kids aim the numbered bean bags into the corresponding pouches (or just toss them into any pouch). Without knowing it, they’ll be working on hand-eye coordination, counting, and number recognition, all while having fun. The polyester fabric has a sturdy metal base, so it’s made for indoor or outdoor fun. The 9 Best Outdoor Toys for Toddlers of 2021 Best Portable: Hey! Play! Jumbo Pickup Sticks Courtesy of Houzz Buy on Wayfair Super-size the classic game of pickup sticks with this jumbo set. Lightweight and easy to tote anywhere, this game can be played by people of any age and ability with no limit to the number of players—but it's best for kids ages 5 and up. Kids will enhance their strategy and hand-eye coordination skills, all while having fun. The 25 jumbo sticks are made of solid wood and pack up neatly in their own carrying tote bag. Leave this set in the car trunk and you’ll be ready for fun at any stop. Best for Siblings: Buddy Bumper Balls Hearth Song Buy on Target Buy on Hearthsong.com It’ll be hard to tell who is having the most fun with these ridiculous, inflatable, wearable balls: the kids wearing them or the adults watching. Kids will bounce, bump, and roll against each other, all while wearing the inflatable suits. In the ball, kids will build strength, balance, and have a blast. Each ball is recommended for up to 200 pounds, and adult supervision is suggested. The toy is best suited for kids ages 6 and up. The 8 Best Educational Games For Kids of 2021 Best for Large Families: Croquet Courtesy of Amazon Buy on Dick's Buy on Walmart Gather all members of your family and get ready for an afternoon of fun and refinement with a game of croquet. This intermediate set includes all your group needs to play: six wooden mallets, six matching colored balls, two colorful wooden stages, nine steel wickets, and a carrying bag to pack it all up. Set up your game and get ready for fun! Best for all Ages: Flickin Chicken Courtesy of Amazon Buy on Barnesandnoble.com Buy on Walmart A silly yard game that combines bocce, mini golf, and flying chickens for loads of family fun. Great for families and played with two to four players, start by tossing the target. Then players take turns flickin’ their chicken at the target, aiming to get as close as possible. These chickens bounce and roll, so it’s harder than it sounds. The player with the highest score after nine rounds of throwing chickens wins the game. The 14 Best Toys for Learning Letters and Numbers of 2021 Best for Adults: Bottle Bash Courtesy of Amazon Buy on Dick's Add frisbee golf plus horseshoes, throw in a few twists, and you’ve got Bottle Bash. The goal of this game is to knock your opponent's bottle off the pole by throwing your disc. It’s fun to play in a bigger backyard, the beach, or at the park. The game comes with everything you need—including two aluminum poles, two bottles, two ground stakes, and one disc—and everything fits into the mesh storage bag. Two or four players are needed, and while kids can play, penalties are given for dropping and misthrows, so they may not make the best teammates. Best for Sports: Sportime Ball Pack Sportime Buy on Schoolspecialty.com Arm your crew with everything you need for a day of team sports outdoors. This amazing set includes one intermediate basketball, one size four soccer ball, one size five soccer ball, one volleyball, and one junior football that all pack up into the included mesh storage bag. These high-quality balls are literally all kids need for hours of fun outdoors. How to Choose Age-Appropriate Balls for Children Why Trust VeryWell Family Maya Polton is a former marketing manager and current freelance writer who covers food, home, and parenting. She's also the mom of a 10-year-old son, 6-year-old son, and 2-year old daughter. Her kids love playing outdoors and do the best with few rules and lots of balls and chalk. She prefers a quiet game of bocce ball. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Get expert tips to help your kids stay healthy and happy. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit