Best garden games the whole family will enjoy
With loosened lockdown rules and warm weather on the horizon, now is the time to stock up on some brand new garden games.
Truth be told, these kind of games are as much for kids as they are for adults, offering families new ways to connect, play and enjoy the sunshine with very little effort.
Like paddling pools, they’re also a brilliant instigator for children who typically find it more appealing to furrow away and play video games indoors than go outside.
What games can you play in the garden?
Realistically, your imagination is your only limit! Classics like football, badminton or even a simple game of tag will always have a place in Britain’s backyards, but if you’re looking for something a bit more special, we have you covered.
Here are the best garden games you can buy now:
1. Early Fun All Surface Swingball
While swingball is fun at any age, it’s not always easy to find kits for younger children, making this toddler-friendly kit a perfect addition to your family’s outdoor games arsenal. With light ‘Little Hands’ bats and a foam ball, it’s great for ages three and up. The base simply needs to be filled with sand or water before you start, yet easily converts to become a carry-case for the full set when you’re done for the day.
2. Traditional Garden Games Sports Day Set
Whether it’s been a year or a decade since their last school sports day, your family will love this all-in-one sports day activity set. It includes four jumping sacks, four plastic spoons and ‘eggs’, four bean bags, four plastic stakes, two ankle straps (for three-legged races), one start line, and one finish line for hours and hours of fun in the sun. One year manufacturer's guarantee included.
3. Giant Pass the Pigs Dice Game
Party animals of all ages will love this super-sized version of Pass the Pigs, whether they’ve played the classic party game before or not. It comes with two giant inflatable pigs, a rulebook (what is the difference between a Leaning Jowler or Piggy Back, anyway?), scorecards, two pencils, a plastic deflation rod, a vinyl plastic repair seal and a string bag to store it all away.
4. Garden Snakes and Ladders
Elsewhere in the classic-games-gone-giant niche, we have this outdoor-friendly game of Snakes and Ladders, suitable for ages three and up. Like the original, players simply have to find the ladders and avoid the snakes to get to the end of the board first. At two-by-two metres the mat is both large and durable, and the giant inflatable dice adds a new sense of fun to the game.
5. Big Game Hunters Tin Can Alley
Though some outdoor games are suited for indoor use as well, Tin Can Alley is most fun when played in wide open spaces. Essentially, you stack the vibrant printed cans on top of each other (in whatever arrangement you like) and you try to knock them down in as few throws as possible. The three fabric-filled and weighted bags are extra safe, so you don’t have to worry about beans popping out, either. The whole set is surprisingly sturdy, considering the price.
6. Chad Valley 5 in 1 Multi Games Tower
Why buy one outdoor game when you can buy five in one, eh? The Chad Valley Multi Games Tower is not only a beacon for outdoor fun but a great space-saving solution for storing them. It functions as a basketball hoop, archery stand, football goal, oversized dartboard and bean bag toss play area. You can switch between activities in seconds, or play multiple games at the same time. One year manufacturer's guarantee included.
7. Traditional Garden Games Tug of War Game
Nothing gets people’s competitive spirit out quite like a game of tug of war, so why not get your summer party moving with this brilliant accessory-packed set? It comes with a 10-metre rope (naturally), a marking line, two plastic pegs and a nylon carry bag to keep things fair and square, wherever you take the competition. Recommended for ages nine and up (though littler children competing against their peers shouldn’t be an issue), with a one year manufacturer's guarantee included.
8. Colour Catch Countdown
If your family is looking for a new and exciting outdoor game to add to the classics, you couldn’t want for much more than a ball which ‘knows your throws’. Like a high-tech game of catch, Colour Catch Countdown has multiple game modes that use RFID (radio-frequency identification) and colour-coded armbands to interact with players and keep score. You can ‘Follow the Commands’, take on a ‘Time Challenge’, play ‘Elimination’ and ‘Follow the leader’. For ages six and up (three AAA batteries essential but not included).
