Lawn Games

Lawn Games for Kids

Lawn games earn their place at a barbecue when the conversation slows down and someone wants to start playing. This guide covers familiar backyard favourites such as cornhole, finska, bocce, croquet, giant Jenga, quoits and kubb, along with portable games suited to the beach or park. Product availability can change, so check the current range below before choosing a set. 

Backyard games by name

The names can be confusing if you have never played them. Some involve throwing at a target, others need a proper stretch of lawn, and a few can be squeezed into a courtyard. The guide below gives you a practical idea of how each game works. Ages and measurements are general estimates, so check the individual product instructions before setting up. 

These overlap with the wider garden games range if you want to keep browsing.

Cornhole

Cornhole, sometimes called cornhole baggo, is a bean bag toss where you aim for a hole in a raised timber board. Suits 2 or 4 players, ages 6 and up, and younger kids can throw from closer in. You'll want about 8 metres of clearance end to end.

Finska

A Finnish throwing game where you lob a wooden pin at numbered blocks to score exactly 50. Works for 2 to 8 players, ages 6 and up. Needs a lane about 4 to 5 metres long. Grass or dirt is fine.

Croquet

Hit a wooden ball through a course of metal hoops using a mallet. A full croquet set suits 2 to 6 players, and kids from about 5 can handle the basic version. Best on flat grass, ideally a lawn 10 metres or longer.

Bocce

Roll heavy bocce balls to land closest to a small target ball called the jack. A bocce set works for 2 to 8 players, ages 6 and up. Grass, sand or hard dirt all work, and you'll want roughly 8 to 10 metres of length.

Giant Jenga

A stack of oversized timber blocks. Take one out at a time without toppling the tower. 2 or more players, ages 4 and up with a bit of help. Needs a flat, hard surface and about 2 square metres.

Quoits

Throw rope or timber rings onto a peg. 2 to 4 players, ages 4 and up. Compact enough to work in 3 to 4 metres of space, indoors or out.

Kubb

A Swedish throwing game where you knock over wooden blocks with batons, then take out the king in the middle. 2 to 12 players, ages 8 and up. Needs a pitch around 5 by 8 metres.

Totem tennis and ladder toss

Totem tennis (also called swingball) is a tethered ball on a pole. One on one, ages 5 and up, small footprint. Ladder toss involves throwing bolas at a three-rung ladder. 2 or more players, ages 6 and up, packs down small.

Games for small backyards

A courtyard or short strip of lawn rules out a proper croquet course, but it does not rule out lawn games altogether. Quoits is the easiest fit because you can adjust the throwing line. Totem tennis stays within a small footprint, while giant Jenga only needs a stable, level surface. Bocce can also be shortened for casual play if you have grass, sand or soft dirt. 

Keep bocce away from hard paving where possible. The balls can bounce, mark the surface or travel farther than expected. 

Games for mixed ages and adults

For a group ranging from school-age children to grandparents, choose something people can understand after watching one turn. Cornhole, finska and bocce work well because the throwing distance can be changed without rewriting the rules. Let younger children stand closer while the adults use the usual line. That small adjustment tends to work better than asking experienced players to deliberately miss. 

For families building out a whole backyard setup, the wider outdoor play equipment range covers swings, climbing frames and cubby houses alongside these games.

Games that pack away or travel

Heading to the beach, a park or a holiday house? These travel well:

• Finska, a canvas bag of timber pins
• Kubb, wooden blocks in a carry bag
• Quoits, rings and a peg
• Ladder toss, folds flat
• Kan Jam Travel, a lightweight throwing set built for holidays

Wooden sets are heavier than plastic but hold up better on grass and sand. For gear that travels beyond the backyard, the sporting equipment collection has more portable options.

How to pick the right lawn game

Match the game to your space first, then the age of your youngest player, then group size.

Use the Shop by Age filters (0 to 3, 3 to 5, 6 to 8, 9 to 11, 12 to 15, 16+) to narrow the grid to your kids' age bracket. Still stuck? Expert help is available 5 days a week.

Lawn games FAQs

What is finska?

Finska is a Finnish outdoor throwing game. You take turns lobbing a wooden pin at numbered blocks arranged in a group. Knock over one block and score its number. Knock over more than one and score the count instead. First to exactly 50 wins.

How do you play cornhole?

Cornhole is played with two raised boards facing each other and four bean bags per team. You take turns tossing bags at the opposite board. A bag through the hole scores 3 points, a bag that lands and stays on the board scores 1. First to 21 wins.

What is kubb?

Kubb is a Swedish lawn game where two teams throw wooden batons to knock over their opponent's rectangular blocks, called kubbs. Once all the opposing kubbs are down, you aim for the king in the middle. Knock the king first and you lose, so accuracy matters.

What is the difference between bocce and pétanque?

Bocce uses larger balls that you roll along the ground, usually on a longer flat pitch. Pétanque uses smaller metal balls that you throw with a slight arc from a fixed circle. Some sets, like a bocce pétanque set, work for both styles.

What age is croquet suitable for?

Croquet suits kids from about 5 with adult help, and from 7 or 8 on their own. The mallets are heavy for very young children. A simplified backyard version with fewer hoops and shorter distances works well for family games with mixed ages.

What is the best lawn game for a small backyard?

Quoits is usually the simplest choice because you can shorten the throwing distance without changing the game. Giant Jenga works on a level patio, while totem tennis keeps play centred around one pole. If you have a narrow piece of grass, casual bocce can work too, although it will not play like a full-length pitch. 

What is a good lawn game for a barbecue?

Pick a game that can pause whenever food is ready and does not need everyone’s attention at once. Cornhole and bocce are good social options because people can talk between turns. Finska works well for groups that enjoy keeping score, although reaching exactly 50 introduces more strategy than the setup suggests.

Are lawn games good for adults?

Yes. Many lawn games are easy to learn without becoming dull after the first round. Kubb rewards accurate throwing and team tactics, while cornhole, finska and bocce become noticeably more competitive once players settle into them. They also work well at gatherings because nobody has to commit to a long match.