Our picks at a glance
- #1
GoSports 4 ft x 2 ft Regulation Size Wood Design Cornhole Game Set (details below)
- #2
- #3
Megwoz Giant Tumble Tower Games for Kids and Adults 57 Blocks New Zealand Pine… (details below)
- #4
- #5
- #6
Juegoal Kubb Game Set Backyard Game Set Outdoor Tossing Game Set (details below)
- #7
- #8
For most family gatherings I’d start with the GoSports regulation cornhole set: nearly everyone knows the game, the boards are the official 4 by 2 feet, and the bags weigh a pound each. Add the Megwoz giant tumble tower for relatives who’d rather stand and talk than throw, and the GoSports ladder toss if you want a game that goes up in two minutes with soft rubber bolos.
It’s one pick per game, so you can set up two or three stations for a Thanksgiving or Christmas crowd. Ages, sizes and weights come from each maker’s listing, and court sizes from each game’s rules body.
My dad built me a backyard basketball court when I was a kid. A yard game is a lot less work, but it does the same job: it gets everyone outside together.
In a hurry?
Here’s how the eight picks compare. The details for each are below.
| Game | Set | Best for | Ages (listing) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cornhole | GoSports Regulation Cornhole SetCheck at Amazon: GoSports Regulation Cornhole Set | Our pick for mixed ages | Not listed |
| Ladder toss | GoSports Ladder TossCheck at Amazon: GoSports Ladder Toss | Fast setup, young kids | Not listed (not under 3) |
| Tumble tower | Megwoz Giant Tumble TowerCheck at Amazon: Megwoz Giant Tumble Tower | Guests who’d rather not throw | 6 and up |
| 4 in a row | GADFISH Giant 4 in a RowCheck at Amazon: GADFISH Giant 4 in a Row | The kids’ station | 6 and up |
| Ring toss | Swooc Rustic Ring TossCheck at Amazon: Swooc Rustic Ring Toss | Small yards and patios | 6 and up |
| Kubb | Juegoal Kubb SetCheck at Amazon: Juegoal Kubb Set | Big families in teams | 6 and up |
| Bocce | Amazon Basics 100mm Bocce SetCheck at Amazon: Amazon Basics 100mm Bocce Set | Teens and adults | 14 and up |
| Croquet | ApudArmis Six Player Croquet SetCheck at Amazon: ApudArmis Six Player Croquet Set | A big lawn and six players | 16 and up |
On this page
How to Choose Yard Games for a Family Gathering
Match the game to who’s coming
Little kids do best with short, forgiving games: 4 in a row, ring toss and ladder toss. Cornhole, the tumble tower and kubb work across ages, since a 7-year-old and a grandparent can share a team. Bocce (listed for 14 and up) and croquet (16 and up) are the grown-up games.
With kids of different ages, I’d include at least one game a younger kid can actually win, like ring toss.
How much yard each game needs
Throwing games need a long, clear lane more than a big yard. Here’s what the rules call for. At home you can shrink any of them.
| Game | Room to play | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Cornhole | 27 ft between the front edges of the boards | American Cornhole League |
| Ladder toss | 15 ft between ladders is the usual setup | House rules (no governing body) |
| Kubb | 26.2 x 16.4 ft pitch (8 x 5 m) | USA Kubb |
| Bocce | 86.92 x 13.12 ft official court; smaller is fine | US Bocce Federation |
| Croquet (9 wicket) | 100 x 50 ft full court, scaled down to fit | US Croquet Association |
Weather, storage and setup
All eight come with a bag or case. The plastic 4 in a row and the sealed ring toss handle a damp lawn. Megwoz says to keep its blocks out of the rain, and GoSports makes no weather claim for its MDF cornhole boards, so I’d bring both inside between games.
For a gift, note the weights: 41.3 pounds for the cornhole set, 19.4 for bocce and 2.5 for the ring toss. Order early and check the delivery date on Amazon before you count on it for Christmas.
The 8 Best Yard Games for Family Gatherings
1. GoSports Regulation Cornhole Set
Cornhole is the one game nobody needs explained, and this set is full size: two 4-by-2-foot boards, the American Cornhole League’s size. The eight all-weather bags are 6 by 6 inches and 1 pound each, inside the League’s 15.5 to 16.5 ounce range.
The boards are MDF composite with a printed design. The League’s rules put the front edges 27 feet apart.
For young kids, move them closer. My cornhole rules guide covers scoring.
| Spec | From the listing |
|---|---|
| Boards | Two, 4 x 2 ft, MDF composite, 16 lb each |
| Bags | 8 all-weather, 6 x 6 in, 1 lb each (4 red, 4 blue) |
| Also included | Carry case, rules; set weighs 41.3 lb |
| Ages | Not listed |
Best for a mixed-age crowd that wants one game everybody already knows.
Pros
- Regulation 4 x 2 ft boards
- 1 lb bags, inside the ACL weight range
- Carry case for both boards
Cons
- MDF, not solid wood
- No weather claim for the boards
- 41.3 lb for the whole set
Verdict The first game I’d set up at any family gathering.
2. GoSports Ladder Toss
Ladder toss (or ladder ball) is the fastest game here to set up. GoSports glues the PVC connectors at the factory, so the ladders go together in under 2 minutes by its count. You throw bolos at the other ladder’s three rungs, worth 1 to 3 points.
The bolos use soft rubber balls instead of golf balls, which GoSports says is safer for kids and good indoors on a rainy day. It still carries a choking warning for kids under 3.
Set the ladders about 15 feet apart. For a spare set, here’s how to make ladder ball bolas.
| Spec | From the listing |
|---|---|
| In the box | 2 ladders with score trackers, 6 rubber bolos, carry case, rules |
| Frame and assembly | PVC; under 2 minutes (brand’s figure) |
| Players | One on one, or teams of two |
| Ages | Not listed; small parts, not for under 3 |
Best for young kids, and hosts who want a game up before the food is out.
Pros
- Up in under 2 minutes
- Soft rubber bolos instead of golf balls
- Score trackers on the ladders
Cons
- PVC, not wood
- Choking warning for kids under 3
- Six bolos, so two sides at a time
Verdict The easiest game on this list to get going with a crowd of kids.
3. Megwoz Giant Tumble Tower
A giant tumbling tower suits relatives who’d rather stand and talk than throw. Megwoz’s version has 57 New Zealand pine blocks, each 6 by 2 by 1.3 inches, that start as a 2-foot tower and can grow past 4.2 feet in play.
It’s listed for ages 6 and up, with younger kids playing alongside an adult. Megwoz says to bag the blocks after play and keep them out of the rain. When the tower falls, 57 blocks land at once, so I’d play on grass and keep toddlers and bare feet back.
| Spec | From the listing |
|---|---|
| Blocks | 57 New Zealand pine, 6 x 2 x 1.3 in each |
| Height | 2 ft to start (19 rows), over 4.2 ft in play |
| Also included | 2 dice, scoreboard, carry bag |
| Players and ages | 2 to 12 players, 6 and up |
Best for mixed ages who’d rather gather around one spot than throw.
Pros
- Starts low enough for kids to reach
- Dice and scoreboard for more games
- Heavy-duty carry bag
Cons
- Blocks shouldn’t be left in the rain
- A falling tower is a lot of wood
- Needs a flat, level spot
Verdict The best pick here for guests who don’t want to throw anything.
4. GADFISH Giant 4 in a Row
For the youngest guests, giant 4 in a row is the easiest game to join: drop a ring in, line up four. GADFISH’s plastic frame stands 2.6 feet tall and adjusts to 26, 29 or 32 inches, so you can lower it for small kids. A quick-release slider drops all 42 rings at once.
GADFISH says it goes together in about 2 minutes with no tools, and calls the plastic UV-resistant and water-repellent. It’s a two-player game, so I’d make it a station kids rotate through while the adults play cornhole.
| Spec | From the listing |
|---|---|
| Height | 2.6 ft; adjusts to 26, 29 or 32 in |
| Pieces | 42 rings, quick-release slider, storage rods and bag |
| Material | PE and PP plastic; no tools to assemble |
| Players and ages | 2 players, 6 and up |
Best for kids 6 and up, as a station they can run without an adult keeping score.
Pros
- Plastic handles damp grass
- Height adjusts for small kids
- Slider empties it in one pull
Cons
- Two players at a time
- Frame width not listed
- 42 loose rings to keep track of
Verdict The easiest game here for young kids to play on their own.
5. Swooc Rustic Ring Toss
Ring toss is quick to learn and small enough for a patio. Swooc’s target is a 16-by-16-inch cross of New Zealand pine with five pegs, worth 5 to 20 on the arms and 25 in the middle. The six rope rings have wide wooden grips, and the wood is sealed against spills and splashes.
Swooc lists 15 or more games for it, including a H-O-R-S-E style game called T-O-S-S, which helps once kids tire of the classic rules. These are rope rings, not the steel quoits some grandparents grew up with.
| Spec | From the listing |
|---|---|
| Target | Cross base, 16 x 16 in, 5 pegs (5 to 25 points) |
| Rings | 6 rope rings with wooden grips (3 white, 3 brown) |
| Material | New Zealand pine, polished and sealed |
| Weight | 2.5 lb, with carry bag |
| Players and ages | 2 to 8 players, 6 and up |
Best for small yards and patios, and kids who like keeping score.
Pros
- 2.5 lb and packs small
- 15+ games on one target
- Sealed wood
Cons
- Only 6 rings
- No throwing distance given
- A small target for adults
Verdict The best small-space pick, and the easiest one to bring to someone else’s house.
6. Juegoal Kubb Set
Kubb (sometimes called Viking chess) is a team game: you throw wooden batons underhand to knock over the other side’s kubbs, then the king. Juegoal’s set plays 2 to 12 people, so it suits a big family split into teams.
These are backyard-size pieces: the kubbs are 1.97 inches square and 5.7 inches tall, a bit smaller than the 7 by 7 by 15 centimeter kubbs in the USA Kubb rules, which use an 8 by 5 meter pitch. It’s listed for ages 6 and up, with a small-parts warning for kids under 3.
| Spec | From the listing |
|---|---|
| Pieces | King 2.76 x 2.76 x 11.6 in; 10 kubbs 1.97 x 1.97 x 5.7 in; 6 batons 11.6 in long; 4 corner pegs |
| Material | Rubberwood |
| Weight | 12.5 lb, with carry bag |
| Players and ages | 2 to 12 players, 6 and up |
Best for big families that want to split into teams.
Pros
- Up to 12 players
- Team play mixes ages well
- Corner pegs to mark the pitch
Cons
- Smaller than tournament pieces
- The full pitch is 26.2 x 16.4 ft
- No weather claim for the wood
Verdict The best team game here for a large gathering.
7. Amazon Basics 100mm Bocce Set
Bocce is the slow, easygoing game here, which is why it suits the adults. Its eight poly-resin balls are 100 mm. The US Bocce Federation recommends 107 mm for tournaments, so these run a little small, which is fine at home.
The listing says ages 14 and up and asks players to stay at least 10 feet from the balls when someone throws. An official court is 86.92 by 13.12 feet, but the federation says unofficial courts can be smaller. Games usually go to 12 points.
| Spec | From the listing |
|---|---|
| Balls | 8 x 100 mm poly-resin (4 green, 4 red), white pallino |
| Also included | Measuring device, carry case; 19.4 lb |
| Players | Two teams of 1 to 4 |
| Ages | 14 and up |
Best for teens and adults who want a slower game they can talk through.
Pros
- Measuring device included
- Full 8-ball set for up to 8 players
- Carry case
Cons
- Listed for ages 14 and up
- 19.4 lb to carry
- Under tournament ball size
Verdict The grown-ups’ game, with everything you need in one case.
8. ApudArmis Six Player Croquet Set
Croquet takes the most lawn, but it’s the only game here where six people each play their own ball. ApudArmis’s set has six 28-inch mallets, six balls, nine steel wickets and a nylon carry bag, and the handles screw in by hand.
The US Croquet Association gives 100 by 50 feet for a full nine-wicket court and says to scale it down for a smaller yard. The listing says ages 16 and up, and 28-inch mallets are short for a tall adult (ApudArmis also sells 32- and 35-inch versions). Keep little kids clear of a swinging mallet.
| Spec | From the listing |
|---|---|
| Mallets | 6 x 28 in, rubberwood heads, poplar handles |
| Balls and wickets | 6 polymer balls, 9 steel wickets, 2 x 18 in stakes |
| Players and ages | 2 to 6 players, 16 and up |
Best for a big lawn and six players who each want their own ball.
Pros
- Six players at once
- Handles screw on without tools
- Steel wickets
Cons
- Needs the most lawn
- 28 in mallets are short for tall adults
- Listed for ages 16 and up
Verdict The classic for an older crowd, if you have the lawn for it.
Safety Tips for Yard Games
The pieces are hard and they fly. These tips come from the makers and the rules bodies.
- Stand behind the thrower. The US Bocce Federation says opposing players should be off the court or far behind the player in action.
- Watch small parts. The ladder toss and kubb sets carry choking warnings for kids under 3, and GoSports asks for direct adult supervision.
- Throw kubb batons underhand. Kubb rules don’t allow overhand, sideways or “helicopter” throws.
- Give the tower room to fall, and keep toddlers back from it.
- Clear the swing path around croquet mallets.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best yard games for a family reunion?
Pick one game per crowd: cornhole for mixed ages, 4 in a row or ring toss for young kids, and bocce or croquet for the adults. Set them up as stations people can drift between.
How far apart should cornhole boards be?
The American Cornhole League puts the front edges of the boards 27 feet apart. For young kids at home, move them closer so the bags can reach.
Which yard games work for little kids?
The 4 in a row, ring toss and tumble tower are listed for ages 6 and up, and the ladder toss uses soft rubber bolos. Keep an adult nearby when toddlers are around.
My Pick
If I could only buy one, it would be the GoSports cornhole set, because every age at a gathering can play it. For a bigger spread, add the tumble tower for the talkers, the 4 in a row for the little kids and bocce for the grown-ups.
Next, read my outdoor shuffleboard rules, another game the whole family can play.
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