Spring fever is crazy common. This year, the spring fever has lasted since 2020, and some of us are still fighting the feeling. But this week is National Backyard Games week, so even if you haven’t felt much like getting outside, this is a perfect time to get together with your family or your pod and get moving. Here are some fun backyard games for all ages.
Bocce Ball
Sometimes called Lawn Bowling, bocce ball is a popular Italian outdoor sport with a history dating as far back as ancient Rome. Traditionally played on courts made of crushed seashells, most people just play with commercial ball sets in their backyard. To play, you need a set of bocce balls that includes a “pallino,” or a small ball tossed out first, which gives the players a target. Next, teams take turns gently tossing their bocce balls to get them as close to the pea as possible. Bocce ball is a great game to play in the backyard, and for those who love it there is even an Asheville Bocce club if you want to play in a recreational league.
Kubb
Also known as Viking Chess, Kubb is a fun lawn-based game that’s great for a group of friends or children of all ages. Even though it’s referred to as chess, it has little in common with the ancient board game. It’s better described as a mix of lawn bowling and horseshoes. You play with three components: ten kubbs, one king, and six batons. The object is for each team to knock down the other team’s kubbs by tossing the wooden batons. The king is placed in the middle of the field, and if it’s knocked down, the team is eliminated from the game.
Ladder Toss
If you’ve grown tired of cornhole, a great alternative is ladder toss. Ladder toss, also known as ladder golf, is played with two upright goals of three rungs – a top, middle, and bottom. The top rung is worth one point, the middle is two, and the bottom rung is three. To play, you toss bolas or two balls connected by a string to land on or wrap around the ladder. The gameplay is very similar to horseshoes or cornhole, and it’s a fun, casual game to play with two people or teams. You can buy commercially made ladder ball sets or create your own out of PVC pipe and golf balls.
Giant Tic Tac Toe
A game of giant tic tac toe is a great game to play with the littles. And while you can buy a nice set to play with, you can also create a grid and pieces using anything you have around the house. The objective is the same as a drawn game of tic tac toe. You simply take turns adding Xs or Os to the game board, and the first person to get three across, diagonal, or down wins. It’s a perfect game for small children because it’s quick and easily repeatable.
Kickball
Do you want to get a little more active with your pod or family? Kickball doesn’t require much other than a ball and designated bases. You may remember the game from elementary school gym class, but the basics are similar to baseball or softball. However, instead of hitting a small ball with a bat, you kick a large ball to run the bases. There are professional kickball leagues in the US, but it’s an easy game to play just for fun in your backyard.
Are you playing backyard games for Memorial Day weekend and throughout the summer? We want to hear from you.
Do you want to know about the process to apply for a mortgage? GoPrime Mortgage in West Asheville is here to help. Call us today at 828-348-1907 –Zachery Adam at GoPrime Mortgage in West Asheville.
