The sun is shining, the birds are out and singing, and the grass is… well, it’s there. What better way to enjoy this slice of nature than with a board game out in the garden or even making use of your local park. But not with just any board games, we’re talking about the kind of games that won’t have you chasing pieces across the lawn with every gust of wind. So, grab your sunhat, put on the sun cream and let’s dive into the whimsical world of garden-friendly board games and have some outdoor fun!
To kick off the outdoor fun, let’s start with Throw Throw Burrito Extreme Outdoor Edition from those fun game creators at Exploding Kittens (no, they don’t blow up cats, as far as I know anyway). Throw Throw Burrito Extreme Outdoor Edition is an larger outdoor version of the very popular Throw Throw Burrito. What do you mean you haven’t heard of it and don’t like wasting food by throwing it at people? This is a jumbo-sized card game combined with dodgeball and uses 3ft inflatable burritos in burrito wars (no real food involved, except for the snacks you might eat while playing). A fantastically fun game to get everybody outdoors having fun and trying to dodge massive flying burritos! Fresh air, fun game play and exercise outside, all in one great game!
Next has to be Mega Hi-Tower from Big Game Hunters. It’s basically Jenga, but the size of a small child or large adult, depending on how tall you can build your tower! The stakes are high, and so is the tower, with a starting size of 0.9 meters it can reach over 2 meters, if you can reach that high. Let’s just hope there’s no sudden breeze, or children tripping over their own feet, or you’ll be playing a very different game called “Dodge the Flying Wooden Blocks”. With 58 18cm wooden blocks it is a super-sized version of a popular game that just screams to be played with outside.
Do you want something more sedate for the hottest part of the day or the evening family gathering for a barbecue? Well, first PUT ON THAT SUNCREAM!
Now grab a deck of Jumbo Playing Cards. With a deck of cards that have had a growth spurt buried in the drawer over winter, your choices for games are countless. You can play a massive solo game of Solitaire on the grass, a family game of Snap where even granny without her glasses can see what’s going on, or maybe you fancy gin, gin rummy that is, or a fast game of Crazy Eights.
Whatever game you choose you are sure to have plenty of outdoor fun with these over-sized cards, playing on the grass and not taking life too seriously. Oh, and as they are plastic coated, you don’t even have to worry too much about grass strains or spillages as they just wipe clean!
Fancy challenging your family and friends to some wacky challenges in the garden, then look no further. Step Right Up! The perfect blend of physical challenges and hilarious hijinks, guaranteed to turn any garden gathering into a carnival of laughter. With 132 challenges that will suit all ages groups and abilities you are sure to have a great laugh while enjoying the sun (who might lose its hat laughing at the hilarious antics below it). And if you’re lucky, you might even get to see an elderly relative trying to balance a beach ball on their nose – that alone has to be worth playing for! Outdoor fun in a crazy and wacky fun way.
Then you have classic games like Giant Noughts and Crosses or, if you prefer, Tic Tac Toe, pumped up and enlarged for garden play. It’s like the regular version, but so big that you might want to put on your fitness tracker and keep count of your steps. Imagine the thrill of placing a giant ‘X’ and watching your opponent’s face as they realize they’ve got nowhere to put their ‘O’ because the kids have decided to use the “board” as a makeshift picnic blanket.
And let’s not forget Jumbo Garden Dominoes. You can build a city of tower blocks on your lawn, ready to see them topple over and flatten the grass! Or better still, actually play the game on a large scale. It’s a game of strategy, skill, and possibly some heavy lifting by the kids.
So there you have it. Some great games that you are well aware of from your tabletops, that have expanded to be perfect for playing in the garden and having some quality outdoor fun. And with the size of the pieces, hopefully you won’t lose any! Remember, the most important rule is to have fun and enjoy the laughter that comes with playing games in the great, slightly-overgrown outdoors.
Happy outdoor gaming, and may the odds be ever in your favour (and the wind ever so gentle)!