Did you want some fun games to play at your next outdoor family reunion?
You’re in luck! We have 21 outdoor family reunion game ideas that your family will probably enjoy.
There are traditional games like cornhole and horseshoes and then there are unique games like frisbee golf and one minute to win it challenges.
Get ready to enjoy some fun in the sun with your family!
1. Cornhole
Cornhole is an iconic game meant for all family reunions and parties.
To play, you need two teams that are made up of two players each.
One player from each team will be at either end of a rectangular board that contains holes.
Each player throws a beanbag at the other team’s board, at the holes, one at a time.
At the end of the game, the team with the most points wins!
2. Horseshoes
Horseshoes is another popular game for gatherings out in the backyard.
In horseshoes, you have two players, each with two horseshoes to toss.
The players will take turns tossing horseshoes at a stake set into the ground with the objective of throwing the horseshoe around the stake.
The player with the highest number of points at the end of the game is the winner!
3. Frisbee Golf
Frisbee golf is played in a flat surface area in your yard or a meadow.
The object of the game is to hit different targets at varying distances and you can earn points based on how far they are (or close) they are from your throw – so it’s not strictly an accuracy game!
You can also make it tougher by adding some obstacles.
Use trees, playgrounds, or patio furniture to enhance the overall fun.
Once the game is over, the player with the most points wins!
4. Minute-To-Win-It Competition
In a minute to win it game you need to complete different challenges in one minute or less.
For example – you might need to dump a container full of marbles using only a spoon in less than 60 seconds.
Minute-to-win-it games are perfect for family reunions because they are quick games, you can use supplies that you already have around the house, and who doesn’t want a little competition.
5. Spikeball
Spikeball is a team game that you can play outside.
There are two teams, both attempting to keep a smaller ball off the ground by hitting it with the larger balls. The smaller ball is called the “spike.”
In standard spikeball, the court is a circular surface that is divided, into two halves with one half being used by each team.
Whenever a spike hits the floor in the opposite team’s court, that team gets a point.
In a Backyard Setting – You can use a similar idea of “keep up” but award a point to the last person who touched the spike.
6. Water Balloon Toss
Water balloon toss is a great backyard game no matter if you’re 5 or 50.
It’s fun as partners step further and further away, and the water balloon has to trasvel longer distances until it breaks.
If you still want to have water splash, but you really don’t want to pick up little tiny pieces of broken water balloons, you can try a reusable water balloon instead!
7. Tug Of War
Don’t let “Squid Game” kill the fun of the game of tug of war.
You need at least 2 people, but with a long enough rope, you can get the whole family or more together.
If you have more than two players:
- divide the teams so that it is an even amount of players.
- put a piece of tape around the middle of the rope as a line.
- mark a line on the ground in the middle of the two teams.
Each team gets one end of the rope with the middle of the rope directly above the line on the ground.
Then both teams pull on the rope until one team is able to pull the other team past the halfway line.
8. Three-Legged Race
Three legs races are super easy to set up.
You grab a partner, you stand side by side, you strap or tie your middle legs together, and you have to use each other for support to make it to the finish line as you hobble to the finish.
This is a game that is a lot about cooperation, perfect for having families join together at family reunions.
9. Sack Race
Sack races are an awesome game where you race in a sack.
To play, you need at least two people. Everyone steps into a sack, pulls the top up, and hops to the finish line. The goal is to hop without falling!
Do you have only two sacks but you have a large group of people that would like to participate?
Make it a relay race!
Divide the group into two teams and have the first person from each team run the race.
When the first person from each team finishes, they come back to the starting line, hop out of the sack, and the next person gets in the sack.
The two teams continue in relay style until everyone on the team has taken their turn. The first team through their teammates wins!
10. Obstacle Course
If you’re looking for fun in your backyard, you shouldn’t have to build a fancy obstacle course, you can just use what you have.
With some rope, tires, boxes, hula hoops, milk crates, jump ropes, and pool noodles or whatever else you have or can borrow you can build an obstacle course that you can disassemble when everyone leaves.
11. Scavenger Hunt
A scavenger hunt is a type of game where players are trying to find specific items or complete specific tasks to win.
Those items and tasks can be anything from finding a specific item to taking a selfie with a specific person.
You can also collect fun facts about family members before your reunion, and use those for your scavenger hunt.
“Find the family member who has lived in 18 states,” and “find the family member who met Ryan Reynolds,” are not a bad way to start conversations with family, especially if you haven’t seen them for a while.
12. Ladder Golf
Ladder golf is kind of like horseshoes.
You throw something called a bola (two balls tied together by a string) toward a ladder with three rungs.
Similar to horseshoes, you score points and the goal of the game is to get to 21 points by wrapping the bola around the arms of the ladder.
Ladder golf is easy to set-up, easy to put away, and perfect for a family reunion.
13. Giant Chess
Giant chess is REALY all that it’s cracked up to be.
The pieces are life-size and the board is set up on the ground (so you will have to walk on the chess board to move each of the pieces) which gives you an immersive experience and probably lets you get as close to wizard chess as you can while still being safe.
Some of your family reunion’s children might not be able to comprehend the rules of chess yet, but giant checkers is an excellent alternative!
14. Giant Jenga
Jenga is a classic game that can be transformed into a giant version, too.
To create a giant version of Jenga, just pick up some 2x4s (or some other sturdy lumber) to cut Jenga pieces from.
All you need to do is have a total of 54 pieces, at roughly 10 inches long.
Set the Jenga blocks on a table or the ground and take turns pulling out a block and stacking it on top of the tower.
The player that pulls out the block that collapses the tower, loses. And the laughter of those blocks collapsing will bring laughter to everyone at your family reunion, whether you are playing Giant Jenga, or just watching.
15. Yard Yahtzee
Yard Yahtzee is just another supersized version of the traditional dice game.
Players take turns rolling five dice and trying to score points using the numbers on the dice to create combinations on the Yard Yahtzee scorecard.
Unlike the traditional version, which uses regular size dice in a small cup, these dice are the size of small shipping boxes, so you need a bucket to roll the dice!
16. Giant Connect Four
Giant Connect 4 is a game where you try to connect four pieces in a row on a table top but giant connect 4 is the backyard version.
Giant Connect 4 is a vertical game board where you and partner will take turns dropping your pieces to try to get 4 pieces in a row (horizontally, vertically, or diagonally).
Building your own giant connect 4 is tough, because each column needs supports to keep the game pieces in a vertical position and there needs to be holes in each column to see where the pieces are going to fall.
Fortunately, there are a few options on Amazon at a few price points.
17. Slip and Slide Kickball
Slip and slide kickball is an awesome mash up of both backyard games.
The game is set up just like kickball; you have two teams, 3 bases and a home base, a soccer ball, and a pitcher…
Except, in between each of the bases, there is a slip and slide.
This does make it a little tricky moving from base to base if you attempt to run but you can slide from one base to the other if you have enough momentum.
This is a great game for kids and adults, but not great for grandpa who just had hip surgery.
He’ll probably enjoy just watching everyone fall and slide to each base.
18. Bubble Blowing Contest
If you’re a parent, you’ve likely accumulated a mountain of half-used bubble containers and a million bubble wands.
Use ’em for this activity; have a bubble-blowing competition!
One way to run a bubble-blowing competition can be blow a bubble, and see who can blow the biggest bubble.
You could also have a contest to see who can blow the most bubbles in a timed period.
For decor, you can easily add bubbles with balloons and a bubble-blowing machine.
19. Piñata Bash
Piñatas are awesome for any kind of party, and they can definitely be just as fun at a family reunion, if not more!
Fill the piñata with goodies or trinkets based on who is at your reunion.
There’s not much else that you need for a piñata, either.
You will need something to hang the piñata from (rope), something to hit the piñata with (broomstick), and a few blindfolds to make hitting the piñata a little more difficult. Then, all you need to do is stand back and take turns to hit it until it breaks!
21. Dance Party
Or just do a dance party theme.
Put up some lights in the back yard, have a drink and snack station, and play some tunes.
You don’t need a lot to have a good time, and dancing is always a fun way to have a release.
Final Thoughts
Family reunions are an awesome opportunity to reconnect with family that you might not see otherwise, and they can be stressful as well.
Coming up with activities that everyone will enjoy can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be.
With just a bit of thought, and creativity, you can create activities that everyone will enjoy and participate in.
Outdoor games are a guaranteed way to get everyone involved and can be adjusted according to the size of the group.
So get your chairs, and get ready to enjoy some outdoor fun with these 21 outdoor games for your family reunion.