18 Outdoor Party Games for Adults That Get Everyone Off Their Chairs
Every summer I host at least three backyard parties, and I have learned one hard truth: if I do not give grown-ups something to do with their hands, they end up standing in a circle around the snack table, checking their phones. These outdoor party games for adults are the ones that actually fixed that problem at my house.
How I picked these: I only included games I have set up on my own lawn. If a game needed a perfect court, cost a fortune, or left half the party watching from chairs, it did not make the list.
Every game below has a cost, a setup time, and an honest downside, because no game is perfect — and I have learned all of these lessons the hard way.
Key Takeaways
- Cornhole, bocce ball, and giant Jenga are the safest bets if your guests have mixed energy levels.
- Fast, sweaty games like Spikeball and Kan Jam work best in short bursts, not all afternoon.
- Set up at least three game stations so nobody waits long for a turn.
- Most of these games cost under $50 to set up, and several cost nothing if you build them yourself.
- Keep a simple scoreboard and a small prize — adults play much harder for a $5 candle than you would think.
1. Cornhole (Bean Bag Toss)
Cornhole is the game I set up first at every party, because it is the one game every adult already knows how to play. Two boards, 27 feet apart, eight bean bags, and you are done. I bought my boards for $60, but I have also played on borrowed boards more times than I can count.
At my last cookout, my brother-in-law and my neighbor, who had never met, played for two hours straight and now text each other about a rematch. The downside is real, though: on a windy day the bags slide everywhere, and a sloped lawn makes the whole game unfair. I now shim one board leg with a folded coaster.
Pro Tip: Play to 21 but require an exact landing — it keeps the final round tense instead of ending on a lucky throw.
Cost / Time / Difficulty: $40–$120 for a set / 5 minutes to set up / Easy.
2. Giant Jenga
Giant Jenga is just the tabletop game blown up to backyard size, and adults lose their minds over it. My set has 54 pine blocks, each about 7.5 inches long, stacked into a tower that starts around 2.5 feet tall. I built mine from lumber for about $25, sanding every block twice so they slide cleanly.
The crowd that gathers around a wobbling tower is half the fun. At one party, twelve of us held our breath while my friend pulled a middle block with two fingers, and the cheer when it stayed up was louder than the music. The downside: the tower falls hard, so keep it off the patio and away from bare feet.
Pro Tip: Write dares or questions on a few blocks — “take a sip” or “tell your most embarrassing story” — and the game becomes a party game, not just a stacking game.
Cost / Time / Difficulty: $25 DIY or $50–$90 bought / 2 minutes to stack / Easy.
3. Bocce Ball
Bocce ball is my pick for mixed-age adult parties because nobody has to run, jump, or explain complicated rules. You toss a small white ball called the pallino, then roll your bigger balls to land closest to it. A basic set costs around $30 and fits in a carry bag I keep by the back door.
I played this with my parents, my in-laws, and three friends at a garden party, and it was the only game all three generations played together. The honest downside: on a bumpy lawn, the balls roll wherever they want, and I once watched a perfect throw bounce off a tree root into the roses.
Pro Tip: Mow the playing strip short the morning of the party — a freshly mowed lane makes the game twice as fair.
Cost / Time / Difficulty: $25–$50 / 2 minutes to set up / Easy.
4. Ladder Toss
Ladder toss, sometimes called ladder golf, is two wooden ladders and six bolas — golf balls tied together with rope. You stand about 15 feet back and swing the bolas onto the rungs, with the top rung worth the most points. I built my ladders from PVC pipe in one afternoon for under $20.
This is the game my quieter guests love, because it is calm, it is skill-based, and you can play it while holding a drink. The downside is that cheap bolas tangle constantly, and I spent one whole party untangling knots instead of playing. Buy or make bolas with short, stiff rope and the problem mostly disappears.
Pro Tip: Wrap each rung in a different color of tape so scoring is obvious from 15 feet away.
Cost / Time / Difficulty: $20 DIY or $30–$50 bought / 5 minutes to set up / Easy.
5. Kan Jam
Kan Jam looks simple — two cans, one flying disc, two teams of two — but it gets loud fast. Partners stand about 50 feet apart, and you score by throwing the disc into the can or having your partner slap it in. A set costs around $40 and weighs almost nothing, so I take it to parks too.
At my birthday cookout, two teams played a best-of-five that lasted an hour, and the winning “slam dunk” through the slot had everyone shouting. The downside: you need a big, open space, and one wild throw went straight into my herb garden. Do not play this near windows, cars, or grills.
Pro Tip: Play with a “no running past the can” rule — it stops collisions when both teams dive for the same disc.
Cost / Time / Difficulty: $35–$45 / 2 minutes to set up / Easy to medium.
6. Spikeball (Roundnet)
Spikeball is volleyball played around a small round net at ankle height, and it is the most energetic game on this list. Two teams of two bounce the ball off the net, and the other team has up to three touches to return it. My set cost $65, folds into a bag, and sets up in about three minutes.
I will be honest: this game wiped me out. I played four matches in a row at a summer party and my legs were sore the next day. It is best for guests who actually want to move, and it is not kind to anyone in sandals.
Pro Tip: Rotate teams every 15 minutes so nobody sits out too long and the tired players get a real break.
Cost / Time / Difficulty: $60–$70 / 3 minutes to set up / Medium to hard.
Related article: if your crowd skips alcohol entirely, these party games for adults without alcohol pair perfectly with every game on this list.
7. Croquet
Croquet is the slowest, chattiest game on this list, and that is exactly why adults love it. You tap colored balls with a mallet through a course of wire hoops, and a full game takes 30 to 45 minutes. My six-player set cost $45, and I lay the course out with nine hoops across the back lawn.
I played croquet with friends on a warm evening while dinner cooked, and it was the only game where we actually finished whole conversations. The downside is that it needs a fairly flat lawn, and a ball that rolls into a dip can ruin a perfect shot. Keep the course away from slopes and sprinkler heads.
Pro Tip: Use pool noodles cut in half as practice bumpers for first-time players — it keeps the ball in play and the game moving.
Cost / Time / Difficulty: $40–$70 / 10 minutes to set up / Easy.
8. Horseshoes
Horseshoes is the old-school classic my dad insisted we bring back, and he was right. Two stakes 40 feet apart, four horseshoes, and you take turns pitching ringers. A basic set costs about $30, and I dug two shallow sand pits in my yard so the shoes land softly instead of bouncing.
This is a game of patience and arm, and the sound of a ringer clanging onto the stake is deeply satisfying. The downside is the space it needs — 40 feet is longer than most people think — and real steel shoes are heavy, so this is not a game for guests with sore shoulders. Plastic sets fix that problem.
Pro Tip: Shorten the distance to 30 feet for casual parties — scores go up, frustration goes down, and everyone has more fun.
Cost / Time / Difficulty: $25–$50 / 15 minutes to set up pits / Easy to medium.
9. Giant Connect Four
Giant Connect Four is the tabletop game scaled up to a standing frame, and it is perfect for guests who want to play without breaking a sweat. Two players drop red and yellow discs into a frame about 3 feet wide, trying to line up four in a row. My set cost $55 and lives on the patio all summer.
I set this up next to the drinks table at one party, and it never sat empty — people played quick rounds while waiting for burgers. The downside is that a single game only takes two players, so a crowd gathers fast. I fixed that by running a mini tournament with a bracket on a whiteboard.
Pro Tip: Play “winner stays on” with a two-minute limit per game so the line keeps moving.
Cost / Time / Difficulty: $50–$80 / 2 minutes to set up / Easy.
10. Bottle Ring Toss
Bottle ring toss is the fairground game, and it works shockingly well at adult parties because it is pure luck with a little skill. I line up ten bottles on a wooden board and hand out five rings per turn. The bottles are empty glass soda bottles, and the rings are plastic ones I bought for $8.
I made this the “win a prize” station at a birthday party, with small wrapped gifts behind the hardest bottles, and guests kept coming back to try again. The downside is broken glass if a bottle tips off the board, so I now set the board on the grass and keep spare bottles in a box nearby.
Pro Tip: Put one gold bottle at the back worth a bigger prize — it gives everyone a reason to keep tossing.
Cost / Time / Difficulty: $8–$15 / 5 minutes to set up / Easy.
11. Yard Dice (Giant Yahtzee)
Yard dice takes the dice game everyone knows and makes the dice big enough to roll across the lawn. My set has six wooden cubes, each about 3.5 inches, plus a bucket to shake them in and laminated scorecards. I bought the set for $30, and a full game takes about 20 minutes.
This is my go-to game when guests arrive at different times, because players can join or drop out between rounds without breaking anything. The downside is that big dice bounce far on hard ground, and I once chased a die under the deck. Play on grass, and keep the bucket close to the rolling area.
Pro Tip: Laminate your scorecards and use dry-erase markers so one set of cards lasts all season.
Cost / Time / Difficulty: $25–$40 / 2 minutes to set up / Easy.
12. Kubb (Viking Chess)
Kubb, sometimes called Viking chess, is a Swedish lawn game where two teams throw batons to knock over the other team’s wooden blocks, then finally the king in the center. A set costs around $40, and a game takes 20 to 30 minutes on a pitch about 26 feet long and 16 feet wide.
I introduced Kubb at a cookout and watched two very competitive friends spend ten minutes debating the rules before throwing a single baton. That is part of the charm — it feels strategic, almost like chess on grass. The downside is the learning curve: the first game takes twice as long while everyone figures out the rules.
Pro Tip: Print a one-page rules sheet and tape it to a clipboard by the pitch — it ends every argument before it starts.
Cost / Time / Difficulty: $35–$50 / 5 minutes to set up / Medium.
Also read: if you want a game night that moves indoors after dark, these trivia night party ideas are the perfect follow-up to an afternoon outside.
13. Soft-Tip Lawn Darts
Old-fashioned metal lawn darts are banned for good reason, so I only play the soft-tip kind now. The modern sets have weighted plastic darts with rounded tips and target rings you lay on the grass. My set cost $35, and the game is simple: toss the darts from about 20 feet and score by landing in the rings.
I was nervous the first time I brought these out, but the soft tips bounce harmlessly off everything, including my patio chairs. The downside is that they are lighter than the old darts, so a strong wind sends them sideways. I only play this one on calm evenings, and I keep the target rings staked down.
Pro Tip: Never let anyone walk toward the target while someone is still throwing — one person throws at a time, no exceptions.
Cost / Time / Difficulty: $30–$45 / 3 minutes to set up / Easy.
14. Backyard Badminton
Backyard badminton is the game I recommend when guests want real exercise without real rules arguments. A portable net, four rackets, and a few shuttlecocks cost about $40, and the net sets up in ten minutes with no tools. I string mine across the flattest part of the lawn, about 20 feet wide.
I played doubles with friends until sunset one August evening, and the rally that lasted 30 shots is still a party legend. The downside is the wind: even a light breeze turns the shuttlecock into a drunk bird. I keep a couple of heavier outdoor shuttlecocks in the bag for breezy days, and they help a lot.
Pro Tip: Play to 11 instead of 21 for party rounds — games finish faster and more people get a turn.
Cost / Time / Difficulty: $35–$55 / 10 minutes to set up / Easy to medium.
15. Backyard Volleyball
Backyard volleyball needs the most space on this list, but it also fits the most people at once. A portable net and a soft ball cost around $50, and I set the net up across the widest part of my yard with the poles staked and guyed. Six players a side is the sweet spot for a party.
At a family reunion, we ran a casual game where anyone could join mid-set, and it turned into the main event of the afternoon. The downside is real: a hard volleyball stings, and one guest took a serve to the arm and sat out. I now use a soft training ball.
Pro Tip: Allow unlimited touches for party games — rallies last longer and beginners stop feeling embarrassed.
Cost / Time / Difficulty: $45–$70 / 15 minutes to set up / Medium.
16. Cup Pong
Cup pong is the party classic: two triangles of cups on a table, two ping pong balls, and teams take turns trying to land a ball in a cup. At my parties, the cups hold water or soda, and the drinks stay in people’s hands — the game is the competition, not the drinking. A full setup costs under $10.
I set this up on a folding table under the patio lights, and it ran until midnight at my last summer party. The downside is the bounce problem: a ball that skips off the table rolls into the grass and gets lost. I keep a spare pack of balls in a cup on the table, and that solves it.
Pro Tip: Use a long table and tape the cup triangles in place so a wild elbow does not end the game.
Cost / Time / Difficulty: Under $10 / 3 minutes to set up / Easy.
17. Backyard Disc Golf
Backyard disc golf is my favorite game for guests who like a little strategy with their throwing. I set up one portable basket and five throwing spots around the yard — behind the oak tree, past the garden bed, around the shed — and players try to finish the course in the fewest throws.
A basket costs about $60 and discs are $10 each.
I ran this as a nine-hole course at a fall party, and the quiet concentration followed by loud groans was wonderful. The downside: discs fly far when they miss, and one landed on my neighbor’s roof. Keep the course away from fences and roads.
Pro Tip: Use one basket and move the tee spots between rounds — it feels like a new course every time.
Cost / Time / Difficulty: $60–$100 / 15 minutes to set up / Medium.
18. Tug-of-War Tournament
A tug-of-war tournament is the best closing game for a party because everyone can play at once. I bought a 50-foot rope for $20, marked the center with tape, and ran a bracket: teams of four, best of three pulls. The whole tournament takes about 30 minutes and needs nothing else.
At my last big cookout, the final pull between the “neighbors” team and the “family” team had the whole yard screaming, and the losers demanded a rematch before dessert. The downside is rope burn and muddy shoes, so I hand out garden gloves and keep the rope on grass, never concrete.
Pro Tip: Mix the teams — do not let all the strongest people end up on one side, or the tournament is over in two pulls.
Cost / Time / Difficulty: $15–$25 / 2 minutes to set up / Easy.
Which Outdoor Party Games for Adults Fit Your Party?
| Game | Best for | Players | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cornhole | Every party, every guest | 2–4 | $40–$120 |
| Giant Jenga | Chatty crowds, drink in hand | 2–12 | $25–$90 |
| Bocce Ball | Mixed ages, relaxed pace | 2–8 | $25–$50 |
| Spikeball | Sporty, high-energy guests | 4 | $60–$70 |
| Kubb | Thinkers who like strategy | 2–12 | $35–$50 |
| Cup Pong | Late-night, low-budget fun | 4 | Under $10 |
| Tug-of-War | Big groups, party finale | 8+ | $15–$25 |
Mistakes I Made (So You Don’t Have To)
Setting up only one game. At my first big party I put out only cornhole, and the line to play stretched past the grill. Now I always set up at least three stations, and nobody waits more than a few minutes for a turn.
Ignoring the wind. I once laid out a badminton net on a breezy day and watched every shuttlecock fly into the bushes. Now I check the forecast and keep wind-sensitive games like badminton and ladder toss for calm evenings only.
Buying the cheapest set. My first bocce set had balls that dented on the first game, and my first bean bags split at the seams. Spending $10 more on a decent set has saved me from replacing everything twice.
Forgetting the scoreboard. Without a visible score, half my guests forgot who was winning and wandered off. A small whiteboard and a marker changed everything — adults suddenly cared about winning.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many outdoor party games for adults should I set up? Three is the sweet spot for most parties. One easy game like cornhole, one active game like Spikeball, and one group game like tug-of-war covers every energy level.
What if my yard is small? Pick games with a small footprint: giant Jenga, cup pong, yard dice, and giant Connect Four all fit on a patio. Skip volleyball, horseshoes, and Kan Jam, which need real distance.
Do I need to buy expensive sets? No. Cup pong costs under $10, tug-of-war needs only a rope, and giant Jenga is easy to build from lumber. Start with two cheap games and add one nicer set each season.
What about guests who do not want to play? That is normal, and it is fine. Set the games near the seating, not far away, so watchers feel part of it. At my parties, the watchers usually join by the second round anyway.
Can these games work for a large group? Yes, with a tournament format. Run short rounds, rotate teams, and keep a visible bracket.
Final Thoughts
The best outdoor party games for adults are not the fanciest ones — they are the ones your guests actually play. Cornhole, bocce, and giant Jenga have never failed me, and a tug-of-war final is the closest thing to a guaranteed party memory I have found.
Start with three games, keep the rules simple, and put a small prize on the line. Then step back and let your backyard do what it does best: get everyone off their chairs and into the game.
Read this next: if your next party has a big guest list, these party games for large groups will help you plan the whole evening.
