3 Easy DIY Giant Yard Games

Summertime is the perfect season to gather your friends and family together for some outdoor fun and games. These days, giant yard games are popping up in backyards and on restaurant patios, making the much-loved tradition of games easier for big groups to play together. Better yet, there are many DIY giant yard games, which allows you to customize them to suit you, save money, and have fun making them. When you plan your next summer themed party, your new collection of giant outdoor games can serve as the perfect form of entertainment for people young and old.

Giant Jenga

Watching a teetering tower of wooden blocks sway is a blast, especially when you do it on a larger scale. Making an outdoors version of giant Jenga is great because you can play it with large groups and have plenty of space for everyone to gather around it. Plus, it’s easy to make yourself!

1. Gather your tools
• 3/4? plywood 18? x 18?
• Six 2? x 4? x 8' pine boards to make 54, 10 1/2? pieces
• One 2? x 4” x 6' pine board to make the sides for 18? x 18? plywood base
• Circular or miter saw
2. Build the Jenga platform with ¾” plywood cut into an 18” by 18” square. Make a frame out of the 2” x 4” boards by cutting them to 15” and 18” using the saw. Attach the 2” x 4” boards to the plywood to form a platform.
3. Use the remaining 2” x 4” boards to cut 54 Jenga pieces, 10 ½” each.
4. Sand the Jenga pieces using an orbital saw or benchtop belt sander to make each piece smooth on the sides and edges.
5. Stack the pieces and get ready to play!

Giant checkers

With giant chess or checkers, you turn classic indoor board games into outdoor games that everyone can enjoy together. They’re relatively simple to make, requiring little time and effort, and can be constructed a variety of ways with several choices for materials, depending on your preference. You can go as easy as painting an old blanket or sheet and using plastic red and black plates, or you can create a mat that’s a bit more durable, with this idea that uses astro turf and bucket lids for a fun game that will last for years.

Giant bean bag toss

Cornhole is one of the classic lawn games that is easy to play for all ages. Making your own bean bag toss is a great idea because you can customize and decorate it however you want. It’s a pretty easy project you can complete in a day with a few things.

1. Gather your tools
• Two 24” x 48” sections of ½” plywood
• Four 2” x 4” x 48” for the frame
• Four 2” x 4” x 21” for the frame
• Four 2” x 4” x 11 ½” for the legs
• 1-lb. box of 1-5/8″ deck screws
• Four 1/2″ x 4″ carriage bolts with four washers and four wing nuts
• Wood putty
• Exterior-grade paint
• Primer
2. Construct the platform box. Fasten the 2” x 4” pieces into a box with the 21” and 48” wood. Use the plywood to frame the pieces.
3. Take the four 11 ½” pieces to make the legs. Make a full 3 ½” radius cut on one end of each leg. Turn the box upside down and clamp them into place.
4. Attach the legs using a carriage bolt, washer, and wing nut. The legs should be able to fold up and down inside the platform.
5. Cut the bottom of the legs into an angle so your box will sit properly.
6. Cut the hole in the platform where you’ll toss the bean bags. To make sure it’s centered, make a mark 9” from the top and 12” from both sides.
7. Draw a 6” diameter circle using a compass.
8. Drill the hole using a jigsaw blade.
9. Sand the board, then prime, paint, and decorate it as you like.
10. Get ready for fun!

Building DIY backyard games is easy and makes playing them more. They are perfect for summer evenings on your back patio or in the yard. Are you looking for a backyard to call your own that will give you room for entertainment like this? Check out our selection of homes!