The Best Lawn Games of 2023
The humble lawn game is not just a recreational sport; it is the recreational sport. That said, we know there’s no true best one — it all depends on the mood, the occasion, and the company — but certain versions of popular games stick out among the pack as true crowd-pleasers. Each yard game on the below list has been personally vetted and tested by SPY editors, all of whom are exceedingly serious about fun.
BEST PETANGUE
BuyBocceBalls 73mm Metal Petanque Set
Petanque — also known as Boules — has been popping up everywhere in New York, from city parks and dirt courts to the new Todd Snyder campaign. This set, measured at the regulation weight of 7 ounces per boule, is simple in its design and easy to use. It’s a three-boule set, meaning that there are only two kinds of markings on each ball. This particular set is a two-player game, with three balls each, though other sets can sometimes have three pairs to allow for a third player.
There’s also a cochonnet, the small wooden ball to throw toward, and a “jack,” used to properly measure the distances to see who won the round. Playing with the set for quite some time, none of the boules were scratched or damaged, and the accumulated dirt wipes right off. (The included bag doubles as an easy bit of fabric with which to do this.)
BEST CORNHOLE SET
GoSports Classic Cornhole Set
When people think of lawn games, one thing (or, well, two pieces of wood) comes to mind. Cornhole. It’s as synonymous with summer outdoors as barbecue and a sunburn. The GoSports Classic Cornhole Set comes complete with two boards and eight bean bags, has the added benefit of collapsibility, and comes with a carrying case for on-the-go cornholers. It can be taken to and set up in a park or on a friend’s roof just as easily as it can be set up in your own backyard. This particular GoSports model features a rustic design and is made out of a medium-density fiberboard. It might be a little awkward traveling on the subway or into a car — cornhole does, after all, require a bit of space to play — but at least you won’t struggle to get it where you’re trying to go.
BEST SPIKEBALL
Spikeball Standard 3-Ball Kit
Spikeball’s rise in recent years should come as no surprise. It’s a high octane, fast-paced game that lets players release some pent-up energy without any risk of pain. While it’s often played in city parks and backyards, it can be played in small, confined settings, too — seriously. One could theoretically play Spikeball just as effectively in their living room if they moved some furniture out of the way. Setting up the game is easy enough, too, though a pro tip is to make sure that the net is taut from the jump— this leads to much smoother play.
BEST WIFFLE
Wiffle Bat and Ball Set
It should come as no surprise that Wiffle Ball is just as fun today as it was in the 1950s, when it was invented. It’s a classic for a reason. It’s easy to get the hang of and also low-risk in that there’s no possibility of being hurt by an errant pitch — Wiffle Ball pitches, even ones thrown by a professional baseball pitcher, would lilt over the plate. Inversely, any big hit isn’t going to skyrocket over a fence, which is why the game can be played in smaller settings, like cities. That means more hits, which means more running the bases, which means more fun for everyone.
Bonus: Wiffle’s ball-and-bat combo is unique in that its packaging also doubles as part of the fun. Rather than tearing through the cardboard bellow that houses the ball, cut along the dotted line with a pair of scissors and the packaging becomes a spring for the batter to launch the ball up before hitting it, no pitcher required.
BEST CROQUET SET
L.L.Bean Yard Games Croquet Set
Leon Leonwood Bean was a boot guy. He built his reputation and business on rubber soles (not unlike Paul McCartnery), serving an audience of non-resident hunters who made the trip up to Maine to track deer and, to a lesser degree, bears. Bean boots remain ubiquitous — at least in the Northeast — but L.L. Bean is now less associated with hunting than it is with a certain New England starter kit: boots, tote, rain jacket, cords, lightly used camping equipment, and a croquet set.
That last item, the croquet set, is the least expected and most beloved, because unlike everything else shipped out of Freeport, it’s a deeply unserious product. L.L. Bean doesn’t make croquet sets for people who care deeply about croquet; L.L. Bean makes croquet sets for people looking for a thin excuse to go play outside. The sets, made of sturdy wood and rubber, are a summer staple and can be used not only for their intended purpose, but also to play Bicycle Polo, Whack-a-Stump, and (with their heads unscrewed) Swords. They look great and fit nicely in the back of a Jeep Wagoneer (the one with the wood paneling). They feel right held in whichever hand isn’t holding a Dark and Stormy.