5 yard games for some real summer fun
Become a neighborhood legend.
Kubb
Arrange the rubberwood pieces from the Kubb Empire standard size set into two rows, 26 feet apart. Players hurl six batons at their opponent’s formation until they’ve knocked over all the blocks. Then they can fire at the king in the middle of the pitch.
Spikeball
The action in this recently revived sport is quick and unpredictable. Slap the hollow rubber ball into the 36-inch-wide net and watch out for a devastating return. Your rivals can dive to keep the volley going; if they whiff, you earn a point.
Kan Jam
Space the 20-inch-tall barrels 50 feet apart, with one member of each team posted at the targets. Score by hitting the sides with a disc—your partner can help tip it midflight. If you send it through the slot or top on your own, it’s an instant victory.
Jarts
The United States banned metal lawn darts in 1988 after 6,100 emergency room visits and three deaths in an eight-year span. Poof’s rubber-tipped projectiles land softly when they hit the ground inside the ring (or anything else). First to earn 21 tick marks wins.
Cornhole
If you’re looking to become a legend in this game, you’ll want regulation gear. The American Cornhole Association makes its boards from birch plywood and poplar, and its duck-cloth bags have sides that can slip or grip depending on the shot you need.
This story appeared in the Summer 2020, Play issue of Popular Science.
