DIY Outdoor Games

Are you looking for a way to enjoy your new back yard with your friends, family, and neighbors? Try out some of these Do-It-Yourself outdoor game ideas! They’re easy to make at home with your loved ones, and available in stores and online. So go ahead! Mix up your favorite cocktail from our previous post, and get outside and play! And kids, make sure you have a parent to help you be safe with all the appropriate safety tools while making these great games.

Cornhole/Bag-O

Materials:

• ½” chick plywood sheet, 4’x4’
• Four 2’x4’s, 8’ long
• Four 4”x3/8” carriage bolts
• Four 3/8” flat washers
• Four 3/8” wing nuts
• 1 box 2 ½ inch wood screws
• Chop saw
• Jigsaw
• Compass
• Drill and bits
• Clamps (or another person to help)
• Palm sander
• Safety Goggles
• Paint (optional)

Preparation/Directions:

1. Cut plywood sheet in half to make two 2’x4’ boards.
2. Take the four 8’ long 2’x4’s
1. Cut 4 pieces 21” long
2. Cut 4 pieces 4’ long (two boards in half)
3. Cut 4 pieces 11 ½” long (for legs)
3. For assembly instruction please follow the links here.

Bananagrams

Materials (for basic tiles):

• Big sheet masonite OR
• 100 x 15mm x 1.5m fence palings AND
• Dulux Weathershield Low Sheen in Black and Vivid White

For tile holders:

• 6 timber pegs
• 7mmx5m nylong rope or cord

Breakdown of letters:

• Paling (100 Tiles):

1: J, W, K, V, X, Z, W

2: Y, F, B, G

3: H, M, P

4: U, D

5: C, L, S

7: N, T, O, I, R

8: A

10: E

• Masonite (144 Tiles):
  2: J, K, Q, X, Z
  3: B, C, F, H, M, P, V, W, Y
  4: G
  5: L
  6: D, S, U
  8: N
  9: T, R
  11: O
  12: I
  13: A
  18: E

Preparation/Directions:

1. Cut palings or masonite into large squares
2. Paint letters large enough to fill up the entire tile
3. Allow to dry and have fun!
4. For detailed instructions for tiles and stands click links here for masonite or here for fence paling and stands

Don’t hesitate to mix and match these two methods of creating this fun word game! The Masonite tiles are a bit easier and make more; the palings seem a bit more durable or heavy-duty.

Ladder Golf

Materials:

• ¾” PVC Piping:
• Nine 2’ pieces
• Six 1’ pieces
• Six standard T fittings
• Six elbows (or standard 90 joints)
• 15 feet of nylon rope/cord
• 12 tennis balls
• Drill (with a 5/16″ bit) or box cutter/knife
• Paper clip
• Lighter
• Paint (optional)

Preparation/Directions:

1. Build stand by creating a rectangle using 6 of the 2’ pieces, 2 standard T fittings (for the long side) and 4 elbow
2. Build three ladders
1. Use 3 2’ pieces, attach elbows to both ends of one piece
2. Attach two 1’ pieces to each elbow
3. Repeat steps to make two more ladders, using T fittings instead of elbows
4. Attach all three ladders by the T fittings and insert into base
3. Create tennis-ball bolas
1. Drill holes all the way through tennis balls using a drill or box cutter
2. It may be helpful to indent ball with smaller drill bit or the knife before beginning to drill.
3. Cut six 25” pieces of cord and seal ends using a lighter
4. Use large paper clip as a needle to thread cord through tennis ball.
5. Tie a knot in the end of the rope, and on the long end on the other side of the ball
6. Repeat step, placing one ball on each end of the cord for 6 bolas.
4. That’s it! If you want to paint your ladders or bola you can do so with any colors you like! Pain ladders before assembly for clean lines. You can also glue pieces together for a sturdier game.
5. For complete instructions and step-by-step photos, click here

Urban Horseshoes

Materials:

• Four 16” 2x4s
• Four 13” 2x4s
• Two 16” squares of plywood, any thickness you want (3/8” suggested)
• Two 3” PVC couplings
• Eight ½” Washers (or whatever size you want)
• Wood Screws (6x3/4 for base, 2x8 for frame)
• Glue/wood putty (optional)
• Paint (optional)

Preparation/Directions:

1. It may be hard to believe but this game is a bit more difficult to make than the others due to its relatively small size
2. For instructions, please click here.
3. You are basically making two small boxes using four pieces of 2”x4”s and plywood with PVC in the middle to catch the washers
4. You can paint the washers and boxes to make them more fun and personal! 

Check out this link for all these games and more! Get creative and have fun with friends and family not only playing these games, but also building them with your own two hands and giving them your own personal touches using paint and other customizations. Let us know how they work out for you! We would love to see your pictures!