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Fun and games for the back yard For many homeowners, the back yard is mostly something to look at, green grass to be admired, a view from the kitchen window. Funny how we spend a lot of time and money getting that area to landscape-perfection, but not a whole lot of time in it. Mike Ferrara, a lawn-care expert known as The Lazy Homeowner, says, “Don’t look at your yard like it’s a work of art. Invest some effort into getting the most out of it. It can serve as a great place for family gatherings.” Now that summer is here, perhaps it’s time to turn your underused back yard into a family entertainment center, a new frontier for fun and games. While the hamburgers are grilling, your guests can enjoy a number of games that can be set up effortlessly and inexpensively: Baggo Baggo isn’t a new game, though it’s not well-known. It’s been around since 1948 and involves tossing a beanbag from a certain distance onto a slick, sloped board with a hole in it. Points are scored according to where the bag lands on the board. It’s like horseshoes, softball, basketball and shuffleboard all in one. And it can be set up anywhere, on any surface, within seconds. To learn more about baggo and where to buy a set, log onto baggo.com. Badminton Badminton players trample the grass, so find a spot in the yard where the grass is more resistant to heavy traffic. The net can be used for volleyball as well. Guide wires holding up the net are hard to see when pulled and stretched into the ground, so to prevent people from tripping over them or getting clipped, mark them with brightly colored tape. Then get ready to serve up a lot of family fun. Badminton, believe it or not, is an Olympic sport and fast-paced, fun and, if you want, really competitive. Croquet Why should the English have all the fun? Croquet can be set up just about anywhere and is a lot easier on the lawn. Don’t look for a perfectly flat surface. A few bumps, slopes and inclines make the game more challenging (your best bet, though, is to clip the lawn as short as you can). You’ll find croquet sets at discount centers or home stores for about $30. If you lose a wicket, bend a white wire hanger as a replacement. Wickets, mallets and balls can be stored easily in a large plastic bucket. Horseshoes Playing horseshoes requires more skill than the luck they symbolize. To set up your horseshoe pit, find a spot in your back yard where the grass doesn’t grow real well, perhaps under a tree. The regulation distance between stakes is 40 feet, and grass should be removed from around the stakes for optimum playing conditions. Ferrara recommends setting up the stakes on a north-south axis so players don’t have to look into the sun when throwing. Horseshoes can be wither plastic or cast iron, depending on your preference. Bocce ball Bocce ball is similar to lawn bowling. It’s among the earliest known outdoor pastimes and is played in more countries than any other ball game with the exception of soccer. It can be played on almost any surface – a smooth lawn, rough grass, a sandy beach, you name it. The only preparation involved is buying the bocce set, which consists of eight large balls and one small target ball. Set range from around $30 to $120, and come with game rules. Because your lawn will get mashed down from Bocce, Ferrara recommends wearing golf shoes while mowing that area to aerate the soil and prevent compaction. Table tennis There’s nothing like a friendly table tennis tournament to liven up a party. The real beauty of pingpong is that most tables are on wheels and can be set up almost anywhere, either on the grass or the patio. Costs range from $200-$500. Play singles or doubles. Lynn Armitage is a regular contributor to OC Family Magazine. See her column in Single Parenthood. |
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