As the weather cools down, parents all around the UAE can be heard urging their children to go play outside. But what if you were to take your own advice?
Just as board games are perfect for nights in, there are plenty of lawn games that you can stock up on, for quality time outdoors with family and friends. While some require hand-eye coordination, and a basic level of fitness, others can be played while you’re relaxing on picnic mats or around a desert bonfire. Many of them are portable, and come in their own travel bags, so you can take them along to picnics at the park, or barbecue outings.
For recommendations, we spoke with UAE residents who love outdoor recreational games, and also scoured social trends for the best outdoor games. Shop with Prime membership and add these games to your repertoire, for an exciting winter ahead.
1. Best Throwing Game: GoSports Cornhole Premium Set
Ever since human beings discovered the joy of throwing things at targets, they’ve held competitions to judge who’s the best at it. Cornhole is one such outdoor game that has a simple mission – throw the bean bag into the hole – and is ideal if you want all members of the family to participate, even children. GoSports’ cornhole set includes two handcrafted wood boards, eight all-weather bean bags and a premium carrying case. It’s a well-made, solid game set that you can keep and use for years, and take along to other people’s homes, or to picnics at the park. Reviewers like that there’s nothing to assemble here, and they can start playing as soon as the product is delivered to them.
2. Best Skill Game: EastPoint Sports Go! Gater Ladderball Set
A game that requires hand-eye coordination, ladder toss involves using two weighted balls (called bolas) tied together with a string. The aim of the game is to land as many bolas on the crossbars as possible, to earn more points than your opponents. It’s an easy game for newbies to grasp, but still remains challenging for even the more experienced players. EastPoint Sports’ highly rated ladderball set has everything you need to start playing – from six soft-touch weighted bolas in two team colours, to sturdy targets on a stainless-steel frame. There’s a built-in slide scoring system for convenience, and an integrated bola storage rack on the foot of the frame. Everything here folds up neatly for easy storage.
3. Best Frisbee Game: Kan Jam Disc Toss
Even if you love slinging frisbees at the park, after a few minutes of play, it can start to get a little boring. Instead, level up your frisbee tossing skills with Kan Jam, a competitive team game that requires you to take turns throwing and deflecting flying discs. The goal is to throw the disc at the can – you get various points if you hit it, drop it into the top or zip it in through the front slot (the last one is an instant win). All the while, your teammate, who stands near the target, is allowed to bat or redirect the disc as they see fit. Kan Jam adds a fun and engaging structure to traditional disc tossing; it also involves an exhilarating mix of skill and teamwork.
4. Best for All Ages: Elite Sportz Ring Toss Game
Another versatile game that has an easy set-up, and can be played by even the oldest or youngest members of your family, ring toss has a simple goal. All you need to do is toss the throwing rings onto the pins. Different pins hold different points, so your aim matters! Elite Sportz’s set includes five durable rope throwing rings, a wooden game board with pins, as well as a practical storage bag. Ayaan Shaikh, a Sharjah-based businessman, said this game is a staple at family picnics: “It’s so easy to play, even my 74-year-old father enjoys it. It’s a nice way of involving the whole family.”
5. Best Stacking Game: Sports Beats Large Tower Game
If you’ve played Jenga before, you know that it’s a challenging game. Now, imagine playing it when the tower stretches four feet high! Sports Beats’ tower game has the same principles – you have to take turns removing one block at a time, and placing it in a different spot, without moving any other block or toppling the tower. The last person standing wins! This giant version of the game involves 27 pine wood blocks – you can start the game at 1.95 feet and grow the tower to a whopping four feet. Maryam Rashid, a mum of two boys, based in Sharjah, said: “I bought this game for my kids when we went for a picnic in the park with all our relatives, last year. It was such a hit with all the children, I later ended up buying one for each family, as an Eid gift.”
6. Best Team Game: GetMovin Sports Capture the Flag Ignited Kit
Both kids and adults will have a blast with this active Capture the Flag game that comes with a twist: all its components glow in the dark, thanks to brightly coloured LED game pieces. The game involves two teams, who have to try and snatch a glowing orb from enemy territory without being tagged out and sent to ‘jail’. Set up takes mere minutes, and gameplay is simple, although it does require some explanation for beginners. This set includes 10 team bracelets in red and blue, three amber territory markers, two flag cubes, two jail markers and a storage bucket that offers convenient portability. Reviewers say the game pieces have a long battery life of 12 hours, so they don’t have to worry about it running out of power mid-game.
Warranty: Amazon offers one-year extended warranty by Salama Care for Dh29, and two-year extended warranty for Dh41.
7. Best Tabletop Game: Franklin Sports Portable Ping Pong Set
Once lunch is over, convert the picnic table into a table tennis court! Franklin Sports’ Ping Pong Set is fun for the whole family, and involves a set of two paddles, two balls, and a retractable net that firmly clamps onto the edges of your table. Thanks to this set, Rayaan Meeran, a 26-year-old software developer, has challenged friends and family to impromptu ping pong games in all kinds of situations. He said: “It’s fun and exciting, and all you need is a table to play! I’ve used this set both indoors and outdoors and it never disappoints.”
8. Best Picnic Game: Lacuna
Is there anything better than lounging on a picnic blanket on a pleasant day, surrounded by grass and sunshine? Perhaps the addition of a relaxing game, like Lacuna. This two-player area control game offers uncomplicated enjoyment. Even its goal is leisurely and mystical – it’s about collecting flowers from a pond at night. Set up takes seconds: unroll the mat, shake out the tube over it so that wooden flowers scatter out. Then, each player takes turns placing their gold or silver piece between two identical flowers to collect them and score points. Whoever collects the most, wins.
9. Best Pool Game: Joyin Inflatable Pool Volleyball and Basketball Float Set
If you’re going to be spending a lot of time at the pool in the coming months, buy a float set. Joyin’s value set features a net for volleyball, as well as a basketball hoop. Balls are included, so all you need to do is inflate the floats and encourage the family to team up for some water sports. Reviewers say the set provides hours of fun. Made with quality materials, the floats can withstand high temperatures and the direct glare of the sun in the UAE, even if you leave them standing in the pool for a few days.
Our recommendations are independently chosen by Gulf News editors. If you decide to shop through links on our website, we may earn an affiliate commission, as we are part of Amazon Services LLC Associates Program.
