These are the pages we would want before buying anything: what the rules actually say, what the regulation dimensions are, what the materials do over five seasons, and how much lawn each game needs.
Nothing here is from memory. Where a sport has a governing body, that body's published rules are the source and are named inline. Where it does not, the manufacturer's own listing is. Where neither publishes a figure, the page says so rather than filling the gap.
The signature guide
Start here if you have not bought anything
How much space do yard games need is the most useful page on this site. It puts every game we cover into one table with its published footprint, its longest run and its player count. No competitor publishes this, and it settles most shortlists in about thirty seconds.
How to play
Rules and scoring
| Guide | Source | What it settles |
|---|---|---|
| Cornhole rules | American Cornhole League | Cancellation scoring, and what happens past 21 |
| Bocce ball rules | United States Bocce Federation | Scoring, and how to play without a court |
| How to play kubb | Kubb World Championship | The king rule that loses games |
| Kan Jam rules | Manufacturer published rules | Deflection scoring and the exact-21 finish |
| Ladder toss rules | Commonly published rules | Rung values and the exact-21 finish |
| Giant Jenga rules | Manufacturer published specifications | Safety, house variants and when a tower has fallen |
What to buy
Dimensions and materials
| Guide | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Regulation cornhole dimensions | Every ACL figure with its tolerance, and the two most misread measurements |
| Cornhole board materials | Plywood against MDF, bag fill, and what the price difference buys |
| Bocce court dimensions | The USBF court, the backyard version, and how small it can go |
| Weatherproof yard games | Which materials survive outdoors, ranked, across every game we cover |
After you buy
Care, storage and buying decisions
| Guide | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Giant game storage | Where 56 wooden blocks actually live between parties |
| Giant games, wind and weather | Why tall wooden games fail, and the two conditions that do it |
| Rent or buy yard games | The honest arithmetic, including when the answer is do not buy |
| Best yard games under $100 | What a budget genuinely buys, and where cutting cost costs you nothing |
FAQ
Questions people actually ask
Where do the numbers in these guides come from?
Which guide should I read first?
What do you do when a manufacturer does not publish a figure?
Why you can check our work
We have not played these. Every figure above is copied from a manufacturer's published listing or a governing body's published rules, and named so you can verify it. Where a maker publishes nothing, the field is blank rather than filled in. How we pick explains the whole method, including what would change a recommendation.
Read next
Related pages
Guide
How much space do yard games need?
Every game's published footprint, longest run and player count in one sourced table.
Guide
Cornhole rules
ACL scoring, cancellation explained, and what happens past 21 — with the published source.
Guide
Bocce ball rules
Scoring, player-count variations and the no-court version — with the USBF as the source.
Guide
Weatherproof yard games
Every game ranked on what actually happens when it is left outside, by published material.
Guide
Should you rent or buy yard games?
The rent-versus-buy arithmetic, including the cases where the right answer is neither.
Sources
- American Cornhole League — rules and regulations
- United States Bocce Federation — open rules
- Kubb World Championship — rules (English)
- NHPA — official rules and specifications
- International Molkky Organisation — game rules
Every figure on this page is copied from one of these sources. If you find one that is wrong or out of date, tell us and we will fix it.