What Makes a Good Yard Game?

Yard games come in all shapes and sizes, but not all yard games are created equal. So what makes a good yard game? What is that magic recipe? This answer is actually quite simple. It comes down to three things: degree of fun, portability/size, and set up time.

For obvious reasons, the degree of fun is the first and most important factor. If the game is not fun, then you are clearly not going to play the game. That being said, the more rules that are involved in a game tend to convolute the game and bring down the level of fun. In my experience, the longer it takes to figure out a game the less likely someone will go into it with a positive opinion. I'm all about the KISS method, Keep It Simple Stupid!

Typically, when you are playing a yard game you are bringing it from one location to another. People do not just leave it set up in their backyard for days on end. They are bringing them along to the beach, the park, or even to a tailgate. Games that are clunky, heavy, or that do not fold up into a convenient size make it hard to transport. Imagine you are going to a cookout. You pack the car with coolers, chairs, blankets, food, but is there any room for your game? If the game is too big, you better believe its going to be left behind. But what if the game can fold up into an easily portable size? Well then its coming along and you're the new life of the party!

According to the Journal of Physiology, the average attention span of an adult is 8 seconds. Its hard enough to teach a bunch of people a new game, let alone wrangle people in for a long enough time and wait while you put together the game. When picking your game, make sure its easy to set up or make sure you get it ready before your company even arrives. There has been too many times where I attempted to bring a game out and since I did not have anything organized, my friends decided to play something else.

So the next time you go to my website or a store to buy a new yard game, make sure you consider these three factors! Be sure to check out my reviews of some of the best yard games out there today! I base my reviews on these three factors when coming up with my ratings!