The Houston Chronicle just released an article on how to have fun in your own backyard. These oldies but goodies will get the family away from electronic devices and outside for some fresh air!

Cornhole

Equipment: Two tilted cornhole boards, each with a single hole, set 40 to 45 feet apart and eight fabric bags filled with sand, beads, feed corn, etc.

Object: Score points by tossing bags at the opposite board and aiming for the hole. Bags that fall in the hole score three points, those that land on the board score one. Gameplay includes “cancellation scoring,” meaning one player’s three-point bag-in-the-hole cancels out another player’s, so only one player or team scores each round. First to reach a designated point total, usually 21, wins.

What makes it fun: With little skill or strategy involved (at least on the backyard level), it puts young players on par with older siblings.

More information: American Cornhole Association, click here.

Badminton

Equipment: Badminton racquets, a birdie (or shuttlecock) and a net 5 feet high on a court measuring 44 feet long and 17 feet wide for singles, 20 feet wide for doubles. A smaller court can be used for smaller players.

Object: Score points by hitting the shuttlecock over the net so it lands on the other team’s side of the court. One point is scored per winning volley, with the next serve awarded to the side that wins the point. First side to score 21 points wins.

What makes it fun: The cone-shaped shuttlecock is constructed so that it seems to float through the air, making it relatively easy for even beginning players to hit.

More information: USA Badminton, click here.

For more games and the full article from The Houston Chronicle, click here.