These are the Best Board Games to Play Outside

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Once the sun starts to shine, it’s time to move your board game hobby outdoors! Some people might think that there are no board games to play outside, but it’s not true. For a simple example, think about how often we see people playing chess in the park.

Many board games can be enjoyed outside, and not just giant lawn game versions of classics. Before we get to the list, let’s take a moment to consider what makes a good outdoor board game and problems you might run into with outdoor board games. This will help you choose board games to play outside from your existing collection. Our list will also help you choose new games to add to your collection.

What Kind of Board Games Play Well Outside?

First off, if you want to play outside, chances are you’re not worried about things like rain, snow, or other forms of precipitation. We don’t really need to consider that as an issue then. There are other things to look for when choosing the best board games to play outside. 

What Should I Look For? 

Let’s start with the good first. Some game pieces play well outside. Other games need simple tool swaps or the right tools added to make a board game outdoor ready. 

Dice, for example, work really well outside, along with tiles and other components that come with a bit of weight. They are also easier to keep clean.

Games with white boards are also preferable to games with paper and pencil. Keep in mind, though, that you can simply use white boards and markers in place of paper and pencils. Or, to go the extra mile, you can get a home laminator to laminate scoring sheets for your favorite games. Then you can use them again and again!

Then, think about your game experience beyond the specific board game. To play board games outside, you will want a steady, level playing surface. Depending on your outdoor space, a simple folding card table can do the trick. A picnic table set works even better as it’s more stable. Whatever you choose, you’ll want your outdoor table for board games to meet the following requirements:

• Can sit level so pieces don’t shift.
• Zero gaps or add a cover so pieces don’t fall through.
• Has enough space for all game pieces.

Any outdoor furniture that meets these requirements will serve you well when playing board games outside.

Problems (and Solutions) With Playing Board Games Outside

Now, a word of caution: even on the most beautiful day, you will still want to keep your board games safe outside. Here are three common outdoor gaming problems you can fix with the right pieces.

Wind

Wind easily poses the #1 problem with playing board games outside. Any game that involves cards will likely blow away in the breeze, or at least get ruffled up. Some games only use a few cards as part of a larger game, so don’t necessarily rule out a board game from outdoor play just because it has cards. 

There are also easy and affordable ways to hold cards down. A playing card holder can help keep cards in your hand, and a playing card tray can help with discards, especially with standard card games. For the most part, though, if you’re looking for board games to play outside, you might want to skip card games until you have these tools.

Particles

Dirt, pollen, humidity, campfire smoke – there are many kinds of elements outside that don’t exist inside, which can be difficult for gameplay. You can protect your games with card sleeves and other guards, and you can clean your games, too. But if you have a game that’s valuable, either in a personal or a monetary way, it might be best kept inside to avoid damage. 

Sun

It’s not likely that the sun would do a lot of damage to your board game with occasional outside play, but damage isn’t the only thing to think about. How difficult is it to see game pieces or read a card outside in the bright sun? Any game that involves an electronic screen, such as a phone, computer, or other digital components, will certainly be more difficult. Consider your eyesight and your ability to block the sun with a stand-alone umbrella or other protective gear before choosing board games to play outside.

The Best Board Games to Play Outside

All the board games below play really well outside. They won’t blow away in a light breeze, they withstand the elements, and a little sun won’t do any harm. Here’s a list of the best board games to play outside, with descriptions of some favorites to follow.

• Can’t Stop
• Carcassonne
• Santorini
• Telestrations
• Qwirkle
• Just One
• Zombie Dice
• Liar’s Dice
• Azul
• Headbanz
• Hanabi Deluxe 
• Quarto
• KLASK
• Word on the Street
• Hive
• Qwixx
• Wits and Wagers
• Blokus
• Agricola: All Creatures Big and Small

Can’t Stop

This board game has everything you could want from a board game to play outside. It’s sturdy, easy to read, easy to carry outside, and super fun. Most components would not easily blow away, especially once the cones are in the board. Did I mention how fun it is? Can’t Stop is an easy to learn press-your-luck dice game for 2-4 players. You can play online at Board Game Arena, too. 

Carcassonne

Carcassonne is a simple yet addicting tile-laying game for 2-5 players. (You can add more players with the expansions.) Players will draw a tile on their turn, place the tile on the map, and then place a meeple on that tile if they wish. Meeples will help players earn points, and whoever earns the most points wins. It sounds simple, but once you start to play, you’ll realize there are endless possibilities.

Telestrations

Telestrations is easily one of my favorite party games, and you will have no problems playing it outside. Just make sure to discard the word cards in the holder after choosing a word, and you’re good to go. 

Pictionary meets Telephone in this hilarious 4-8 player drawing game. Players will choose a word from a card based on a die roll. Then, players will rotate their booklets each round, alternating between drawing the word they’re given and guessing the word or phrase from the drawing. You can only look back at the page before, though! The whole family will enjoy lots of laughs when everything goes wrong in Telestrations.

Just One

Similar to Telestrations, this hilarious 3-7 player family-friendly party game moves outside easily. With little white board stands and a small deck of cards, you can keep your attention on gameplay as you all work together to earn a high score. A player will choose a word they cannot see. The other players will write a single related word to help the player guess the word. But no repeats! Any repeated clues will not be shown, making it harder to guess. The more correct guesses, the more points you rack up. Fans of Scattergories will love Just One, too.

Zombie Dice

Portable and fun? Yes and yes! Zombie Dice involves only dice (and a scorepad of some kind), making it an easy board game to play outside. Players will roll the dice on their turn, and roll either brains, footprints, or explosions. The more brains you roll, the closer you are to winning. Watch out for the explosions, though! They can make you lose all your brains that round. The first player to “eat” enough brains wins the game.

Azul

For a more in-depth strategic board game to play outside, Azul is the way to go. The weighty tiles, boards, and tile bag are the only pieces needed. Players collect tiles and use them to build their “walls” to earn as many points as possible. The player with the most points at the end of the game wins! If you enjoy Azul already, you might try Summer Pavillion next.

Quarto

Do you ever wish Connect Four was more challenging? Then you’re looking for Quarto. In this two-player game, pieces are not just separated by two colors. They also have different shapes, sizes, and heights. You win the game by getting four in a row in any one of these categories. And for yet another twist, you don’t get to choose which piece you play each turn. Instead, your opponent chooses for you. This thoughtful board game makes a great board game to play outside.

KLASK

KLASK is the portable, affordable version of air hockey. Two players will compete to get a metal ball into the other player’s hole for points. Be careful, though! You use magnetic sticks to get them in, and if a small magnet piece grabs on to your stick, or your stick falls into your own hole, the other player will get a point. The first player to six points wins. Place this game on a flat surface outside, and you’re good to go.

Word on the Street

Word on the Street is a delightful team “tug of war” word game the whole family will love. When a team draws a card, they have the length of the timer to find a word that matches the category and spell it on the board. The more teams use a certain letter, the closer they’ll “tug” it to their side. Once they get a letter off the board, they earn that letter. The first team to earn eight letters wins. And while this game has cards, they can go directly into the box after drawing, keeping this game outdoor ready!

Wits and Wagers

Much like Word on the Street, Wits and Wagers is a wonderful outdoor family board game. I like to call it a trivia game for people who aren’t good at trivia! Instead, close counts in this “Price Is Right” style game. The answer to each question read aloud is always a number. Players or teams will write their best guess on their whiteboards. Then, players will vote on which number they think is closest to the correct answer without actually going over the correct answer. Earn the most points to win.

Blokus

In this 2 or 4 player game, players will work to play as many of their Tetris-style tiles as possible. You can only play pieces at the corners of your currently-existing ones but along the edge of anyone else’s. Whoever has the fewest squares from their leftover tiles at the end wins. This simple puzzle game will occupy you for hours. You can also get a two-player only version.

Agricola: All Creatures Big and Small

The two-player version of the popular strategy game Agricola, this board game is a great outdoor choice for gamers who prefer more in-depth options. With the help of workers, players will gather animals and resources to make the best farm they can. They’ll earn points over nine rounds, and whoever has the most points at the end wins.

Time to Play Board Games Outside!

Remember, there are lots of board games to play outside besides the one listed, especially with the right tools. Start off with just a few and see which ones fit your outside gameplay desires best. Soon enough, you’ll be spending lots of time outdoors while still enjoying board games every day. After you’ve found your favorites, come back here and tell us about them! 

If you’re looking for that classic game vibe for the outdoors, you have plenty of gameplay options, too. Try a giant Connect Four, or see if you can get a Yahtzee with the wooden lawn dice. If you’re feeling crafty, you can even try to make your own tiles for any of the tile games mentioned. All you’ll need is some paint, maybe some permanent markers, and you’ll be on your way to making a completely unique outdoor board game.

And before you go, don’t forget to share this infographic on playing board games outside. Your friends will see all the ways to play, and before you know it, you’ll have your own outdoor game group. What a great way to get outside every single day! 

What are your favorite board games to play outside?