Backyard Games & Play: Pickleball, Lawn Games & Yard Setups

Backyard games are the cheapest way to get people off their phones and onto the lawn, and the rule that matters most is the least glamorous one: space. A regulation pickleball court, a cornhole lane and a bocce pitch each want a very different patch of yard, and plenty of people find that out after the box arrives.

So we lead with the footprint. Our space guide and free fit-checker tell you which games your yard can take, then our picks cover the gear worth buying, with honest notes on what feels flimsy, what stores flat and what a family will still be playing in three summers.