Consumer Reports' favorite outdoor games for 2026

Most backyard games are used once and then forgotten in the garage. Consumer Reports staff named the 10 outdoor games they return to year after year

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From the casual toss of a Frisbee to the satisfying clang of a ringer in horseshoes, backyard games have been a staple of American summers for decades. The options available today span a wide range of formats, skill levels, and group sizes, making it harder than ever to choose the right game for a given gathering. As more households invest in outdoor living spaces, a well-chosen game can anchor an afternoon in ways that a second cooler or another folding chair simply cannot.

Consumer Reports asked its staff to name their favorite outdoor games and explain what keeps them coming back year after year. Here are 10 picks worth adding to your backyard rotation.

Wiffle Bat and Ball Set

At $8.99 for a bat and ball set, Wiffle ball is the most affordable entry on this list and the one most likely to produce a story worth retelling for decades. Consumer Reports contributor Chris Raymond recalled a game in which his grandmother, standing barely 5 feet tall, launched skyward in a floral print dress and white flats to make a leaping, bare-handed catch in shallow right field. CR says that moment, from the crack of the bat to the shock that rippled through the family, is exactly the kind of memory a low-cost Wiffle bat and ball set can deliver to any family picnic. No other game on this list costs less or asks less of its players while promising so much.

Frisbee Official Ultimate 175g Flying Disc

The Frisbee Official Ultimate 175g Flying Disc is available starting at $16.99 and requires no setup, no teams, and no score. Consumer Reports contributor Danielle Claro described a recurring scene on her shared property in which multiple discs got going at once, back and forth and crisscrossing, drawing in friends of all ages and skill levels without any plan or announcement. CR calls it the best kind of summer fun, the spontaneous kind that happens when one person takes aim and........

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