The Want List: Backyard Games
These outdoor gaming sets pair perfectly with sunny days, a cold iced tea, and great company.
Giant Chess
When it comes to lawn games of unusual size, the giant chess set reigns king. Light and durable, these oversized pieces from MegaChess weigh in around three pounds each, meaning you won’t need to wobble and crab-walk them across the board. Play on the sold-separately nylon mat (or its hard-plastic counterpart).
$849 at MegaChess
Designer Bocce
Bocce, boules, petanque. Medium-sized balls have been getting rolled or thrown down courts in one way or another since ancient times, when the “regulation” material was stone. This stunning set of eight hand painted balls from Fredericks & Mae, the Brooklyn-founded design studio behind the viral confetti cutting board, proves how far we’ve come.
$140 at Fredericks & Mae
Classic Croquet
Few things say class quite like croquet on a freshly-cut lawn. This handsome little set is ideal for beginners and masters alike, with four hardwood mallets and balls, nine wickets, and two finish stakes — packaged up, with instructions and scorecards, in an easily-toted nylon bag.
$129 at League & Company
Lawn Bowling
Normal bowling is fun, but you know what’s even better? Doing it in your own shoes. This lawn bowling set from Elakai lets you live that dream. And while you can play on relaxed terms, the pins and balls, crafted from beautiful and eco-friendly Hevea wood, are nevertheless regulation-size, not to mention coated in a weather-resistant lacquer for when the surprise summer thunderstorm leaves you with wet grass.
