Snowy Bocce BallBocce ball is a classic summer pastime that transitions perfectly into a winter landscape. The natural resistance of snow adds a fresh layer of strategy to the game. To begin, you will need a standard bocce set, preferably with brightly colored balls that stand out against the white ground. If the snow is deep, pack down a rectangular court area by stomping it with your boots to create a semi-smooth playing surface.
The game rules remain identical to the traditional version. One player throws the smaller target ball, known as the pallino, into the court. Players then take turns rolling or tossing their larger bocce balls to see who can get closest to the target. In the winter version, the balls will not roll as far, forcing players to master a high-arcing toss that plops directly into the snow. Points are tallied at the end of each round based on proximity to the pallino, and the first team to reach sixteen points wins the match.
Frozen Nordic KubbKubb is an ancient Swedish lawn game that feels entirely authentic when played in freezing temperatures. Often called Viking chess, the game involves knocking down wooden blocks by tossing wooden dowels. A snowy lawn provides an excellent arena for this battle of skill. Setting up the boundaries is simple, as you can use colored water in a spray bottle to mark the corners of the rectangular pitch directly on the snow.
Teams stand on opposite baselines and try to knock over the five blocks, or kubbs, on the opponent’s side. Once a team successfully topples all the enemy kubbs, they can aim for the larger “king” block in the center of the field to claim victory. The shifting texture of the snow adds unpredictability, as wooden dowels might slide smoothly over icy crusts or sink instantly into fresh powder. This game keeps everyone moving, strategizing, and enjoying the crisp winter air.
Snow Target GolfTransform your backyard into a custom winter golf course using just a few simple tools. Instead of digging holes into the frozen earth, players create targets by pressing bowls into the snow to form shallow craters. You can color the inside of these craters with a mix of water and food dye to make them visible from a distance. Use old golf clubs or even hockey sticks paired with brightly colored tennis balls to navigate the course.
Each crater serves as a hole, and you can design a three-hole or six-hole course winding around trees, patio furniture, and snowdrifts. The deep snow acts as a massive sand trap, preventing balls from rolling freely and requiring players to loft their shots carefully. Keep track of strokes on a scorecard, and the player who completes the entire backyard course with the fewest hits wins the tournament.
Winter Cornhole TournamentCornhole is a staple of backyard barbecues, but it is equally thrilling during a snowfall. To adapt this game for the winter, ensure your cornhole boards are made of weather-resistant plastic or sealed wood to protect them from moisture. Set the boards at the standard distance, or bring them a bit closer if walking through the snow proves difficult.
Standard beanbags can get soggy and heavy when tossed into the snow. To fix this, use weather-resistant plastic pellet-filled bags or wrap standard bags in small plastic zip bags. The core gameplay remains the same, with players earning three points for landing a bag in the hole and one point for landing on the board. The cold air adds a fun challenge, as icy boards make the bags slide off much faster than they would on a warm summer day.
Backyard Snow BowlingSnow bowling is an easy and creative game that the entire family can set up together. You can create the bowling pins by filling ten empty plastic bottles with water and adding a few drops of food coloring so they are easily seen against the snow. Arrange these pins in a classic triangle formation at one end of a packed snow runway.
For the bowling ball, you can use a heavy playground ball, a frozen watermelon, or even a large, tightly packed snowball. Players take turns rolling the ball down the icy lane to knock down as many pins as possible. The uneven terrain of a snow-covered lawn adds hilarious curves and bounces to the ball’s path, making a perfect strike a true achievement.
Snowball Skee-BallBring the classic arcade experience into the great outdoors by sculpting a skee-ball ramp entirely out of snow. Pack a large mound of snow against a wall or fence, and carve out a series of stepped tiers or concentric rings. Assign different point values to each ring, with the smallest, highest target yielding the most points.
Players stand several feet back, craft a supply of standard-sized snowballs, and take turns tossing them into the targets. Unlike arcade skee-ball where the balls roll back, the snowballs will imbed themselves directly into the targets, making scorekeeping simple. This game rewards precision and consistent snowball-rolling skills, providing hours of active entertainment on a cold afternoon.
Embracing the winter season does not mean retreating indoors until spring. By adapting familiar summer pastimes and utilizing the unique properties of snow, a backyard can quickly transform into a vibrant winter sports arena. These games encourage physical activity, foster friendly competition, and create lasting memories out in the fresh winter air. With a little creativity and the right gear, snow days can become the most anticipated playtime of the year.
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