Yard Dice can be super versatile and can entertain a group for hours. You can roll them on grass, dirt, sand, cement – you name it! Wherever you have space, make sure to have those dice handy for a quick game. Add on the fact that they are a very easy DIY project, and you could be set for some great summer bbq games and camping games for the rest of the summer!
- Yard Yahtzee:
- Objective: Score the most points by rolling five dice to make specific combinations.
- Gameplay: Similar to traditional Yahtzee, players take turns rolling the dice up to three times per turn to achieve combinations like three-of-a-kind, four-of-a-kind, full house, and Yahtzee (five of a kind).
- Yardzee:
- Objective: Similar to Yard Yahtzee, players aim to achieve the highest score with specific dice combinations.
- Gameplay: Players use large wooden dice and a scoreboard to keep track of their points. The categories and rules are similar to the original Yahtzee game. This set of yard dice actually comes with a “Yardzee” scorecard for you to show off your winning score to the rest of the group!
- Snake Eyes:
- Objective: Be the first player to reach a predetermined score.
- Gameplay: Players take turns rolling two dice. If a player rolls two ones (“snake eyes”), they score zero for that round. Otherwise, they add the sum of the dice to their score. The game continues until a player reaches the target score.
- Beat That:
- Objective: Have the highest score at the end of the game.
- Gameplay: Players take turns rolling two dice and combine the numbers to make the highest possible two-digit number. For example, if a player rolls a 3 and a 5, they can make either 35 or 53. The highest number wins the round. This is a common learning game to help kids learn number skills like place value and strategic thinking. You can also switch it up and try to get the lowest numbers as well!
- Pig:
- Objective: Be the first player to reach 100 points.
- Gameplay: Players take turns rolling a single die as many times as they want, adding up the numbers rolled. If a player rolls a 1, they lose all points accumulated in that turn and pass the die to the next player. Players can choose to end their turn before rolling a 1 to keep their points.
- Bunco:
- Objective: Score points by rolling specific numbers.
- Gameplay: Players take turns rolling three dice, aiming to roll the same number as the round (e.g., rolling 1s in round 1, 2s in round 2, etc.). Points are awarded for each matching number, and the player with the highest score at the end of the rounds wins.
- Farkle:
- Objective: Score 10,000 points by rolling specific combinations.
- Gameplay: Players take turns rolling six dice and try to score points based on various combinations (e.g., three of a kind, straights). Players can choose to keep rolling to accumulate more points or stop and bank their points. If a player rolls and scores nothing, they “farkle” and lose all points for that turn. The same set of Yard Dice linked above also comes with a Farkle scorecard to keep track of winners!
- Ship, Captain, and Crew:
- Objective: Roll a 6 (ship), 5 (captain), and 4 (crew) in that order, then score the highest with the remaining dice.
- Gameplay: Players take turns rolling five dice, aiming to roll a 6, 5, and 4. Once they have their ship, captain, and crew, they roll the remaining dice to score points. The player with the highest score at the end wins.
Any of these games can be adapted and modified to suit your group’s preferences. Each game can make for a fun and engaging outdoor activity for any age group and any size of group as well.
We’ve had so much fun with our own set of yard dice, and they’ve held up through countless game nights. If you’re looking to grab a set for yourself, check out the one we’ve been using here. Happy rolling!
