This Yard Game Is the Ultimate Backyard Barbecue Upgrade

Getting outside is chock-full of benefits, from reducing common cravings to upping your happiness level. That means hitting the park for a picnic or hanging out in your backyard can add a healthful boost to your day (and help keep you and your friends safe during the pandemic). Once you've got the great outdoors all around you (and a belly full of whatever delicious summer meal you're sharing), there's only one thing left to add to the equation: a yard game.

A fun game is the perfect way to keep the party going, and one of the very best options out there might remind you of a favorite childhood pastime. This Wooden Outdoor Tumbling Timbers toy (buy it: $50, Food52) is well worth the couple of minutes you'll spend setting it up for each game. Basically a life-sized riff on Jenga, the game works with any number of people and is super low-pressure.

The medium-sized tower stacks up to 2 feet tall, and it gets even higher once you start pulling wooden blocks and piling them back on top. The tower even comes with a carrying case, so you can tote the game down to the park or a neighborhood get-together without a hitch.

My yard game-obsessed family owns a version of the timber toy that keeps us on the edge of our seats every time we play. The game even managed to overtake cornhole (buy it: $294, Food52) as our most played game of the day, which is no small feat!

Yard Games manufactures the giant Jenga-style game, plus others that honestly seem like the perfect fit for your next outing. There's this compact ring-toss that seems perfect for a day on the beach (buy it: $40, Food52), or this simple-but-cute Swedish block game that will definitely spark some friendly competition (buy it: $149, Food52).