Best Picnic Games 2023
17 Portable Games Perfect For Picnics, the Beach, and More
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Whether they force you to get vulnerable, bring out your competitive side, or give you a hell of a workout, I think we can all agree that playing games makes any interaction more fun. That's why, as you plan to gather with family and friends this summer, we're making sure you pack a set of highly entertaining games to spice things up.
We scooped up 17 great options that you can easily pack up, along with a cute picnic basket, for an afternoon spent outdoors. SoFrom Jenga to We're Not Really Strangers, these options will keep you physically and emotionally active. You can choose from kid-friendly board games the whole family can play or games intended for older players for some adult fun. Plus, you'll learn new things and laugh until your belly hurts. Don't miss out on the fun!
— Additional reporting by Angela Elias
A Family Board Game
Taboo Kids vs. Parents ($20, originally $22)
On the next family picnic, get the entire group to compete with this board game. Kids play against parents in the race against the clock to get as many words as possible! It's a fun take on the game — the best part might be the squeaker that's used to squeak at the person who uses a forbidden word.
A Classic Card Game
UNO Attack Game ($7)
A classic game perfect for a party of two or a larger group, UNO Attack Game guarantees hours of fun and healthy competition. Players can even write and customize their own rules for the wild card.
A Game of Strategy
Beyond Outdoors Giant Connect 4-in-a-Row ($60)
This larger version of a beloved classic will never get old. You'll find yourself using it summer after summer. Its dimensions are 21.75" x 20.35", it comes with 42 discs, and is made from wood for a sturdy, neutral spin on the original plastic version.
A Card Game You May Not Know
Skip-Bo ($8)
If you love Uno but want a new game to throw in the mix, this one was created by the makers of Uno. Skip-Bo challenges players to be the first to make a stack of ascending cards. The first player who empties their Skip-Bo cards is the winner. But watch out for wild cards — they'll throw you for a loop!
Bean Bag Toss Lawn Game Set
Sun Squad Wood Bean Bag Toss Game Set ($80)
This set is great for outdoor gatherings, whether they take place in your backyard or the park. This bean bag toss game is perfect for ages six and up. It even comes with a bean bag carry bag, so you can easily pack the set up and place it in your trunk.
Standard Playing Cards
Bicycle Standard Playing Cards ($3)
There are a bunch of fun games to play with any deck of cards. Some of our favorites include Crazy Eights, SlapJack, Bluff, and President. Keeping a standard deck of cards in the car is always a good idea.
Bocce Ball Lawn Game Set
Hearth & Hand With Magnolia Bocce Ball Lawn Game Set ($75)
This set comes with four pairs of bocce balls in red, yellow, blue, and light blue for up to four players or teams. The sleek carrying case is convenient for toting the set in style to your next picnic.
A Guessing Game
Hedbanz ($14)
Once these headbands are on and everyone has a card on their head, the game is on! One at a time, players ask "yes" or "no" questions about the card on their head to figure out what it is. The first person to earn three scoring badges wins.
A Game For Deepening Connections
We're Not Really Strangers Game ($25)
This game is designed to deepen your connections with anyone you play it with. If you want to know a friend or partner better, pick up these cards and get ready to be raw and honest.
A Strategic Board Game
Jax Sequence Game ($13, originally $25)
The goal of this game is to get a sequence of chips before the other player. It sounds easy, but watch out for the jacks! It can accommodate two to 12 players and is for ages seven and up.
A Trivia Board Game
Hygge. . . I Should Have Known That! Trivia Game ($20)
You'll quickly become addicted to this trivia-style board game. Unlike traditional trvia games, you don't win points for guessing correctly. Instead, you lose points for guessing incorrectly. There are 110 cards and over 400 common knowledge questions.
A Meme Game
What Do You Meme? Core Game ($30)
Everyone will get a laugh out of this card game which comes with a meme card and a picture. The goal is to compete with friends and family to come up with the funniest meme by combining the provided image for each round with the caption cards you were dealt. This game is designed for players age 17 and older and is meant to be played with at least three players.
A Buzzword Card Game
Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza Game ($10)
This game is super easy to learn and a blast to play. Keep those five words in mind and as soon as there is a match between a card and someone speaking one of those words, you'll race each other to slap your hand on the central pile of cards. The last hand to top the pile has to take all of the cards.
A Card Game For Significant Others
Flutyco Love Language: Card Game ($25)
Perfect to play with a significant other, this card game is broken into five categories to ensure every major topic is included: Family, Intimacy, Couple, Individual, and Past & Future. You can choose to focus on one category or mix them all.
Funny Board Game
Off Topic Adult Party Game ($30)
Stir up some hilarious conversations with this board game. Start by rolling the die to choose the letter your responses need to start with. Use the sand timer to write down answers for each topic that begin with the letter you rolled as quickly as possible. You'll crack up as you debate answers with your competitors.
A Classic Game of Engineering
Jenga ($17)
You can never go wrong with a classic game of Jenga. It follows three easy steps: pull a block from the stack out, place it back on top, don't let the tower fall! Here's the catch: you can only use one hand, meaning you can't try to stabilize the tower if you see it falling.
A Set of Classic Games
Etna Board Game Set ($48)
You can never go wrong with a classic board game. This set will let you play a whopping 15 different games. It includes a wooden top for Checkers and Chess, two reversible wooden slide-out table tops and a wooden storage drawer that doubles as a game board. You can play Checkers, Chess, Chinese Checkers, Parcheesi, TicTacToe, Solitaire, pass out, Snakes and Ladders, Mancala, Backgammon, Poker Dice, Playing Cards, Go Fish, Old Maid, and Dominos.
