Sun Feb 14 2016 | off-topic | sod
After you install lush sod, you can't help but head outdoors barefoot to feel that soft, velvety grass between your toes. If you want to maximize the fun you have while you bask in the pleasure of your new grass, invite friends and family over to play lawn games. Below we've listed the best lawn sports and games to play in your yard.
This traditional lawn sport provides fun for players of all ages. Each player has a mallet and a large ball, and the object is to hit your ball through various wickets (square hoops) around the yard. Beginning players can take it easy and practice aiming at wickets and applying the right amount of force. More advanced players can use strategy to make the game more competitive.
You don't have to head to the local alley to enjoy 10 frames of bowling. Create a lane in your own backyard. Gather 10 plastic water or soda bottles-make sure they're all the same size. Fill each one with water, put the lids on, and line them up like bowling pins. Then roll a playground ball towards the pins and knock down as many as you can.
For a fun nighttime variation, place a glow stick inside each bottle. And if you want to play on a hot day, set up a slippery water slide under the pins and have players slide towards the pins.
Top-level badminton players compete in international tournaments and even the summer Olympics. But this lawn sport can also provide hours of enjoyment for amateur players.
Set up a net or even just a rope to designate both sides of the playing court. Then hand each player a badminton racquet, and have one player begin the game by serving the shuttlecock over the net. Like tennis, badminton is played either singles or doubles style. Players aim to always return the shuttlecock without hitting it out of bounds.
This game goes by various names, including ladder golf and ladder ball. No matter what you call it, each version uses similar equipment and follows similar rules. The equipment starts with one or two short ladders with three rungs. The ladders should be about 3 feet high and able to stand alone sturdily. You'll also need ropes with colored golf balls attached to each end. The golf ball ropes are about 6 inches in length.
Players choose a set of three golf ball ropes-different colors of golf balls distinguish one player's ropes from another's. Everyone takes turns throwing a rope at the ladder from behind a designated line. Each rung has a point value, with the highest rung worth the most points. The first player to reach a pre-determined point value wins.
Turn a section of your lawn into a giant Twister board to play this game. First, trace a round dessert plate on cardboard. Cut out this circle to create a stencil. Next, purchase four colors of safe, non-toxic spray paint. Look for a washable spray paint, such as contractor's marking paint.
Using your stencil, spray as many circles onto your lawn as you want. A standard Twister board has 24 circles, but you can create a smaller or larger board to accommodate all your guests. Pull out the spinner from a real Twister board, and set your guests free to turn themselves into human pretzels.
To play this game, you'll need one beach towel for every two players and as many water balloons as you can fill. Two players form a team, and each player holds two corners of a single beach towel. Then two teams take turns launching a water balloon towards the other team, whose players try to catch the balloon. After each throw, teams step farther apart. The team with the most successful catches wins.
Depending on where you grew up, you may know this game as bean bag toss, soft horseshoes, or corn toss. The game has a large number of enthusiasts nationwide, but many of them learned the game in Kentucky or southern Ohio.
The basic aim is to throw enclosed pouches of dried beans or corn through a hole on a slanted platform. A corn bag that falls into the hole scores three points; a bag that lands on the platform scores one point. Players or teams toss one bag at a time, and the first player or team to 21 points wins.
Cornhole remains popular for several reasons. It's simple enough that anyone can play it, but it's exciting enough to capture the interest of all players and observers. Plus, the corn- or bean-filled bags are soft and safe. And you can play it right on grass-no need for the sand pits that are required in horseshoes.
Play these games with your family and friends so you can all enjoy the lush grass in your yard. Contact a sod grower if you want to add more sod to your property.