There are still plenty of days ahead with warm weather and sunshine, so why not spend some of them in the great outdoors? If the idea of sitting in the sunshine makes you hiss, perhaps we can entice you to get some fresh air by playing board games at the same time.
Here are five picks for durable dice, tile, and board games with pieces that won’t blow away with a burst of wind and can take a little dirt. Whether you’re at the park for a picnic or camping for the weekend, bring these games along for even more fun in the sun.
Bears!
This dice game pits hapless campers against hungry bears with fast-paced rolling and matching. On each turn, players pair dice to score points. Grab and match as fast as you can, but if you want to score big, it (and the bear) might bite you at the end of the round. Depending on the last dice remaining from the draw pile, players can earn positive or negative points based on their pairs.
This is a game that’s quick to learn and quick to play, making it a fantastic all-ages choice for your next camping trip.
Double Double Dominoes
Dominos is a classic game to play outdoors, and Calliope Games adds some competitive twists to make it even more fun. Aimed at 2-4 players ages 8+, Double Double Dominoes plays like dominoes meets Scrabble.
Match the numbers on each domino end. If a star with a number is underneath, the player earns that many points and advances their scoring token. The separate scoring track around the edge of the board adds to each player’s score when the number on the track matches a domino played.
Hive
It wouldn’t be the outdoors without bugs, right? But you’ll actually want to have the bugs of Hive around your picnic table. Players place and stack the durable game tiles to get their worker insects to surround their opponents’ queen bee.
Different bugs move in different ways, much like in chess, so strategy is a key element of the game. Hive is designed for two players, so it might be better suited for a quick trip to the park than a camping trip with a big group, unless you’re willing to share.
Pickomino
Dice and dominoes star in this game made for 2-7 players. Also known as Heckmeck outside the U.S., Pickomino challenges players to collect the most worms from the center row of dominoes.
Their dice rolls determine their actions. Players keep one dice to the side (threes, for example, or worms). The remaining dice are then rolled again until all dice are matched into sets. Add up the dice value to take the domino with the matching number. Throw in the ability to steal other players’ dominoes, and you have a competitive, press-your-luck game that can be played just about anywhere.
Trekking the National Parks
While this game does come with cards that may flutter in the wind, the theme of Trekking the National Parks is too good to pass up on a sunny day outside. Players vie to collect Park Cards and colored stones as they race from park to park on the game board.
This is one of those board games that is educational in disguise, teaching players of all ages about America’s beautiful parks–and maybe even inspiring a family vacation one day.
Do you have any go-to’s for going outside? Share them in the comments!
Featured Image: Fireside Games
Other Images: Fireside Games, Calliope Games, Zoch Verlag, Bink Ink
