Everyone is always looking for the newest game to play at the family gathering. But instead of pulling out Monopoly, why not try these outdoor games instead? These are some of the best outdoor games that you’ve probably never heard of. But once you learn about them, you’ll want to play them at every gathering.

9 Square

Don’t hesitate to look for 9 square on sale, and that’s because this game is great for everyone, young or old. 9 Square combines elements of volleyball and 4 Square, but expanded to 9 instead and raised off the ground. Each person stands in a square and the person in the middle, known as the king, serves the ball through their square toward another square. Each person gets one chance to get it out of their square and into someone else’s. They are out if they hit the ball more than once during their turn, the ball hits the ground in that player’s square, or if they hit the ball out of bounds. When they’re out, they rotate back to square one while everyone else moves forward to take that person’s space. The goal is to keep the role of king in the center spot for as long as possible.

Rollors

Rollors is a game for people who are often very indecisive and don’t know what to play. It combines elements of bocce ball, lawn bowling, and horseshoes. You take your team’s wooden disk and try to get it as close to the goal as possible. The one that is closest gets the points value on that disk. Whoever gets to 21 first wins, but you have to be winning by at least two points to claim victory.

Lighted Bocce Ball

Everyone knows bocce ball, but the fun doesn’t have to end when the sun goes down. Lighted bocce ball allows you to continue playing, with LEDs in the balls that last a long time. Not the strangest game out there, but this is definitely a different way of playing it.

Molkky

This is also known as Numbered Skittles and is a simple tossing game that requires a bit of luck and a lot of skill. It is growing in popularity every year so more and more people are playing it. A set comes with 12 wooden skittles that are numbered 1 through 12. You set them up in numbered order and start tossing the throwing pin at them. Turns are alternated between teams and points are earned based on which pins are knocked down. If you knock over more than one, then each one only counts as one point, so there is some strategy involved.

Yard Dice

Take your favorite games and make them more fun on a much larger scale. All you need is a pair of large wooden dice to get you going, and you’ll be entertained for hours. Play Greedy, 21 Aces, or even try your hand at some gambling with Street Craps.

Family gatherings will never be the same way ever again with these handy outdoor games at your disposal. The only downside is planning around the weather, but that shouldn’t be a problem during summer.