Keep Away
Pass the frisbee to keep players from intercepting it. "Keep Away" is a basic backyard game that can be played with any object you can throw—but some objects are more safely thrown than others. Why not use something that's 'meant' to be thrown, like a frisbee? Choose 2 players to pass the frisbee back and forth to each other. The other players move around in the middle and try to intercept the pass. Players: at least 3, but it's better with at least 4 so that you don't have 2 people ganging up on 1 person Equipment: 1 frisbee Space: enough to be able to pass a frisbee over and around people—depends on the number and size of the people playing Scoring: Make it up! You might decide an intercept is worth 1 point, or that a completed pass is worth 2 points and an intercept is -1 point. Then decide what you want to play to. Skill level: beginner
Frisbee Dodgeball
Turn your backyard into a dodgeball arena. If dodgeball is your favorite sport but you don't have a ball handy, you can use a frisbee instead! The game is played exactly like dodgeball otherwise, so you don't have to worry about teaching people new rules. Players: like "Keep Away," it's best if you have at least 4 players Equipment: a soft frisbee is best to avoid bodily harm Space: enough for your players to be able to move around to dodge thrown frisbees Scoring: Every player hit with the frisbee is out. If a player in the middle catches a frisbee, the player on the outside who threw it is out. Play continues until there's only one player left, who is declared the Emperor of Frisbee Dodgeball. Skill level: beginner
Musical Frisbee
Frisbee puts a new twist on an old standard. You've likely played musical chairs before. But instead of walking around a row of chairs, wouldn't it be more fun to toss a frisbee around? If you're the one holding the frisbee when the music stops, you get a free pass. Everyone else has to rush for a chair! Players: at least 4 (the more players you have, the longer the game could go on) Equipment: frisbee, chairs (if you don't have enough chairs to eliminate 1 player at a time, you can eliminate 2 or more players each round) Space: enough for everybody playing to pass the frisbee around Scoring: When the music stops at the end of each round, players who don't find a chair are eliminated. Play continues until there is only one player remaining, who is crowned the winner. Skill level: beginner
Frisbee H-O-R-S-E
Use your environment to create fun challenges. In this adaptation of the more common basketball game, a challenger creates a challenge for throwing the frisbee—over or through an obstacle, around a corner, whatever! The other players then have to complete the challenge. But watch out—if the challenger can't complete their own challenge, they lose the position as challenger. Players can also get fancy with body positions and movements required to throw the frisbee, such as throwing it under your leg. Players: at least 2 Equipment: frisbee, obstacles Space: No specific space requirements. In fact, this is a great game when you have outdoor space that's not level, since most frisbee games require a level surface. Scoring: each player to successfully complete a challenge gets a letter; first player to spell out "horse" wins Skill level: all skill levels (better if players are relatively evenly matched)
Frisbee Bowling
Fling a frisbee down the lane and knock down some pins. Usually if you want to bowl you have to go to a bowling alley—but not with this frisbee variation! Bowling balls are heavy, so don't expect this to be very fun with real bowling pins. But with a lightweight plastic set and a heavy-duty frisbee, you can really do some damage. The best part? It doesn't matter if the ground is rough or not exactly level as long as the pins are stable. Players: 2+ Equipment: frisbee, a lawn bowling pin set or something you can use for pins (such as empty soda bottles) Space: depends on the age and skill level of the players—enough to create a lane to throw the frisbee at the pins. Scoring: Use the same scoring system as bowling, or keep it simple and score 1 point per pin. Skill level: all skill levels
Bottle Bash
Knock down bottles to test your aim. This classic backyard game is known by many names, including "beersbee" (a portmanteau of "beer" and "frisbee") and Polish horseshoes (despite the fact that it involves neither horseshoes nor the Polish culture). Play is simple: stick poles in the yard a distance apart and put bottles on top of them. Split into teams and head on over to a pole. Now, take turns throwing the frisbee to try to knock the bottle off the other team's pole. Players: 2-4 Equipment: frisbee, bottles, poles—or a Bottle Bash game set Space: Depends on how far you need or want to set the poles apart. You might also factor in possible collateral damage if a frisbee ricochets off of any nearby fences or structures. Scoring: Throw the frisbee at your opponent's bottle and pole to score points. Only the throwing team can score: 1 point if the other team drops the frisbee, 2 points if the bottle falls and hits the ground, 3 points if the bottle falls 'and' the frisbee isn't caught. Play to 11, 15, or 21 depending on how long you want the game to last (or your players' skill level) Skill level: all levels—bottles can be adjusted to accommodate varying skill levels
Kan Jam
Test your accuracy and defense skills with this popular game. From its inception, Kan Jam was more of a DIY game—and it still can be, if you've got a couple of barrels lying around that you can cut slots in the side of. In a pinch, you could even use garbage cans! Split up 4 people into 2 teams of 4 and take turns trying to through the frisbee in each other's can. If you're playing the most technical rules, you're supposed to have a beer (or over beverage) in one hand the whole time you're playing, which means you only get one hand to defend your goal. Players: 2-4 (1-on-1, or 2 teams of 2) Equipment: frisbee, 2 large barrels or containers—or a Kam Jam game set Space: at least enough space to set the 2 cans at the desired length apart Scoring: Players stand beside their barrel and take turns throwing the frisbee at their opponent's barrel. If the other player deflects the frisbee into the barrel, you get 1 point. Hit the barrel yourself and get 2 points or dunk it in the top for 3. And if you get it in the slot on the side of the barrel, you automatically win! Otherwise, be the first player to reach exactly 21 points. Skill level: all levels can find their niche to help their team
Frisbee Baseball
Put a spin on an old favorite pastime to entertain a large group. Since you're going to want at least 5 people on a team, this is a game for a time when you have a lot of people together and a relatively large expanse to play in. The good news is that if you have all that, you don't need much more than a frisbee to play this adaptation of baseball. The only switch is that the "batter" who steps up to the plate throws the frisbee and runs—it's up to the players in the field to catch it before the thrower tags base or scores. Players: 10 or more Equipment: frisbee, something to mark bases and home plate Space: if not an actual baseball field, enough space for 3 bases and home plate Scoring: the same as baseball—players try to round the bases and score. If a player in the field catches the frisbee, the thrower is out, and 3 outs mean the teams switch sides. Play a set number of innings or to a specific score. Skill level: all skill levels (not being able to throw very hard could be the equivalent of a bunt!)
Frisbee Basketball
You don't need a ball if you've got a hoop. You can't really use a basketball to play frisbee, but you 'can' use a frisbee to play basketball—sort of. Movement and playing strategy might take some getting used to, especially for seasoned basketball players, but you'll still have a lot of fun! Play 1-on-1 with a single hoop or pull together a couple of teams for some full court action. Players: 2+ Equipment: frisbee, basketball hoop Space: enough to run around in front of the basketball hoop Scoring: Either score the same as basketball, or use alternate scoring that allows for 1 point if the frisbee hits the rim or the net. Play to whatever amount of points you choose. Skill level: beginner-intermediate
Frisbee Soccer
Can you throw the winning goal? This could be your perfect game if you've always thought soccer could be improved with more throwing and less kicking. You'll need at least 6 people for a proper 3-on-3 (and more for a full game), so this one is best when you've got a large group of people together in a large outdoor space. Players: 6+ Equipment: goals (you can use anything for goals as well, such as a couple of traffic cones to mark the sides), frisbee Space: depends on the number of people playing, but enough for everyone to run around freely between 2 goals Scoring: the same as soccer Skill level: intermediate-advanced
Frisbee Golf
Skip the disc golf course and set up in your backyard. For this backyard game, you're going to adapt a sport that was already adapted for frisbee from another sport. Sound complicated? Not at all! Just set up boxes or buckets to use as goals, mark the starting spot for each hole, and you're on. Players: 2 or more Equipment: frisbees, boxes or buckets to use as goals (you can also use hula hoops or even mark off boxes on the ground with tape or chalk) Space: depends on the number of "holes" your "course" has Scoring: Keep it simple and count strokes—like golf, the lowest count wins. If you want to get fancy, you can set par for your course. Skill level: intermediate-advanced
Ultimate Frisbee
Advance the frisbee to the end zone with the ultimate frisbee game. It stands to reason that ultimate frisbee would be the ultimate frisbee game—it's right there in the name. Granted, you can't exactly play ultimate frisbee in your backyard, but if there's a park or football field around and you've got a large group, go for it! Players: 10+ (a regulation outdoor game has 2 teams of 7 players) Equipment: Teams pass the frisbee Space: a large, flat outdoor space—ideally a soccer or football field Scoring: Pass the frisbee to move it towards the opposing team's end zone. Unlike similar team sports, you can throw in any direction—but you can't run with the frisbee! If you catch the frisbee, you have 10 seconds to throw it. Earn 1 point when a teammate catches the frisbee in the end zone. Games are typically played to a time limit, usually 30 to 90 minutes depending on the age and fitness of the players. Skill level: advanced
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