Growing up, we enjoyed playing games in the backyard. We even had a game day and invited the neighbors. The games included croquet, a sack race and an obstacle course. Mom made lots of food, of course, and there were prizes for the winners. I remember everyone had a great time.
We are considering hosting a family game day in our backyard and I was looking for game ideas. I found several blogs that talked about making a backyard version of Yahtzee called Yardzee. I decided to give it a try. Turned out to be very simple.
All the blogs I read recommended cutting your own blocks. I did not feel confident using power tools so I found 3 1/2 inch wood blocks at my craft store. I also purchased gray stain, foam brushes, round foam brushes, black paint and clear stain.
I started by using a foam brush to paint each block with the gray stain. Once they were all dry, I used the round brush and the black paint to put all the dots on so the blocks really started to look like dice. You will need five blocks to make Yardzee.
Once the dice were dry, I put a thin layer of the clear stain on to give each one a little protection. I am not worried about the weathering, I actually like them a little imperfect. My dots don’t all match up and the gray stain is darker in some areas than others. In my mind, its a backyard game so it doesn’t need to be perfect it just needs to be ready for some fun!
I also created a score sheet. After I printed it, I took it to my local print shop and had it laminated for repeated use. I have included it here, you can also have it laminated or just make several copies ~ whatever works best for you!
If you’re not feeling crafty, I found some options to purchase online. I have also listed some other games that would be great additions to game day in the backyard. Please note these are affiliate links. Have a great day and let us know who is the most competitive in your family!
