Yard Games Similar to Horseshoes

Horseshoes is a popular outdoor game that can be played in your yard, but there are many other yard games similar to horseshoes that you can try. Most of these games can either be purchased online or at a local store, and in many cases, you can make these games yourself using materials you may already have at home. Be sure to use caution when throwing objects outdoors so that no one gets hurt.

The game of washers is similar to horseshoes but on a smaller scale. The object of this game is to toss your washers into a cup, which is usually made from PVC and mounted in an open wooden enclosure, to earn points and outscore opponents. Each wooden cabinet enclosure is placed approximately 8 feet apart, and the thrower from each team stands beside the opposing team's enclosure while throwing. There are single-cup as well as multiple-cup washer games where each cup represents a different point value.

A type of bean bag-tossing game, cornhole is similar to horseshoes in that you are tossing an object toward an opposing goal. In cornhole this is an opposing platform, which has a hole in the middle of it. Three points are awarded for a bean bags that lands in the hole and one point is awarded for a bag that lands on the platform.

Jarts, also known as lawn darts, consists of the lawn darts and two circles created using lawn chalk or some sort of rope or plastic. The circles are created approximately 35 feet apart, and each team takes turn tossing their lawn darts underhand toward the opposing circle. Each thrower must stand behind their own circle when throwing. Scoring varies depending upon the location of each Jart once each round has ended, but in general, three points are awarded for making it in the circle. The first team to 21 points wins.

This Canadian game, a cross between horseshoes and bowling, involves lining up 20 white bones -- the soldiers -- side-by-side with two black bones -- the guards -- at each end. Players take turns throwing four colored bones toward the line of 22 bones trying to first knock down the opposing team's guards followed by the soldiers. You must stand approximately 32 feet from the line of bones when throwing. The team to knock down all of the opposing team's bones in the fewest number of throws wins. Bunnock sets can be purchased online.