17 Outdoor Games You Need If You Get Bored At The Beach

"Life is a beach, I'm just playin' in the sand." — Lil Wayne, and probs you after buying these games.

1. Spikeball, an easy-to-transport game that is kinda like volleyball and will have your friends asking you to bring it on every beach trip.

amazon.com, Amazon

My friends are OBSESSED with Spikeball. While I'm not super coordinated and prefer to be a cheerleader (I'm accident-prone, OK!), this game is one of the most fun beach activities I've seen in a minute. It has been described as "if volleyball and foursquare had a baby" and can be played in a variety of ways.

Promising review: "This is a great game! My son asked for it for his birthday and he plays it often with his friends. It is fun for all ages and is easy to put together. My 9 year old can play and my parents in their late 60's also play! We have had a cheaper version of this game and it didn't hold up near as well as the real Spikeball. It is in great shape and the net is still firm. It gets lots of use at our home!" —Tina

Get it from Amazon for $62.

2. TidalBall combines cornhole and bocce ball for a competitive game that'll keep you entertained for the whole day.

Amazon

To get started you'll need to dig a 4" hole and 4" trench on each side of the "court." There will be two teams and six TidalBalls to play with. Each time you throw your ball into the hole your team will receive three points while a ball in the trench is equal to one point. The first team to get to 21 points wins!

Promising review: "This game is so much fun! We bought it last summer for a beach trip and loved it so much we've given it as gifts. It is packable and so easy to learn and play. Everyone can play this, from young kids to grandparents. No real skill or athleticism required. It is well-made and well thought out. And add to that AMAZING customer service. Don't overthink this. Just buy it. You will not be disappointed. It's a must have for the beach. You will thank me later." —dag87

Get it from Amazon for $29.99.

3. BucketBall will quickly become your favorite beach game because it finally gives you an excuse to put your Beer Pong skills to use.

amazon.com, Amazon

The starter set comes with 12 buckets, two hybrid balls, a tote bag, and the instructions for play. You can also buy a ~more advanced~ set that comes with inflatable racks so you can even play in the water!

Promising review: "I have adult kids. This was perfect for them to play on the beach. It packed up very compact and fits nice in the carry bag. It was the most used item on our beach vacation." —Amazon Customer

Get it from Amazon for $49.99+ (also available in a combo pack or party pack).

4. A portable cornhole set you can keep in the trunk of your car and break out just in time for ~beach szn~.

Amazon

Promising review: "Great product! Bought to keep on our boat so we have a game to play while beached. Good quality, doesn't take up too much space, light weight, easy to pack up once you get the hang of it. We've played it several times now and it's just as good as day one." —Andy

Get it from Amazon for $33.28.

5. Or a ladder toss set that'll surprisingly bring out your most competitive side — try not to make any kids cry, OK?

amazon.com, Amazon

Promising review: "This was bought for my boyfriends birthday, and it's exactly what we wanted! Very sturdy and easy to construct/take apart. Perfect for play in the yard or at the beach. The plastic frame is very thick and is very sturdy. The carrying bag seems to be well constructed as well and makes transport so much easier. We love going to the beach and this was the perfect addition to our collection of beach games." —Ciara

Get it from Amazon for $47.26.

6. A Jazzminton set you'll love because you don't have to set up a pesky net but will still get the oceanside cardio workout you've been looking for.

Amazon

Hit the birdies back and forth — that's it! Make up your own rules for added fun!

Promising review: "Great game and easy for just about anyone to play! The paddles have a nice color and are comfy to hold. Everything fits just perfectly into the carry bag which is included. Very fun and it is so nice not to be concerned about having a net!! Highly recommend if you have kids and want to keep them occupied for a while and having fun!" —Bada

Get it from Amazon for $15.99.

7. A Bocce Ball set – it'll be the perfect addition to your next beach day...and it'll DEFINITELY make your grandpa happy.

Amazon

Promising review: "I absolutely love this set. The balls have great weight to them so they don’t get blown by the wind at the beach. When they knock each other in play, the balls are not damaged beyond a minor scratch (which is par for the course!). The whole family had fun playing on vacation! My 9-year-old cousin had never played Bocce before, and not only did he catch on quickly... but he surprised us and totally dominated! A fun set of Bocce for the whole family. I absolutely recommend this set. Very good quality for a great price." —Sophie Jenkins

Get it from Amazon for $24.95.

8. Or a Wave Runner waterproof football with a small, easy-to-grip design for anyone that wants to kick a game of "beach catch" up a notch.

www.amazon.com

Promising review: "My kids absolutely love this thing, in the water or on land. My daughter is always asking to play catch with it, and it's not hard to see why. It's soft enough to easily snag and firm enough to throw a good spiral. Great ball for the beach or backyard." –Beard

Get it from Amazon for $14.95.

9. A frisbee with over 3K positive reviews on Amazon, so you know it's a guaranteed good time.

Amazon

Promising review: "These are made of light weight plastic not the heavy thick type I was expecting. However don't be fooled. They are AWESOME! They fly straight and far. THESE ALSO FLOAT. I bought them to take to the beach. Someone else at the beach warned us as we played frisbee that they had lost theirs in the ocean. Ours floated though so we had no problems. We even started a new game where we threw it into the surf and then tried to be the first one to find where it washed up. I would recommend these for any type of frisbee play but especially if you are taking them on a water vacation." —Julie Barker

Get a two pack from Amazon for $14.99 (available in nine color pairings).

10. Or a Bottle Bash kit that'll up the stakes on your usual frisbee toss, which typically involves aimless throwing and nosediving-into-the-sand catches.

Amazon

Promising review: "Summer fun! If you’re bored with corn hole, buy this outdoor game. We had a blast. Easy to set up and store away. We’ll use it for years." –Masnari

Get it from Amazon for $25.60+ (available in four styles).

11. An avocado float to give new meaning to the term "ball pit" and will pair perfectly with that fresh batch of guac you were planning to bring to the beach.

Amazon

I mean, is there anything better than simply tossing a ball around in the sand? This avocado float is great because you can flip-flop between playing and lounging. And if you're looking for some other reviewer-favorite beach products, we've got you covered.

Promising review: "Fast shipping and delivery! I’m really impressed with the quality and size of this pool float. I bought it for my daughter but I’m using it too. Is really comfortable and comes with a ball to have fun while enjoying the pool. I didn’t know was going to be that huge. I really recommend it, you will not be disappointed! It’s durable and easy to inflate." —Yenitza Santiago

Get it from Amazon for $24.99.

12. Waterproof playing cards, so you can get a fierce game of poker going (just maybe don't strip unless you're spending the day at a nude beach).

Amazon

Promising review: "These playing cards are a HIT. I take them out with me for social events and when visiting people, even to the beach. We just play and play. So you can get them wet and they won't soggy up and tear it just become a little hard to shuffle. It is so cool that they look like you can see right straight through them but you can't." —Tabs

Get them from Amazon for $6.97.

13. A standard volleyball net you can use to meet new people on the beach and get a pick-up game going.

amazon.com, Amazon

Promising review: "My boys are getting into volleyball at school and have taken an interest in it at home. Bought this set so they and the neighborhood kids had a safe place to practice together. Typically, we have up to 11 kids out there from 5 to 17 playing. They can be aggressive at times, yet the net has held up very well. After a month of heavy use, it still looks new. However, my grass has taken a beating...This volleyball set is kid and parent-approved. Highly recommended." —MGG

Get it from Amazon for $94.95+ (available in two styles).

14. A set of UNO Splash Cards for when you want to have fun with a nice, quiet game until you drop that first Wild Draw Four card. Then, all bets are off.

Amazon

Promising review: "We love these! This is actually the second set I have bought because my extended family loves them too and has forever "borrowed" our last set. We take these everywhere and they have held up perfectly - in hot tubs, pools, beaches, boats, parks, you name it they have gone. We especially like that whenever we bring them, other folks want to play so it makes sharing a pool or hot tub a more social (read: less awkward) activity. The cards are well constructed and are definitely waterproof. They can be submerged because they are made out of thin plastic. We also haven't had any issues with the print coming off or showing wear and tear. The individual cards will float momentarily if placed horizontally but will sink if the water's surface tension is broken or they are vertical. So we don't use them directly in the lake/ocean water because there is nowhere to put the discard pile and the risk of losing cards is high but in the pool, hot tub, or beach this isn't a concern. I highly recommend these for anyone that loves UNO and water activities!" —Samantha

Get it from Amazon for $10.99.

15. A ring toss set that'll bring back fond memories of your childhood and encourage some ~friendly~ competition.

amazon.com, Amazon

Promising review: "Who wouldn't love this ring toss game! It travels well, breaking down to fit in the included bag, so we can take it to the beach, camping or just in the backyard for fun. Each peg is color coded and each ring has a corresponding bead on it. The base itself is sturdy and comes with point values for scoring, but we just like to play for fun!! This will totally come in handy this summer!! Our family loves it!!" —Cali Julz

Get it from Amazon for $25.99.

16. A reversible rug with checkers on one side and tic-tac-toe on the other, a must-have for anyone who would rather exercise their brain muscle.

amazon.com, Amazon

Promising review: "This is a standard item in our beach bag. Gives people a chance to interact, have fun, and take a break from the water. I like that it has three different games. Weight of items is good for outdoor use. They don’t blow away in windy weather." —Mickey

Get it from Amazon for $18.99.

17. A "New York Times: Beach Blanket Crosswords" book that is truly fun that the whole family can get in on, but in a much more let's-just-stay-put kind of way.

The New York Times

Simply shout out some clues and just wait and see how eager your beach squad is to help you solve them! And if you're looking for the ideal beach-crossword-seat, head over to our list of the best beach chairs.

Promising review: "Bought this book years ago and have used it at the beach with the family. We have enjoyed doing the puzzles together. The perfect level for us, not too easy, not too hard. Just plain fun!" –Joanne Wilson

Get it from Amazon for $16.99, or from Bookshop (to support local bookstores) for $15.80.

Or forget everything I just suggest and just bury an unlucky friend in the sand...

NBC

Some reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.

Want to keep looking? Check out our favorite places to buy the best bathing suits online, or the best bathing suits for people with big boobs if you need a little extra support.

Looking for the perfect gift for any occasion? Check out all of BuzzFeed’s gift guides!

Allison Krausman / BuzzFeed