Garden Drinking Games: 8 Backyard Games for Your Garden Party

Your own garden is the perfect place for a lively get-together — plenty of space, fresh air, and no neighbours living right above you. All that's missing are the right garden drinking games to turn your garden party into a night to remember. In the garden, throwing and competitive games have their high season: they use the space, get everyone moving, and guarantee good-natured rivalry. Here are the best garden drinking games with full rules and practical tips for your garden party, whether you're in the garden or the backyard.

What makes a good garden drinking game? A game that makes the most of outdoor space — usually with a throwing, target or skill element, where the loser drinks. Both active competitive games and relaxed rounds at the table work well in the garden, because you've got room and quiet at the same time.

💡 By the way: that's exactly why we built the SwigSki3000® — four people, one ski, one shot in rhythm. More on that below ↓

Throwing and target games for the garden or backyard

Kubb (Viking chess) with a drinking twist

• Two teams take turns throwing wooden batons to knock down the opposing team's "kubbs" (wooden blocks), and finally the king in the middle.
• For every kubb the opposing team fails to knock down, they take a sip. Whoever hits the king too early loses the round and the whole team drinks.
• Skill meets tactics — the ultimate garden classic.

Tin can alley with a drinking penalty

• Stack a pyramid of empty cans on a table or stool. Everyone gets three throws with a ball.
• Anyone who doesn't clear the whole pyramid takes a sip for every can still standing.
• Whoever knocks them all down with one throw gets to hand out three sips. The classic fairground game as a drinking game.

Ladder golf (a cornhole variant)

• Throw bolas or bean bags at a ladder, or into a hole in a board, depending on the set-up.
• Every missed round costs a sip, every direct hit lets you hand one out. Perfect for a tournament that runs all afternoon.

Practical side effect: because the SwigSki3000® comes apart into four individually removable modules, it goes straight into the dishwasher after the round instead of sitting in a corner.

More garden drinking games guaranteed to be fun

Boules / bocce

• Everyone tries to throw their ball as close as possible to the small target ball. Whoever ends up furthest away takes a sip.
• The winner of each round repositions the target ball — a relaxed game for the lawn in between other rounds.

Welly wanging (wellington boot throw)

• Taking turns, everyone throws an old wellington boot as far as possible. Mark the distances with sticks.
• Whoever throws the shortest distance takes a sip. A silly contest that's guaranteed to get everyone laughing.

The water balloon relay

• Two teams pass a filled water balloon down the line by spoon or by hand, without letting it burst.
• If it bursts, that team drinks and starts again. Whichever team gets the balloon to the finish first wins — a cool-down included.

Classics for the garden table

Beer pong in the garden

• Two teams, a pyramid of cups at each end of the table. Take turns throwing a table tennis ball into the opposing cups.
• A hit means: drink and remove that cup. First team to clear all their opponent's cups wins. A perennial favourite on a sturdy garden table.

Liar's Dice (Mäxchen)

• Two dice under a cup: you roll hidden from view and must always call a higher number than the previous player — bluffing if needed.
• If you don't believe the last call, you can challenge it: if the previous player was right, the challenger drinks; if not, the bluffer drinks. A pure nerve game.

Practical side effect: because the SwigSki3000® comes apart into four individually removable modules, it goes straight into the dishwasher after the round instead of sitting in a corner.

How to run an outdoor drinking games tournament for big groups

Once you've got a few games lined up, your garden party quickly turns into a full tournament afternoon — and that keeps the tension going right to the end. Here's how: start by forming fixed teams and sketch out a small tournament board on a flipchart or whiteboard. Each game (Kubb, tin can alley, ladder golf, boules) is a station that earns points. Let the teams face off in rounds and log the results — that way it stays open who's going to win until the very last game. As the grand finale, the worst-performing team takes on the best team in a Shotski battle while everyone else cheers them on. The advantage of this tournament structure: nobody gets bored, because there's always something going on, and even guests who don't know each other bond as a team. Budget around 15 to 20 minutes per station, and the afternoon carries easily right through into the evening — ideal for outdoor drinking games for big groups.

Tips for a lively garden party

• Give the neighbours a heads-up: A quick word (or an invitation) beforehand saves you trouble once things get loud.
• Plenty of shade & water: In sun and heat, keep enough water on hand and set up some shady spots.
• Sturdy materials: For outdoors, use shatterproof cups and wooden gadgets — they hold up to grass, sun, and the one drink that gets knocked over.
• Clear the throwing area: For throwing games, choose a safe spot with no flower beds or windows in the line of fire.
• Play alcohol-free too: All the games work just as well with spritzer or juice — so everyone can join in.

Tip from experience: labelling one of the four blank discs on the Miniski Roulette with your own inside jokes turns every Miniski Roulette night into a game of its own.

More drinking game inspiration

You'll find more game rules in the best drinking games and drinking games without equipment. For a bigger get-together, try the drinking games for garden parties, and for a barbecue evening the BBQ drinking games.

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Related articles:
The Best Drinking Games · Drinking Games for Garden Parties · BBQ Drinking Games