You’ve spread the blanket, unpacked the sandwiches, and… now what? If your picnics tend to peak at lunch and fizzle out by 2pm, you’re missing the best part. The food is just the intermission—the real fun happens when you push the cooler aside and turn that patch of park into your personal playground.
Quick answer: The best picnic activities combine easy setup, minimal equipment, and appeal across age groups. Think beyond just eating—lawn games like bocce and KanJam, creative activities like nature art, and classic group games like relay races turn a simple meal outdoors into an all-afternoon event. Below, we’ve organized ideas by energy level so you can match the activity to the mood.
Active Games That Get Everyone Moving
These are the games that turn a laid-back picnic into a memorable event. They work in parks, beaches, and anywhere you have a bit of open space.
Frisbee Games
A single frisbee opens up a world of options beyond just tossing back and forth. Try Frisbee Golf—pick targets around the park (a tree, a bench, a trash can) and see who can hit each one in the fewest throws. Or play Ultimate Frisbee if you have enough people for two teams. According to USA Ultimate, the sport’s governing body, there are now over 8 million recreational Ultimate players in the US alone—making it one of the fastest-growing outdoor activities. All you need is a disc and some open grass.
Bocce Ball
This Italian lawn game is practically designed for picnics. Toss the small target ball (the pallino) and then take turns trying to get your bocce balls closest to it. Rounds are quick, rules are simple, and it works on grass, sand, or packed dirt. A basic bocce set weighs about 5 pounds and fits in a carrying bag. In my experience, bocce is the single best “gateway” lawn game—even people who insist they “don’t do sports” end up getting competitive by the third round. For full rules and setup tips, check out our complete lawn games guide.
Badminton
Portable badminton sets are cheap, lightweight, and set up in under two minutes. You don’t even need a net—just rally back and forth to keep the birdie in the air. The beauty of picnic badminton is that it works at any skill level. Serious players can set up a proper court while kids just chase the shuttlecock around laughing. Wind can be a factor outdoors, so heavier outdoor shuttlecocks perform better than the feathered indoor variety.
Relay Races and Obstacle Courses
Split your group into teams and set up simple races:
- Three-legged race: Tie two people’s ankles together with a scarf. Race to the finish line.
- Egg and spoon race: Balance an egg (or a ball) on a spoon while racing. Drop it and you restart.
- Sack race: Hop to the finish line inside a pillowcase or garbage bag.
- Wheelbarrow race: One person walks on their hands while their partner holds their legs.
These classics have endured for generations because they work. They’re easy to explain, exciting to watch, and produce genuinely hilarious moments—especially when adults are involved.
KanJam and Spikeball
If you’re looking for something more modern, both KanJam (frisbee into a can) and Spikeball (bouncing a ball off a small trampoline net) have exploded in popularity at parks and beaches. They’re designed to be portable, set up in seconds, and are competitive enough to keep adults entertained for hours. Both are available at most sporting goods stores for under $40.
Relaxed Activities for Winding Down
Not every picnic moment needs to be high-energy. These activities work perfectly for post-lunch relaxation or when some guests prefer something gentler.
Card Games and Portable Board Games
A simple deck of cards supports dozens of games: Crazy Eights for kids, Rummy for adults, or Spoons for the whole group. Travel-sized board games and compact card games like Uno, Skip-Bo, or Love Letter pack easily in a picnic bag. Pro tip: bring a lightweight cutting board or clipboard as a playing surface if you’re on uneven grass.
Nature Scavenger Hunt
Create a list before you go—things like “a heart-shaped leaf,” “something fuzzy,” “three different flowers,” “something that makes noise when you shake it.” Hand everyone a copy and set a time limit. This works especially well at picnics with kids because it gives them a structured activity while adults relax. The best scavenger hunts mix easy finds with tricky ones that require genuine observation.
Cloud Watching with a Twist
Lay on the blanket, look up, and take turns pointing out shapes in the clouds. To make it a game: one person names a shape they “see” and everyone else has 30 seconds to find it. Or play competitively—whoever spots the most creative or funniest shape wins. It sounds simple, but there’s something genuinely restorative about lying on your back in a park with no agenda beyond looking up.
Nature Art
Gather materials from around your picnic spot—leaves, sticks, flowers, pebbles, feathers—and create art. This could be as structured as “everyone makes a nature portrait” or as freeform as collaborative land art (think mini Andy Goldsworthy installations). Photograph the results before you leave. This activity is particularly engaging for children and creatively-minded adults who want something beyond competitive games.
Kite Flying
If your picnic spot is open and breezy, a kite transforms a good picnic into a great one. Basic kites cost a few dollars at any dollar store or supermarket. The combination of running to get it airborne and then relaxing while it soars hits a perfect balance of active and chill. A study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that outdoor leisure activities like kite flying provide measurable stress reduction benefits—something most of us need more of.
Games That Work for All Ages
The biggest challenge at family or group picnics is finding activities that work for the five-year-old and the fifty-five-year-old. These games thread that needle.
Giant Lawn Dice (Yardzee)
Take the concept of Yahtzee, supersized with oversized wooden dice, and play it on the grass. You can buy sets or make your own by cutting wooden 4×4 posts into cubes and painting on dots. Each player rolls the five giant dice and tries to get scoring combinations. It’s strategic enough for adults and tactile enough for kids.
Cornhole
The reigning king of tailgate games works equally well at picnics. Toss bean bags at angled boards with holes in them—bags that go through the hole score 3 points, bags on the board score 1. According to the American Cornhole League, the game has grown into an organized competitive sport with televised tournaments, but at its core it remains the most accessible yard game around. Portable sets fold up and fit in a car trunk easily.
Ring Toss
Set up sticks in the ground (or use water bottles) and toss rings from a set distance. Assign different point values to different targets. You can buy a ring toss set for under $15 or improvise one with sticks and rope circles. The simplicity is the strength—a three-year-old and a seventy-year-old can play side by side.
Croquet
A croquet set turns any flat grassy area into a proper English garden party (tea and scones optional). Players hit wooden balls through wickets using mallets, following a set course. The rules are straightforward but the strategy gets surprisingly deep. A basic croquet set runs around $30–$50 and provides entertainment for years. For the full rules breakdown, our guide to croquet rules and strategy covers everything from setup to winning techniques.
Creative Picnic Activities Beyond Games
Sometimes the best picnic activities aren’t games at all—they’re experiences that make the day feel special.
Outdoor Sketching or Journaling
Bring a few sketchbooks and pencils and spend 20 minutes drawing something you see—a tree, a duck, your lunch spread, the person across from you. No artistic skill required. The goal isn’t a masterpiece; it’s slowing down and really looking at your surroundings. Share the results afterward for guaranteed laughs.
Picnic Baking Competition
Bring ingredients for no-bake treats and have a competition. Think trail mix creation, fruit kabob design, or sandwich architecture. Each person or team has 10 minutes to create something from the available ingredients, then everyone votes on taste, creativity, and presentation. It’s a cooking show without the kitchen.
Group Music
If anyone in your group plays guitar, ukulele, or any portable instrument, a picnic singalong is a rare kind of magic. Even without instruments, bring a small Bluetooth speaker and create a collaborative playlist beforehand where everyone adds their favorite songs. Music transforms the atmosphere of any gathering.
Bird Watching
Download a free bird identification app (Merlin by Cornell Lab of Ornithology is excellent) and see how many species you can spot and identify during your picnic. Parks are often rich with birdlife that most people walk right past. This turns passive sitting into active observation and you’ll be surprised how competitive casual birding can get.
Practical Tips for Picnic Activities
- Pack a “games bag” separately. Keep a dedicated bag with a frisbee, a deck of cards, a ball, and glow sticks (for evening picnics). Having it ready means you’ll actually use it.
- Scout the space when you arrive. Before setting up, walk around and note what’s available—flat areas for lawn games, trees for shade, open space for running, interesting features for scavenger hunts.
- Plan for transitions. Start with relaxed activities while people arrive and eat. Move to active games mid-afternoon when energy is highest. Wind down with sitting games or creative activities as the day ends.
- Bring more water than you think. Active outdoor games in sunshine dehydrate people fast. Extra water bottles aren’t just practical—they double as ring toss targets.
- Have a backup for wind and weather. Wind kills badminton and card games. Heat kills enthusiasm for relay races. Have alternatives ready so a weather shift doesn’t stall the fun.
- Let activities happen organically. Don’t over-schedule. Sometimes the best picnic moments are unplanned—a spontaneous game of tag, a butterfly chase, or a conversation that wouldn’t happen indoors.
Common Mistakes at Picnic Gatherings
- Only planning the food. This is the number one picnic mistake. People spend hours on the menu and zero minutes on activities. The food takes 30 minutes to eat; the activities fill the other three hours.
- Choosing the wrong location. A beautiful scenic overlook makes for great photos but terrible game space. If activities are part of the plan, prioritize flat, open areas over Instagram-worthy backdrops.
- Forgetting about shade. Active games in direct sun can go from fun to miserable fast, especially with kids. Pick a spot with nearby shade for breaks, or bring a pop-up canopy.
- Overcomplicating things. You don’t need $200 worth of equipment. A frisbee, a ball, and a deck of cards cover 80% of what you need. Elaborate setups often go unused.
- Not having something for every energy level. At any group picnic, some people want to run around and others want to sit in a chair. Plan for both so nobody feels left out or pressured.
Making the Most of Your Next Picnic
The best picnics are the ones people talk about afterward—not because of the potato salad (though great potato salad helps), but because of the moments in between. The bocce tournament that got weirdly intense. The scavenger hunt that ended with everyone covered in grass stains. The cloud watching that turned into a surprisingly deep conversation.
You don’t need much to make it happen. A little planning, a few simple supplies, and the willingness to put down your phone and actually play. That’s it.
If you’re looking for more outdoor entertainment ideas, check out our list of 20 backyard games adults actually want to play—most work just as well at the park. And for anyone looking to take their outdoor activities to the next level, our beginner’s guide to disc golf is a great next step after mastering frisbee golf at your picnic.
