If there is one backyard game that families can play in their own style, it's croquet.
The ancient sport, played since at least the 1500s, is simple enough: six to nine hoops (called wickets), mallets, and balls. Hit your ball through the wicket first to score.
Beyond that, the rules and the system of play can be yours to design.
In a big yard, players could set up a standard court of 100 feet by 50 feet. But hey, if your yard isn't that big, make the court smaller. Got a lot of bushes in the yard? Perfect obstacles for a family game.
Ideally the grass should be really short — like golf green short. But lumpy terrain and longish grass make for natural challenges.
You could play the game the way the U.S. Croquet Association specifies, or you could play it like golf, counting the fewest hits through the wickets. You'll probably want to keep the rule that the guy with the mallet can hit other balls out of the way.
Read the basic rules at croquetamerica.com and tailor them to your needs. Croquet sets are priced from $50 to $600 and up. The lowest priced sets might have very short handled mallets, primarily designed for kids.
The best part of croquet is that everyone from young kids to older folks can play and have fun.
