Lawn Games for Little Kids

Volleyball is the quintessential summer sport. It can be played in the sand, on a court—or in your backyard.

How to set up:

You can buy a volleyball set (which typically includes a net, poles, ball, stakes, and a ball pump) at any sporting goods store, or on the Internet. (Some sets also include badminton accessories.)

You'll want to lower the net or use a kiddy volleyball net when you introduce this easy-to-learn game to your children. Once you've set up your net, you're pretty much ready to go.

How to play:

Choose between two and six players for each team. Flip a coin to decide who will go first. The server on the first team puts the ball into play by hitting it to the other team. Each team can hit the ball three times before sending it over the net. The goal is to get the ball to hit the ground on the other team's side. The team that wins a rally earns one point and gets to serve next. Its players rotate and a new server hits the ball into play. The game ends when one team reaches 15 points by a margin of two points.