Summer brings out the best in all of us — and it also brings us all outside to play! Here are five great games to play with family and friends.

#1 Why not try a game of quoits? Quoits, you say? Yep! This is a traditional lawn game whose history goes waaaaaay back. There is a polite debate about whether quoits came before or after horseshoes, but does it really matter? Quoits is fun for everyone and is easy for all ages to play in the backyard.

#2 For a more contemporary twist on a “game of summer,” Fifthroom.com can set you up with a great cornhole set. Our version is made of pure maple wood and comes completely assembled, so you and your friends can start the competition right away! Oh, and by the way, the bags are authentically filled with real corn!

#3 Ping pong tables used to be relegated to dim basements, but in recent years they have come out into the sunshine! There are many different outdoor table tennis sets available which can sustain the elements and still provide a great playing surface. And one of the real advantages of the outdoor version of the sport is that, unlike the usual playroom, players have all the room in the world to step back and really let the those ping pong balls fly!

#4 In my family, it was a tradition to bring out the croquet set every year once the weather turned nice — and a well-made set can last for years. While croquet is often seen as a “polite” game, it really is fun, is great for every age — and takes a lot of skill! Besides, in what other outdoor game do you get to use the word “wicket” and really mean it?

#5 Last but not least, it’s time to take the venerable flying disk or Frisbee® out for a spin! The history of the Frisbee goes back nearly 80 years and involves pie tins and a former US Army pilot. Refined and renamed several times over the years, the Frisbee is today the perfect game that almost anyone, or any age, can enjoy. Oh, and dogs love Frisbees, too!

While you’re enjoying your deck or sitting under a Fifthroom pergola this summer, why not also enjoy one our these classic backyard games? Quoits, anyone?