Lawn games for adults for your next summer garden party

Garden Quoits by Traditional Garden Games is a simple yet fun game that everyone can enjoy. This wooden set is made to last, and it's portable too, as it comes with its own carry bag. Quoits became a popular garden game in the 1880s. The aim is to throw the hoops at the numbered pegs, and whoever gets the highest score is the winner.

Customer review: "This is our new must have present for our children's friends… wow, great quality and we have had hours of fun with this traditional garden game. Perfect for birthday presents and a great all round family game. Looks more expensive than it was and the quality of the item when playing the game is really good."

If you've got a large lawn and you've cultivated perfect stripes with your lawn mower, this Wooden Skittles Game Set-Lawn Bowling will have the perfect clearly defined lanes in which to bowl. The high-quality rubber wood pins will stand up on a short-cut lawn and are a more durable option than plastic alternatives. The set comes with a robust Oxford cloth bag for easy storage and portability.

Play Petanque like grown-ups with the Big Game Hunters 8 Boules Set. Designed for four players these extra durable boules have rust-free protection and are superior quality. If you're serious about your games, this set has boules with individual markings so you can identify the winning boule. The set includes a measure, jack and durable carry case.

Customer review: "The boules are shiny and heavy and appear very well made and are cased in a sturdy nylon, zipped carrying case with individual compartments for each boule. I am sure I and my family will have tremendous fun with this."

Play Petanque to your heart's content with the Activo Boules Set. This comprises of eight water-filled balls and a jack in a neat carry-case. Divide into teams, toss a coin and take turns to throw boules at the jack from a defined throwing circle (it could be a hula hoop). There are more complex rules should you wish to make it more competitive, but when the beers and wine are flowing, who needs rules...

Customer review: "Bought these as a one off for part of a team day out. They were great and then went home with one member to be used throughout the summer. Cheap but perfectly good for the game."

ApudArmis Six Player Croquet Set makes this traditional lawn game accessible and fun for all. The brightly coloured balls are attractive, and the wooden mallets have colour-coding, so there's no confusion over who's using which mallet. The croquet balls are durable and textured, so they can be used on wet grass and sand. Take this lovely set with you on holiday, it's a wonderful family game that everyone can enjoy.

Customer review: "Easy to assemble. Quite sturdy and good for amateur games."

Perfect for an Alice in Wonderland-themed party or a more sedate and cerebral affair, this Garden Games Giant Chess Set is low activity yet pleasantly challenging for two players who need diversion. For guests who have old scores to settle, this fold-away chess set may help them to decide who's the winner that takes it all. The king stands 64cm tall, and the pieces can be weighted with sand or water. Giant Draughts pieces are also available.

Customer review: "The pieces are made from a very robust plastic and stand up to the great British weather, they have been out in the sun and rain and still look great with no adverse effects. As the chess pieces come in two sections you can fill the bottom part with water which weights them and even in the strong winds they didn't blow away."

Giant Noughts and Crosses, also known as Tic-tac-toe, is a less strenuous lawn game that's easy to pick up. Two players take turns to place either an "X" or an "O" on a grid of three rows and three columns. The winner is the first to get three of their marks in a row, either horizontally, vertically or diagonally. This durable set can be dismantled for space-saving storage when not in use. Additionally, it can be played indoors too.

Customer review: "Fun to play but very light so blow away easily if there’s any wind."

The last thing you want at a garden party is your guests turning to their phones for entertainment. Rest assured, Big Game Hunters Jumbo Hi-Tower in a Bag is going to pique everyone's interest. It's Jenga but big! It doesn't require a huge amount of sporting ability, just a steady hand and a good sense of humour when the wooden blocks all come tumbling down. Plus, there are options to go even bigger with the Mega Hi Tower and Giant Tower.

Customer review: "This product feels like a quality product. The blocks themselves are smooth and rounded. The carry bag is a really nice touch and big enough so you don't have to faff around lining everything up perfectly."

A lovely little party game for a wedding reception or an anniversary get-together, this Garden Horseshoe Pitching Game is ideal for a small group of guests. Position the numbered stakes in the ground and toss the horseshoes, with the aim of getting the horseshoe to land on the stake. It's small, lightweight and portable, so you can take it to the beach or park too.

Funtime Gifts PL0350 Lawn Darts is suitable for any size lawn, and the darts don't have any sharp points, so it's child and animal-friendly. Encourage friendly competition with a simplified version of a Great British game that can be a pleasant background activity to limit any long awkward silences at the party.

Customer review: "Darts heavier than I expected. Should have bought the ones with a dart like point on. Although we still had a great garden party, I think we might have played with them longer if the youngsters could handle them better."