Backyard Cricket and Beach Cricket

Information on beach and backyard cricket in new zealand

Will your kids enjoy Backyard Cricket or Beach Cricket?

Do your kids love cricket? Is structured sport not suited to them?

Either way they might enjoy backyard and beach cricket. It's a great kids activity the whole family can join in!

As well as being fun, backyard and beach cricket is:

• Cheap or even free depending on what equipment you have lying around the house
• Great exercise
• Family sport for mums, dads, boys and girls of all ages
• A good way to improve kids hand eye co-ordination
• A way to keep kids and parents occupied at family barbecues and beach events
• Great bonding activity for family and friends
• Helps teach kids teamwork skills

Are your kids the non-competitive type?

You don’t have to implement scoring or even form teams to play a game of backyard cricket or beach cricket. Very small children or those who don’t like to compete can just have fun hitting a ball with a bat. Competitive kids might enjoy taking on their parents or their brothers and sisters or even organising a family tournament at big gatherings. Supervision may be required to referee arguments and it is a good idea to make sure you have enough space, and are away from roads or other hazards.

How can you organise Backyard Cricket lessons and matches for your kids?

Want to teach your kids how to play backyard cricket? Check the ActiveActivities directory for sport centres where you can get some basic cricket lessons!

The basic principle is similar to standard cricket. There are usually two teams who take turns batting and bowling and fielding. The aim is to hit the ball as far as possible and score as many ‘runs’ as you can between wickets before the ball is returned. With backyard cricket and beach cricket there is no standard pitch size or even equipment. You can purchase a cricket set fairly inexpensively from a sports shop or just use hats or jumpers to mark out the pitch. Backyard cricket and beach cricket usually takes place during the summer months.