Steve King, creator of tossinggames.com, is passionate about backyard games. Here, he poses with a few.

The best backyard games share a common set of qualities – they’re easy to learn, easy to score and, most importantly, easy to play with one hand. That leaves the other one free for a cold frosty one.

“You don’t work up a sweat, but you still have the fun of a competition,” said Becky Sprague of south St. Louis County, Mo. “And anybody can play, no matter their age or skill level. Even people with not much skill get lucky.”

Sprague, 22, got introduced to hillbilly golf, also known as ladder golf, at a family picnic two years ago. Competitors try to loop bolas – two balls attached by a cord – onto the rungs. She also enjoys washers, where competitors try to throw metal washers into a cup.

Steve King, of Pevely, Mo., creator of the comprehensive lawn game Web site tossinggames.com, says washers ranks among the favorite yard games. But he has noticed that cornhole and the eloquently coined hillbilly golf recently have emerged as picnic favorites.

“What’s great about these games is that there are no firm rules,” King said.

King provides free plans to build many popular backyard games. Players can build a hillbilly golf game with some lengths of PVC pipe; a washers set requires plywood, imitation golf green and PVC pipe.

For folks who want to leave the hard work of backyard games to others, visit eBay, Craigslist and online manufacturers.

Cornhole

A great game for kids, cornhole also is known as soft horseshoes and Indiana horseshoes.

Equipment: An angled wooden box with a hole and canvas bags filled with corn.

How to play: Players pitch four bags from a 30-foot distance. Each bag dumped into the hole is worth 3 points. The first team to reach 21 wins. For complete rules, visit www.playcornhole.org.

Where to buy: Cornhole sets start at $65 (www.customcorntoss.com and www.ajjcornhole.com).

Kubb

Described as a combination of bowling, horseshoes and chess, Kubb (rhymes with tube) reportedly was a pastime of the Vikings.

Equipment: Ten rectangular kubb blocks, one wooden king piece, six batons and four stakes

How to play: Place five kubbs along each baseline and the king in the center of the pitch. Teams compete to knock over the opponents’ kubbs and then drop the king. For complete rules, visit www.kubbin.com.

Where to buy: Kubbin.com sells traditional sets for $50.Oldtimegames.com sells a variety of kubb sets ranging from $29 to $79.

Ladder golf

Ladder golf, aka hillbilly golf, has emerged as a hot new backyard game.

Equipment: A ladder consisting of three horizontal bars and six bolas.

How to play: Each rung has a different point value. From a distance of 15 feet, players attempt to throw three bolas onto the various rungs. For complete rules, visit www.laddergolf.com.

Where to buy: Ladder golf games are available at some sporting outlets and online at www.laddergolf.com for $65.

Molkky

Finland’s hot new import, Molkky is quick to set up and very portable.

Equipment: A wooden throwing pin, called a Molkky, and 12 similarly sized pins marked one through 12.

How to play: The numbered pins are huddled together in an upright position about 10 feet from the baseline. If the player knocks down one pin, he receives the number of points marked on the pin. But if the player knocks down two pins, he receives 2 points; three pins, 3 points, and so forth. Players alternate throwing until one reaches 50 points. For complete rules, visit www.molkkyusa.com.

Where to buy: Target.com sells a wooden molkky set for $50.

Washers

Washer courts are as common as pool tables at some Midwest drinking establishments.

Equipment: Brightly colored washers and a cup placed into two recessed pits, typically a square or octagonally shaped box.

How to play: Place the washer pits 25 feet apart. Players try to land their washers inside the cup. Every “cupper” is worth 3 points. The first player to reach 21 wins. For complete rules, visit www.washers.org.

Where to buy: Visit www.prowashers.com or www.championshipwashers.com for locations.