Monster Croquet - Backyard Game for Kids

This product looks appealing to kids, and to grandmothers, too, apparently. So far, however, it has failed to become a favorite of any of my grandchildren. The lightweight construction makes it kid-safe but keeps it from performing as a traditional croquet set would.

I was excited to find this croquet set designed for young children. I'm always looking for outdoor activities for my grandchildren, and I have many happy memories of playing croquet as a child. This set seemed perfect for my grandchildren aged 3, 4, 6, 7, 10 and 11. They were excited, too, at first, but only the 10- and 11-year-olds had the patience to learn the rules. The others throw the balls around or whack things with the mallets, but show little interest in actually playing croquet.

Traditional croquet is not really kid-friendly, with the heavy wooden balls and mallets, so I understand the decision to use foam mallets and hollow plastic balls. The lightweight plastic balls don't travel in a true line, however, at least not on my less-than-perfectly groomed lawn. So the older grandchildren, who are interested in playing the game, can't really build their skills or enjoy a truly competitive game because of the way the balls bounce around. Also, most kids' favorite part of the game is getting to "croquet" someone else's ball. "Croqueting" comes after you "roquet" or strike someone else's ball. You are allowed to put your ball next to the other ball and, placing your foot on your own ball, strike it smartly, sending the other ball rocketing into the nether reaches of the backyard. With foam mallets and plastic balls, "croqueting" is not only difficult to achieve but also much less satisfying.

The croquet set is manufactured by Sportcraft, a well-regarded company founded in 1926. The company has a number of "Monster" games with oversized components of softer construction, which I think is a great idea. The Monster line is also reasonably priced at $15-30. I may try the Monster Tetherball or Monster Badminton. I will probably buy a traditional wooden croquet set at some point, but I don't foresee the Monster Croquet set getting much use.