How to Build a Tailgate Bean Bag Toss Game

Dry beans work to fill bean bags for a tailgate toss game.

When you go tailgating before your favorite sports game, why not bring along an entertaining bean bag toss game to fill the time and get your competitive spirit racing? Easy to build, a tailgate bean bag toss game can be decorated with your team's colors and mascot. With basic materials and tools, you can build the target and the bean bags with ease.

Things You'll Need

• 1/2-inch plywood 1-by-4-inch scrap wood Nails Sandpaper Wood glue Hammer Electric saw Strong fabric Thread Dry beans or plastic pellets Sewing machine Measuring tape Paint

Instructions

1. Cut the half-inch plywood into two pieces that are 1 1/2 by 3 feet in size. Cut another piece that is 10 inches wide by just under 1 1/2 feet long. Cut the 1-by-4-inch board scraps into lengths approximately 1 foot long. These will be supports for the bean bag toss frame. Mark a diagonal line from one corner of the 10-by-18-inch piece of plywood with a straightedge tool. Cut along this line to form two long triangles of wood. Sand any rough or splintery edges if necessary. If you have a very small tailgate or trunk you wish to put this game in, reduce the size of the pieces accordingly.

2. Lay the largest piece of board, good side down, on a flat surface. Position the 1-by-4-inch board pieces at either end and both sides. Leave a half-inch margin on each edge so the other pieces of plywood will fit. Make sure they are straight with a ruler or measuring tape. Glue these in place, holding with clamps or putting something heavy on top of them if necessary. Allow to dry thoroughly before continuing to build your bean bag toss game frame.

3. Nail the edge of the 10-inch-tall piece of plywood to the edge of the large piece. Also drive nails from the plywood into the 1-by-4-inch board. This will add stability to your tailgate bean bag toss game. Nail the short edges of the 10-inch-tall piece to the long ends of each triangular pieces of plywood. Likewise, nail along the edges of the triangular pieces to the large top piece to create a triangular prism shape. Nail both into the plywood and into the 1-by-4-inch wooden blocks underneath to make a more stable shape.

4. Cut a hole approximately 10 inches down from the top of the large front piece of wood. The hole should be positioned in the exact middle of the board horizontally. This hole can be cut using a saw or begun with a guide hole made by an electric drill. The hole can be square or circular and should be approximately 4 inches in diameter. Sand the edges of the hole so they are smooth. You can cut multiple holes if you want to make them worth different points for your game.

5. Paint the wooden beanbag toss game structure in your choice of colors or designs. If you intend to use this game in your tailgate at sports games you attend, consider painting it in the colors of your favorite team. You can also paint to resemble a miniature football field, a baseball diamond or a hockey rink. Allow the paint to dry completely before use.

6. Cut two 4-inch squares of sturdy fabric for each bean bag you wish to make. Line up the two squares so that the good side of the fabric pieces are facing each other. Use a sewing machine with a sturdy thread to sew up three sides of each pair. Pour enough dried beans or plastic pellets into each beanbag piece to make it heavy enough to fly far and full enough not to be excessively floppy. Turn under the edges of the remaining side and sew that up as well. You can use your sewing machine to sew it along the edge, or sew it by hand with a needle and thread.