How to Construct a Washer Toss Game

Games involving the tossing of various objects have been played throughout history. The game called horseshoes, played mainly by men probably because those iron shoes are heavy and hard to throw, is one example. A popular game of the 1970s and 1980s, lawn darts, is banned in the United States and Canada because too many people were seriously injured by flying darts. A good alternative to either of these games is a washer toss, which the whole family can play.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Sixteen 1-inch wood screws
• Four 2-by-4-inch boards, 3 feet in length
• Four 2-by-4s, 6 inches in length
• Two 3-foot by 8-inch pieces of half-inch plywood
• Two 3-foot by 8-inch pieces of felt or outdoor carpeting
• Carpet glue
• Electric drill
• Electric jigsaw
• Sharp carpet knife
• Six 2-inch washers with 7/8-inch diameter holes
• Two colors of high gloss enamel paint

1. Screw two 3-foot 2-by-4 pieces to the bottom of each piece of plywood with the 1-inch wood screws. The edges on the sides of the plywood should be flush on top of the 2-inch sides of the 2-by-4s. Place screws about 2 inches in from the ends of the boards and two more spaced evenly between them.

2. Attach the 6-inch 2-by-4s onto the ends of each piece of plywood with the wood screws, so that the 2-by-4s make a frame for the plywood to rest on when it is turned over. These finished parts will look like wooden boxes.

3. Turn the boxes over and draw three 4-inch circles spaced equidistantly on the top of each box. Drill a hole near the inside edge of each circle and cut the circles out with an electric jigsaw.

4. Place an upside-down box on top of one of the pieces of carpet and trace the circles on the carpet. Repeat on the other piece of carpet. Use a carpet knife to cut the holes in the carpet.

5. Paint the top of each box with carpet cement and carefully lay the carpet on each box. Allow the carpet glue to dry thoroughly before proceeding. The carpet will help keep the washers from bouncing off the wood.

6. Paint the washers using two different colors of bright enamel, three of one color and three of another color. Paint one side first and allow that side to dry thoroughly before turning them over to paint the opposite side.

7. Play the washer toss game by placing the game boards 10 feet apart with the narrow sides facing each other. The first player stands on his box and tosses his washers one at a time at his opponents' game board, scoring points for each washer that goes into a hole. The next player throws her washers at her opponents' game board. For further rules see the Resource section below.

Tips & Warnings

• Because this game will be played outdoors, it's a good idea to apply a coat of clear high gloss outdoor polyurethane to protect the wood.
• An older child or young teenager can do most of the construction of the game, but an adult should handle the cutting of the carpet with a sharp knife.

References

• "Great Games! 175 Games & Activities for Families, Groups, & Children"; Matthew Toone; 2009

Resources

• Rules for washer toss game