Playing ring toss games is a time-honored tradition in our family. It’s a fun, interactive game that all ages can participate. Interestingly it originated as an ancient technique to improve motor skills and coordination. There are many variations of ring toss, but they all follow the same basic rules.
Explained simply, the ring toss game involves tossing wooden, rope, or plastic rings over wooden or plastic pegs. The pegs have different points, and the player or team that accumulates the most points wins.
There are a bunch of ways to play ring toss. You can play it in water, on the sand, on a deck/patio, indoors, desktop, or outdoors on grass. Therapists and school teachers even use ring toss games for behavior correction and to teach kids about fair play. Even in the corporate world, the game is used for team building.
In this guide, we cover:
- Best ring toss games available
- How to play ring toss: basic rules
- Types of Ring Toss Games
- Hook and Ring Game: How to play and set up plus the best ones
Contents
Best Hook and Ring Toss Games
1) Best Overall – Tiki Ring Toss and Hook Game for Kids and Adults
You will surely get hooked on this fun game for the entire family! You can play it indoors or outdoors, and it is easy to set up and learn. Please note that this is a mini version of the original Tiki Ring toss game. You can buy the larger/standard size (13 x 5) here.
Features
- Compact size – 5,75 x 2.75 inches. You can easily affix it to any surface indoor or outdoor.
- Contains everything needed for the setup – hooks, rings, cords, bamboo board, etc.
Pros
- Convenient and versatile – can be played I the basement, dorm room, lawn, etc.
- Easy to install
- Great for gifting
- Affordable
- Sturdy and durable
Cons
- Lower or higher ceilings tend to pose a challenge for installation.
Expert tips
- The board needs oiling. Use light teak oil to keep it from drying.
2) Best Outdoor Ring Toss Game: Elite Sportz Ring Toss Games for Adults & Kids
Want to go camping and have a great time? Want a ring toss game that you can safely leave out without worrying about the elements? Then the Elite Sportz Ring Toss Game is sure to keep you entertained for hours!
Features
- 1 circular board, 6 red, 6 black rings. 14 hooks to help you easily attach to the wall or tree.
- Available in 3 sizes: 8-inch, 12-inch, 20-inches.
Pros
- Easy to set up – start playing in minutes.
- Giftable
- It works on any surface indoor or outdoor and does not damage walls.
- Safe
- Durable
Cons
- Some users found the rings too light and flimsy. This made the game rather frustrating and difficult to master.
- Some units came without rings. Users had to purchase them separately.
3) Best Wooden Ring Toss Games: GoSports Premium Wooden Ring Toss Game
GoSports Premium wooden ring toss games are made from pine wood. This makes the game lightweight, durable, and long-lasting. Pinewood also does not swell or warp, so that you can play it outdoors too.
Features
- Throwing rings made of rope – lightweight yet firm and non-bouncy like rubber
- Pinewood board and pegs/stakes
Pros
- Enhances motor skills and hand-eye coordination
- Durable
- Great for indoor or outdoor play
- Easy to assemble
- Great for gifting
- Affordable – under $20
- Has a carry bag which is convenient for travel.
Cons
- Strong chemical odor – needs airing out.
- The rope rings tend to flake.
4) Best Tabletop Ring Toss Game: agore Ring Toss Game for Tabletop
agore ring toss game is hand-crafted and promises to bring hours of fun for all ages. Kids can improve hand-eye coordination with it. The best part is that you can assemble it quickly and play it on the desktop or coffee table.
Features
- Brown wooden stand with a height of 22.5 cm. Shot ladder dimensions: 20 x 4.9 cm. I-stand dimensions: top: 24.9 x 3.4 cm base: 9 x 18 cm. Knots, grooves, and indents are present to add the hooks, bars, and cords as needed.
- Available in two sizes and colors – the larger size stand measures 34 cm in height.
Pros
- Easy to assemble and use
- Sturdy
- Value for money
Cons
- Some units came with missing pieces.
- The small size can be frustrating for some players.
Ring Toss drinking game
If you’re having an adult night, you can turn many of the ring and toss games into a drinking competition. The easiest one to use this way is the agore ring toss game, or you can make your own.
The rules are pretty straightforward for the agore game because it comes with a scoring board that is the perfect size to fit a shot glass. To play you set a full shot glass of beer or your favorite liquor in the middle holder of the platform.
The team the successfully hooks their ring moves the shot glass in a position closer to their opponent. If you successfully get the shot glass to the other side, your opponent has to drink; it’s that simple. Here’s a video that explains the rules and describes how you can build your own.
How to Play Ring Toss
Here are the steps to play ring toss:
· The game can be played among two players or, if you have at least four players, divide them into two teams. Divide the rings equally among the teams/players.
· Choose a line from which players will throw the rings. All players must use this as a reference for throwing to ensure a fair game.
· Place the stakes/pegs to ring at least 6 feet from the line.
· The player/team to go first will toss their ring at the peg. Each player will want to target the pegs having the highest points.
· The second player/team will then toss their ring.
· Players/teams continue to alternate tossing the rings until all players have their turns or until all rings have been tossed.
· The team/player that has accumulated the most points is the winner.
Rules
· Any player in possession of the ring may not take more than three steps before tossing it.
· Each team must have attempted three tosses before scoring.
· Score 5 points for each ring successfully tossed and 1 for rings that touch the pegs.
· In some ring toss, each player gets five rings. In others, there are just four rings total. You can play ring toss to 21 points.
Types of Ring Toss Games
There are several variations to ring toss.
Bottle ring toss
Of course, the bottle ring toss game includes bottles instead of pegs, and players have to toss the ring around the bottles. It is a great summer pastime for kids and adults. Teachers or parents often have kids paint the bottles in attractive colors.
· Place five bottles on a board. The bottles are all worth 2 points each, and the middle one is 4 points.
· Each player/team can use rings of different colors. S/he takes turns to toss all rings.
· Tally the points once all players have tossed all their rings.
Pumpkin ring toss
It is pumpkin season, so why not get some use out of them? Have players toss rings made of rope or plastic/rubber materials around a large pumpkin’s stalk.
Paper plate ring toss
The simplest way to create the rings is with paper plates. Simply cut the plates leaving a thick circular rim, and have players toss them on the pegs.
Human ring toss!
· Use inflatable pool rings measuring 31-36-inches in outer diameter and about 16-inches inner diameters.
· Divide the pool rings equally among players/teams.
· Decide on a distance of about five ft. and mark it down.
· Ask one person to be the ‘peg,’ and you will ring them.
· The ring human can raise their arms, stand straight, or bend slightly at the waist to facilitate the ringing process.
· You can decide on a point system like 2 points for every ring that actually goes around the person and 1 for each time it touches the ring-person.
Wall ring toss
This one is the ‘vertical version’ of ring toss. Traditional ring toss is done on the ground, whereas these use a vertical wall/board with pegs. Players toss the rings so that they hang around the pegs.
Tabletop ring toss game
The tabletop version of ring toss is a highly entertaining version of traditional or outdoor ring toss. You can play it on a desktop or the coffee table.
Setup
· A capital “I” shaped stand holds the hooks and cords with rings at the open end suspended from the top bar.
· Typical dimensions for the stand are 29.5 cm x 3.4 cm for the top bar, and the base of the ‘I’ is 9 x18 cm. The height of the I stand is 22.5 cm.
· You also get a scoring bar or “shot ladder” of 20 x 4.9 cm. It has slots for cups for each of the two players/teams. You can move the cup each time you score (one space towards your opponent). The first person/team to reach the last slot/out of the shot ladder is the winner.
· To set up: install identification hooks in the sides of the top bar. Install hooks in the center bar – holes are provided. Install the wooden base.
Hook and Ring Game – How to Set up, Play, and the 4 Best Ones in the Market
Hook and ring toss game is fun for the entire family, and you can play it indoors or outdoors. It is easy to learn and set up and great activity all year round.
Hook and Ring game is believed to have originated in the Caribbean Islands and is considered a truly classic game. It involves swinging a ring suspended from the ceiling into a hook on the wall. It sounds and looks simple but requires aim, precision, patience, and skill.
How to set up hook and ring toss game
You can easily buy hook and ring game kits available in the market. Alternatively, DIY it using a wooden board, a hook and eye hook, and some cord or string.
· Mount a wooden board on the wall about 4 to 5 feet height from the floor. Use mounting screws or adhesive tapes to secure it.
· Insert a hook in the center of the board.
· Next, insert an eye-hook on the ceiling at a distance of 3-4 feet from the wall. (With ready-to-use sets, you get telescoping poles – so you can avoid this step.
· Attach a ring on a string and pass the open end through the eye hook on the ceiling.
· Draw the string until the ring is in line with it but not overly taut.
· Tie the string and cut the extra off.
How to play
· Divide the players into two teams. Two players can also play this game.
· Each player takes turns trying to get the ring into the wall hook.
· The player/team that gets the ring in the hook first wins.
FAQs on Ring Toss Game
How to make rings in the ring toss game.
You can use a sturdy piece of rope or rubber pipes to make rings for a ring toss game or even make a simple ring toss with Styrofoam material or paper plates.
What is the secret to ring toss?
The secret to winning this game is to use quick wrist movements. Flick your hand fast, so your chances of getting it right will be higher. Practice makes perfect!
Conclusion
The ring toss game is fun to play for all ages. You can play it indoors or outdoors. These days, you also have tabletop and wall-mounted versions of the game.
Whether you are looking to enhance your family game-night excitement, want to add some fun in your dormitory room, or play a game that everyone will enjoy at the beach or during camping, then ring toss or cornhole are the games to opt for.
We recently started playing cornhole, and if your family enjoys outdoor games you can enjoy with the kids I encourage you to give it a try. But I hope this guide helps you find the best ring toss and hook game for your needs.