DIY Ring Toss: Create Your Own Carnival

Does having your kids at home ever feel like a circus? Embrace the fun and create your own carnival game with a DIY ring toss! It’s a great game to play one-on-one or for the whole family to enjoy. We can guarantee this game won’t cause the kids to throw tantrums—just rings.

Materials Needed

1" x 8" x 48" Board*
7/8" x -36" Wood Dowel
#8 x 1-1/4" Flat Head Phillips Wood Screw
Sandpaper**, 150g, 220g & 320g
Drill Bits: 3/32" & 7/8" Spade Bit
(6) Dive Rings (Click here to purchase from Walmart)

*Board Dimensions are “nominal.” Actual dimensions are smaller due to lumber industry standards. Cuts are actual length.

**Starting grit will depend on board surface condition, a rough surface will require starting with a coarse grit first.

Tools Used

Miter Saw or Circular Saw, Drill/Driver, Orbital Sander, Tape Measure, 20V 1.5Ah Battery, 20V 4.0Ah Battery, 20V Battery Charger, Safety Glasses, 7/8" Spade Bit & Drill Bits. Also need: Clamps.

DOWNLOAD PLANS

LUMBER CUT LIST & LAYOUT GUIDE

For the ring toss bases: use the 1" x 8" board to cut (2) 24" pieces

For the pins: Use the 36" dowel to cut (2) 8" rods, (2) 6" rods & (2) 4" rods

ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS

Step 1

Cut out all material using the Lumber & Sheet Cut Layout Guide.

Step 2

Mark (3) points in the center of the base boards. Follow the measurements shown in the diagram.

Step 3

Use a 7/8" spade bit to drill a 3/8" deep hole into each point on the base boards. Place scrap board underneath or elevate the base board before drilling. The spade bit point will go through the bottom of the board.

Step 4

Before final assembly, sand and finish pieces to your desire.

Rougher finish – Use 60-80 grit sandpaper to hand sand with the grain of the wood.
Smoother finish – Use 60-80 grit sandpaper to remove scratches & imperfections, followed by using 120-220 grit to smooth
Finish sanding – Use 320-400 grit sandpaper
Super fine sanding – Use 600+ grit sandpaper

If you like, you can spray paint each dowel the color of your choice and then stain the base board.

Step 5

Place a 4", 6", and 8" pin in each hole and attach with #8 x 1/4" wood screws. Repeat on the other base board.

PRO-TIP: To help keep pins from splitting, drill a 3/32" hole in the bottom of each pin. Do this by placing the pin into the 7/8" hole on the base. Flip the base over and use the spade bit hole on the underside of the base board as a guide to drill into the pin.

Step 6

Project complete!

RINGER, ZINGER

Ring toss is the perfect game for toddlers. It helps develop their fine motor skills like those of the hands and fingers as well as hand-eye coordination. For a fun twist, place plastic cups upside down on each pole. Teams take turns tossing their rings to knock off cups and get ringers (rings over a pole). Three points for each ringer and one point for every cup knocked off. First team to get 21 points wins.