Build a Washer Toss Game

Have you ever heard of washer pitching? This game has been a popular child's game for over 100 years. Long ago when covered wagons were the way to travel, pioneers would lay their wagon wheel on the ground and toss washers into the wheel hub. Today pitching washers is commonly played at birthday parties, at the beach, and at park picnics. You too can build a washer toss game.

To build a washer toss game you will need two cups. Plastic cups seem to work best. Also needed are washers. To help keep the teams separated, you can either purchase colored washer, one color for each team, or you can paint your own washers. Red and blue are commonly used in washer games since these colored washers can be purchased. When designing your court, whether in the sand on the beach or in a soft soil area, you will need to dig a hole to place the cups into. Try to get the cups flush with the ground. The two cups should be placed about 21 feet apart.

For the best results, build a washer toss game making sure that the area surrounding the cups are free of any debris. You can also place a wooden frame around the lowered cup then fill the frame with sand, raising the cup so it is flush with the sand. Either way, remember to have a level and clear area around your cups. Players will then be divided into two teams. The red team will have the red washers and blue team, the blue washers. Each team should have 3 washers. Deciding which team starts first can be as easy as tossing a coin.

The players will then pitch their washers. Scores are kept by keeping track of where the washers land. Comparing each team’s washers, each time they are thrown will determine the score. The player whose washer is closest to the cup, scores 1 point. If the washer is leaning over the rim of the cup, they score 2 points. 5 points are scored if your washer is a ringer - landing inside the cup. The first team that scores 21 points or more is the winner. If one team scores 11 points before the other team scores any points, this is considered a skunk game and the 11 point team is considered the winner.

Remember safety comes first as washers are known to bounce off the wooden frames at high speeds. Stay clear of the playing field and have fun when you build a washer toss game.