Ring Toss Game: Rules, Scoring, Odds and DIY Setup
Ring toss is one of the oldest fair and party games: players stand behind a line and try to throw rings over pegs or bottles. It is easy to set up at home with paper plates and bottles, works for every age, and is a favourite at school fairs and birthday parties. Here are simple rules, a scoring system, a fair way to set the throwing order, how hard it really is to land a ring, and ideas for a DIY ring toss.
What you need
- Targets: wooden pegs on a board, plastic bottles filled with a little sand or water, or traffic cones.
- Rings: rope rings, plastic hoops, or the centres cut out of paper plates.
- A throwing line marked with tape or a rope, about 1.5 to 3 metres from the targets depending on age.
Basic rules
- Each player stands behind the throwing line and gets the same number of rings, usually three or five.
- Players throw one ring at a time. A ring scores only if it ends up around a peg or bottle and stays there.
- Rings that bounce off, or lean against a target without going over it, do not score.
- After every player has thrown, add up the scores. The highest score wins, or play several rounds and keep a running total.
Scoring ideas
- One point per ringer: the simplest system, good for young children.
- Points by distance: targets further back are worth more, for example 1, 3 and 5 points.
- Colour targets: each bottle colour has its own value, which also helps children practise adding up.
- Prize ladder: one ringer wins a small prize, two win a bigger one, three win the top prize.
A fair way to set the throwing order
At a party, the first children to throw get the excitement and the last ones get bored waiting. Put the names into the Random Name Picker with the remove option and let it set the order, or give each child a number with the Random Number Generator. If there is a prize for the best score, a random order also stops children watching the others and choosing to go last.
How hard is it to land a ring?
It depends on the distance, the size of the ring and the target, and on practice. If you know roughly how often one throw lands, the table shows the chance of at least one ringer with three rings and with five. Half is the number of rings a player needs for an even chance of at least one ringer. The table treats every throw as independent, which is a simplification.
| Rate | 3 rings | 5 rings | Half |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5% | 14% | 23% | 14 |
| 10% | 27% | 41% | 7 |
| 20% | 49% | 67% | 4 |
| 30% | 66% | 83% | 2 |
| 50% | 88% | 97% | 1 |
This is useful for setting up a party game. If small children land only about one throw in ten, giving them three rings means most of them win nothing, so move the line closer or use bigger rings until the rate is nearer one in three. Fairground ring toss games are often set up so that a ringer is rare, for example with rings that barely fit over the bottle necks; at home you decide how easy it is.
DIY ring toss
- Cut the centres out of paper plates to make rings, and decorate them with pens or stickers.
- Use empty plastic bottles with a little sand inside so they do not tip over.
- Push wooden spoons or dowels into a cardboard box lid for a peg board.
- For a garden party, use pool noodles bent into rings and taped, thrown over cones or garden stakes.
Variations
- Team ring toss: two teams take turns, and each ringer adds to the team score.
- Human ring toss: one child stands still with arms up while others gently toss soft rings over them.
- Around the clock: number the targets and try to ring them in order.
- Party combo: run it as one station among other kids’ party games, or set up cornhole next to it for the older children.
FAQ
How do you play ring toss?
Players stand behind a line and throw rings at pegs or bottles. A ring scores when it goes over a target and stays there. The player or team with the most points wins.
How far away should the ring toss line be?
For young children about 1 to 1.5 metres, and for older children and adults 2 to 3 metres. Move the line until players land roughly one throw in three.
How many rings does each player get?
Usually three or five. Give everyone the same number so the game is fair.
How do you make a ring toss at home?
Use the centres of paper plates or pool noodles as rings, and plastic bottles weighted with a little sand, or wooden spoons in a box lid, as targets.
Why is ring toss so hard at fairs?
Fairground games are often set up so that rings barely fit over the targets, which makes a ringer rare. At home you can make it as easy as you like.