Ipods, video games, texting, tweeting, Facebook. Hailed as social media and technological advances, one can argue that these gizmos, gadgets and websites actually make us far less social. Now our conversations come in word limited chunks over our phones and computers instead of us holding an actual conversation over the phone or better yet, the dinner table.
Do you long for your family to do something together as a family again? Do you want to spend time with them, laughing and talking about their school, their friends, their dreams? Would you love to see the kids outdoors with you, enjoying the fresh air and having fun?
If you’re from the Midwest, chances are you’ve heard of Cornhole, have played it, have gotten hooked on it, and probably have a set at home. Having roots in Cincinnati and a huge following in cities like Chicago, Midwesterners are probably not unfamiliar with the game.
If you’ve not heard of Cornhole specifically, you might know the game as Baggo, Bags, or Corn Toss.
If you’re still wondering about this odd named game, prepare to be sucked into its web of fun. Now that we get to introduce you to the game of Cornhole, you’ll be hooked. Neighbors might wonder what you’re all doing outside after midnight. They might even come join you in the fun. Besides getting your family together, you might even make better friends with neighbors or your kids’ friends.
In its simple form, Cornhole is just tossing beanbags at a hole cut into a board. The boards are usually 2’ x 4’ and are set up several yards from where players toss the bags. Players get 4 bags each. They toss the bags to the board, trying to get it into the cornhole. One point is scored for bags resting on the board. Bags that drop into the hole by any means count for 3 points. Each game stops at 21 points.
So, it’s a relatively quick game that makes it easy to keep the whole family involved, even if you only have one game board. A lot of Cornholers, though, play with 2 or more boards for quicker games or for more people.
You can purchase Cornhole boards and bags already made, or if you can use some very simple tools, you can make your own boards. Bags have to withstand a lot of use, so sturdy materials need to be used. They need to be able to withstand folding, tossing, landing, sliding and landing on wet or rough ground. Just be sure to use heavy duty material like duck cloth so your game isn’t interrupted by a corn bag blowout.
Are you wondering how tossing beanbags can be so fun? Let us tell you, we’ve heard over and over how a new Cornhole aficionado was skeptical at first, but quickly hooked to the point of buying or making boards for themselves and their family members who also had yet to be introduced to the game. Give it a try. You’ll catch the fever, too.
Author Resource:
Dave Roth runs SC Bean Bags, a website devoted to the game of cornhole. The site offers Cornhole bags, sets, and directions for building your own set.