By now you’ve probably heard of the many different things you can make from old picture frames, including end tables, shadow boxes and more. Well, it’s true that old picture frames can be recycled into many different things, one of which is a bean bag toss game for the kids. It’s so simple and fun that you’ll want to make more than one!
Picture frames with no backing and no glass work perfectly for this project. You don’t even have to bother with painting or finishing the frame, either. That is, unless you want to. All you need is a piece of cloth and the bean bags, and you’re ready to play.
A piece of fabric with a large image of a cartoon character works great, but you can use any fabric – even paper! Simply stretch the material over the picture frame and staple, glue or tape it in place. The fabric can be a piece cut from a sheet or can even be a section cut from a poster.
The frame can be huge or somewhat small, but should definitely be larger than an 8×10. Mount one end of the frame, after covering with fabric, to a couple of 2×4’s or something that will hold the frame upright. Cut holes in the fabric or paper in which to toss the bean bags.
If you’re using a poster or fabric with an image, look for unique places to cut holes for the bean bags, such as the mouth, palms of hands, or even in a cloud overhead. Number the holes so the player knows how many points he will receive for each toss. The player should receive higher points for harder tosses, such as ones in the corner of the frame. Holes cut in the center of the picture are easier to hit, and should allow lesser points.
It’s not necessary to have an image on the cloth or paper – you can just cut holes and number them – but if you want, you can draw your own design on the paper or cloth. Clowns, animals, or even a field of flowers can be drawn onto the cloth or paper with magic marker or paints.
The picture frame, or bean bag toss game, doesn’t have to stand vertically. You can put legs on the back of the frame and stand it on the floor, having the player stand at one end and try to throw the bags into any one of a row of holes you’ve made in the cloth. Holes close to the player should give less points than holes at the end of the frame, furthest from the player.
Don’t have a picture frame to make the bean bag toss game? No worries. Use a cardboard box – with or without lid. If the box has a lid, simply cut holes in it and number them. If the box has no lid, stretch the cloth or paper over the top and tape or glue it to the perimeter of the box.
You can use other things around the house to make bean bag games as well. Heavy pots, large bowls, and similar items can be used to make a makeshift bean bag tossing game. This project is so easy that even a child can make the game himself. And, he’ll have hours of fun playing the game – alone or with friends.
Make the bean bags by filling tiny baby socks with beans, and using fabric glue or hot glue to seal them. Or, find scraps of fabric and glue them together to make the bean bags. If you don’t have beans you can fill the bags with hard peas, rice, tiny pebbles or even sand. The bean bag toss game is fun, easy to make, and costs next to nothing. What more could you ask for on a rainy day?
Reference:
- Buy fabric glue online: www.joann.com
