Bean bag games have become very popular for people of all ages and backgrounds. Similar to horseshoes, teams or individual players compete by throwing or tossing small bean bags at their opponent's board to score the most points.

A bean bag toss game can be purchased for less than $100 bucks, but if you are handy, they can also be made fairly easily. Essentially, there are 2 game boards each made of plywood that constitute the targets. These boards are about 24 inches wide and about 36 to 48 inches long. Each game board is angled at a slight forward pitch. This creates a bit of challenge for the bag tosser when trying to keep the bag on the game board. If the bag slides onto the ground, the team will not receive a point toward their goal.

"Corn holes" are cut into the top and positioned vertically or positioned strategically across the board. These holes are the targets that the opponent shoots for to try and score points. Holes can range from 4 to 6 inches in diameter. The smaller the hole, the more challenging it becomes.

Once the game boards have been made, you can paint or varnish them for added durability. Making the bags will be the next step in the process and can be started by selecting a fabric type. You can recycle old blankets, shirts or even an old pillow case or you can also purchase material from the local craft or department store.

Once you decide on the fabric, cut into 4 or 6 inch squares. You will need 2 square pieces cut for each bag. You will need a total of 8 squares for 4 bags. The next step is to find the right size beans to fill the inside. You can find standard dried beans at the local grocery store. Some people will use dried feed corn instead of beans for more mold resistance.

After the squares have been cut and the filler beans have been obtained, the next step is to sew the sides of each bag together. You want to make sure you use the strongest thread available and do a double stitch process to even more strength to help prevent the bags from tearing open during play. Sew all sides together leaving one side with about a 2 inch opening. Place a small funnel into the hole and add your bean or corn material to the bag. You should fill each bag about 2/3 full but be careful not to overfill.

You are now ready to try out your new bean bag toss game. Enjoy!