DIY Carnival Games

Carnivals delight both young children and the young at heart. The lights, music, and rides catch your eye from a distance but it's the carnival games that can really do a number on your wallet.

With do it yourself carnival games in your backyard, you can embrace the fun of the carnival without throwing off your budget.  We've compiled a few great DIY Carnival game activities that kids and adults will love. So step right up and give it your best shot with backyard carnival games this summer. 

Duck Pond You only need three things for this popular carnival game: a basin, rubber ducks, and water. You can use any rubber ducks or floating water toys that are not likely to capsize. To prepare the game, label the bottom of the toys using waterproof markers with numbers, colors, or shapes and ensure there are at least two of each option. Then fill the basin with water and toss in the toys.  Players take turns choosing two rubber ducks (or toys) and checking the bottoms to see if they match. One of the great things about this game is that it can be played over and over again by different people without needing to refill or refresh anything. 

Bean Bag Toss Bean bag toss is one of the easiest, most customizable carnival games you can create yourself. It's a great way to reuse a large cardboard box if you only plan on using the game once. For a more durable version, a sheet of plywood is a better option. Decorate your game according to your theme. Clowns and popcorn are perfect for carnivals. If you are hosting a carnival themed birthday party, cake, ice cream or presents would also be fun designs for the board. Once the paint has dried, it's time to cut the holes. You probably want a minimum of three holes for targets. Varying the size of the holes can make the game a bit more challenging.  If you don't have bean bags, you can make some with dried beans and socks. Just cut the socks to size, fill with beans and then stitch up the open end. If you don't sew, you can use crew socks and tie them off to create the bean bags. Or skip the bean bags entirely and have tennis balls available instead.

Ring Toss The basics of this classic carnival game are simple - grab a ring and try to toss it over a soda bottle or bowling pin. If you are using unused soda bottles, the players can keep the bottle they ring as their prize. If you are reusing plastic bottles, add some whimsy by decorating them with paint. Instead of just painting the outside, put about a tablespoon of paint inside the bottle, seal, and then swirl to coat all sides.  Since empty plastic bottles are fairly light, add sand or water to weigh down previously used plastic bottles.

What About Prizes? A full carnival experience is not complete without prizes for winners. To prevent handing out items that will add clutter, provide fun, sweet treats for winners. Our favorite prize ideas are:

• a few goldfish crackers scattered in a bag of blue jelly beans
• a giant lollipop from a dollar store
• a bag of cotton candy from a dollar store

Don't let overpriced tickets and difficult to win games keep your family from enjoying the fun of a carnival this summer. Skip the lines and make memories in your backyard or at a local park. Let the kids help create the games and you will be sure to have a special day. You may decide to make it an annual event that the whole family can look forward to!