Use this page when you're out and about and you have a question about how to play backyard games (scoring, distances, rules, etc...), as well as a great way to set up a tournament on the fly.
Bocce Ball
Distance: N/A
Players: 2-8 (can be played as pairs or individually)
Points: 7-21
Rules: There are a couple ways to play American-style Bocce (bocce played not on a court, but in an open space). The simplest rules suggest that a player throws the pallino (little white ball) and then players take turns trying to throw their ball the closest. Closest to the pallino is good for one point. A variation to this style is allowing partners to score as many as two points by having both of their balls closer than any of their opponents. Both are quite fun, but rules should be agreed upon before starting.
Players: 2-8 (can be played as pairs or individually)
Points: 7-21
Rules: There are a couple ways to play American-style Bocce (bocce played not on a court, but in an open space). The simplest rules suggest that a player throws the pallino (little white ball) and then players take turns trying to throw their ball the closest. Closest to the pallino is good for one point. A variation to this style is allowing partners to score as many as two points by having both of their balls closer than any of their opponents. Both are quite fun, but rules should be agreed upon before starting.
Horseshoes
Distance: 40ft.
Players: 2 or 4
Points: 7-21
Rules: The simplest way to play is to have teammates stand on opposite sides, alternating throws with their opponent that's on the same side as them. The team that scored last goes first. Players can score 1 point for being close to the stake (within the same distance as the width of horseshoe's points), 2 points for having a "leaner" (technically not allowed by the NHPA, but generally played in casual settings) and finally 3 points for a ringer, where a horseshoe surrounds the stake. Points cancel out, meaning that if a player scores 4 points (1 ringer, 1 near stake) and their opponent scores 1 point (1 near) then player A receives 3 points (4-1=3). Following this link to read official rules.
Players: 2 or 4
Points: 7-21
Rules: The simplest way to play is to have teammates stand on opposite sides, alternating throws with their opponent that's on the same side as them. The team that scored last goes first. Players can score 1 point for being close to the stake (within the same distance as the width of horseshoe's points), 2 points for having a "leaner" (technically not allowed by the NHPA, but generally played in casual settings) and finally 3 points for a ringer, where a horseshoe surrounds the stake. Points cancel out, meaning that if a player scores 4 points (1 ringer, 1 near stake) and their opponent scores 1 point (1 near) then player A receives 3 points (4-1=3). Following this link to read official rules.
Bag Toss
Distance: 20ft.
Players: 2 or 4
Points: 15-21
Rules: Bag Toss can be played by tossing bags into an overturned box, with the center cup facing up, or with the flat surface facing up and the included horseshoes used as rear legs, which makes a slanted surface (picture below). Teammates stand on opposite sides and alternate throws with their opponents until all bags are tossed. The team that scored last goes first. Players cannot step beyond the front edge of their box. A bag that lands on the surface is worth one point, and a bag that lands in the cup is worth three. Points cancel out, so if Team A scores five points and Team B scores two then Team A is awarded three points.
Players: 2 or 4
Points: 15-21
Rules: Bag Toss can be played by tossing bags into an overturned box, with the center cup facing up, or with the flat surface facing up and the included horseshoes used as rear legs, which makes a slanted surface (picture below). Teammates stand on opposite sides and alternate throws with their opponents until all bags are tossed. The team that scored last goes first. Players cannot step beyond the front edge of their box. A bag that lands on the surface is worth one point, and a bag that lands in the cup is worth three. Points cancel out, so if Team A scores five points and Team B scores two then Team A is awarded three points.
Washer Toss
Distance: 20ft.
Players: 2 or 4
Points: 15 to 21
Rules: Teammates stand on opposite sides and alternate throws with their opponents until all washers are tossed. The team that scored last goes first. Players cannot step beyond the front edge of their box. A washer that lands in the box is worth one point, and a washer that lands in the cup is worth three. Points cancel out, so if Team A scores five points and Team B scores two then Team A is awarded three points.
Players: 2 or 4
Points: 15 to 21
Rules: Teammates stand on opposite sides and alternate throws with their opponents until all washers are tossed. The team that scored last goes first. Players cannot step beyond the front edge of their box. A washer that lands in the box is worth one point, and a washer that lands in the cup is worth three. Points cancel out, so if Team A scores five points and Team B scores two then Team A is awarded three points.
Disc-O Towers
Distance: 30ft.
Players: 4
Points: 7-21 depending on skill
Assembly: Assemble Disc-O Towers towers 30 feet apart. Start by pounding stake in the ground until it is snug. Using two plastic connectors, add two poles to stake and place platform on top. When the stake in the ground loosens during play remove the plastic connector and poles on top of it and re-pound or relocate stake - DO NOT attempt to push in the entire assembled tower or pound on anything but the stake alone (plastic connectors could break).
Warning: Disc-O Towers involves intentionally hitting glass bottles or potentially sharp aluminum cans with a heavy flying disc. Though there are no reports of bottles breaking, the possibility is real and players should exercise caution when playing and know that Disc-O Towers is not for everyone, especially young children or the elderly. Play at your own risk.
Rules: Teammates stand on the SAME side. Place bottle or can on top of assembled tower. Using your flying disc and standing no closer than your tower, attempt to hit your opponents' tower or bottle, thus causing the bottle to fall off its platform. Causing a bottle to fall off the tower will result in one point. If your opponents' bottle hits the ground you will receive two points. Opponents can limit your team to one point by catching the bottle before it hits ground. Catching the disc is not required. (Some variations of this game emphasize that catching the disc is integral part to the game. This requirement creates confusing scoring, i.e. catching the disc is worth one point and bottle is two, etc... as well as demands a subjective determination of what is deemed "catchable," usually resulting in fights over what constitutes a "catchable" disc. BackyardNinja.com suggests at least trying a version without the "catching the disc" requirement).
Players: 4
Points: 7-21 depending on skill
Assembly: Assemble Disc-O Towers towers 30 feet apart. Start by pounding stake in the ground until it is snug. Using two plastic connectors, add two poles to stake and place platform on top. When the stake in the ground loosens during play remove the plastic connector and poles on top of it and re-pound or relocate stake - DO NOT attempt to push in the entire assembled tower or pound on anything but the stake alone (plastic connectors could break).
Warning: Disc-O Towers involves intentionally hitting glass bottles or potentially sharp aluminum cans with a heavy flying disc. Though there are no reports of bottles breaking, the possibility is real and players should exercise caution when playing and know that Disc-O Towers is not for everyone, especially young children or the elderly. Play at your own risk.
Rules: Teammates stand on the SAME side. Place bottle or can on top of assembled tower. Using your flying disc and standing no closer than your tower, attempt to hit your opponents' tower or bottle, thus causing the bottle to fall off its platform. Causing a bottle to fall off the tower will result in one point. If your opponents' bottle hits the ground you will receive two points. Opponents can limit your team to one point by catching the bottle before it hits ground. Catching the disc is not required. (Some variations of this game emphasize that catching the disc is integral part to the game. This requirement creates confusing scoring, i.e. catching the disc is worth one point and bottle is two, etc... as well as demands a subjective determination of what is deemed "catchable," usually resulting in fights over what constitutes a "catchable" disc. BackyardNinja.com suggests at least trying a version without the "catching the disc" requirement).
Ultimate
Ultimate is played with a 175-gram flying disc. Ultimate is a complex game similar to soccer. Find official rules here.
Hacky Sack
Hacky Sack is not generally played competitively but rather casually with as few as two but as many as 10 people. Hacky Sack is simple: form a circle and start by tossing in an arc towards a partner. Using any part of your body except for you hands or forearms keep the Hacky Sack off of the ground by passing it from partner to partner. If everyone playing successfully passes the Hacky Sack before it touches the ground then the group has just got a "Hack."
Tips for packing up your backyard ninja
These instructions are also on your Kit's instruction manual.
- Gather all games and components (8 bocce balls, 1 pallino, 4 horseshoes, 8 washers, 8 tossing bags, 2 Disc-O Towers (2 stakes, 4 poles, 4 plastic connectors and 2 platforms), 1 175-gram flying disc, 1 Hacky Sack, 1 20-foot measuring rope, 1 small components bag).
- Lay first box down (no words on it), wrap rope around center cup, lay Disc-O Tower poles and stakes flat.
- Place Bocce Balls and tossing bags in box (on poles is fine).
- Place small items in zipper bag and place in box.
- Place horseshoes in upside down throwing disc, lay disc on center cup.
- Place second box on top (has "BackyardNinja.com" on it). Secure all four latches and tip up.
How to easily set up a backyard tournament using your backyard ninja
Your Backyard Ninja has five competitive backyard games in it: Horseshoes, Bocce Ball, Bag Toss, Washer Toss and Disc-O Towers. Using one simple rule and one simple scoring system you can host a backyard tournament with as few or as many teams as you'd like.
To download a bracket click here.
To start, make a quick grid on a piece of paper with the five games listed above along the top of the grid and the names of the teams constituting the left column of the grid. Using the scoring system listed below, fill in the grid with the appropriate points for your teams wins and losses. At the end, when all teams have played each game once (and only once) have the top two teams play one more game to decide the champion. Have the team with the most points decide which game should be played. If their is a 3 or 4 way tie for first then the championship should be decided by playing Bocce Ball. If there are enough teams then the only rule should be that no two teams play each other twice. Teams do not necessarily need to play ever other team, but rather only need to play each game once. Teams may need to play against each other for a second time if they meet in the championship.
Scoring:
Washer win = 3 point, Washer loss = 1 point
Bag Toss win = 3 points, Bag Toss loss = 1 point
Horseshoe win = 3 points, Horseshoe loss = 1 point
Disc-O Towers win = 3 points, Disc-O Towers loss = 1 point
Bocce Ball win = 3 points, second place = 2 points, third place = 1 point and fourth place = 0 points.
This scoring system is effective in ensuring that teams have a variety of points at the end of the tournament, thus allowing clear contenders for the championship.
To download a bracket click here.
To start, make a quick grid on a piece of paper with the five games listed above along the top of the grid and the names of the teams constituting the left column of the grid. Using the scoring system listed below, fill in the grid with the appropriate points for your teams wins and losses. At the end, when all teams have played each game once (and only once) have the top two teams play one more game to decide the champion. Have the team with the most points decide which game should be played. If their is a 3 or 4 way tie for first then the championship should be decided by playing Bocce Ball. If there are enough teams then the only rule should be that no two teams play each other twice. Teams do not necessarily need to play ever other team, but rather only need to play each game once. Teams may need to play against each other for a second time if they meet in the championship.
Scoring:
Washer win = 3 point, Washer loss = 1 point
Bag Toss win = 3 points, Bag Toss loss = 1 point
Horseshoe win = 3 points, Horseshoe loss = 1 point
Disc-O Towers win = 3 points, Disc-O Towers loss = 1 point
Bocce Ball win = 3 points, second place = 2 points, third place = 1 point and fourth place = 0 points.
This scoring system is effective in ensuring that teams have a variety of points at the end of the tournament, thus allowing clear contenders for the championship.