free printable
Ring Toss Rules Card
A one-page ring toss rules card: how to play, how to score, and how to set it up. Hit print, fold it, and keep it with your set. Want the full walkthrough? See the Ring Toss rules.
LAWNLEAGUES.COM
rules card Ring Toss
Players2 or more (singles or teams)
Ages4+
SetupUnder 2 min
SpaceA small flat area; about 10 to 15 ft of clear toss room
What you need
- A ring toss set: a peg base (often 1 center peg plus surrounding pegs) and a set of rings, usually 5 or 6
- Rings made of rope, rubber, plastic, or wood, typically 5 to 7 inches across
- A flat patch of grass, deck, or patio
- For hook-and-ring: a wall hook, a ring on a string, and an eye hook to anchor the string above and to the side
Scoring
- Simplest method: 1 point for every ring that lands and stays on a peg (a 'ringer'). First to 21 wins.
- Peg-value method: assign different points to each peg, for example center peg worth 5, back peg 3, side pegs 2 each, and front peg 1.
- Hook-and-ring: 1 point each time you swing the ring onto the hook. Play to a set number like 21 or to a time limit.
- Cancellation (optional): if both players ring the same peg in a round, those rings cancel out, so only the difference counts.
How to play
- Set up the target. Place the peg base on flat ground. A common layout has a tall center peg with shorter pegs around it, each worth a different number of points. For hook-and-ring, mount the hook on a wall or post and anchor the ring's string so the ring can swing and catch the hook.
- Mark your toss line. Step back and set a toss line a few feet from the target. A casual distance is around 5 to 10 feet for peg ring toss; shorten it for little kids and stretch it to 10 to 15 feet for competitive adults.
- Take turns tossing. Players or teams alternate turns. On your turn you toss your rings (commonly 3 to 6 per turn) underhand toward the pegs, trying to land a 'ringer' that settles around a peg. For hook-and-ring, swing the ring on its string so it loops onto the hook.
- Tally the round. After all rings are tossed, add up the points for rings that landed on pegs (or caught the hook). Rings that miss or bounce off score nothing. Clear the rings and pass to the next player.
- Play to the target score. Keep playing rounds until someone reaches the agreed target score. Twenty-one is the classic finish line, though 50 or 100 work for longer games.
Set it up
There is no single official distance for backyard ring toss. A good casual toss line is about 5 to 10 feet from the pegs, moved closer for young kids and back to 10 to 15 feet for competitive adults. For hook-and-ring, the toss line is shorter, usually around 6 to 8 feet, because you are swinging the ring rather than throwing it.