At a Glance: DIY Ring Toss Game
- Skill Level: Easy / Family-Friendly (Great for kids!)
- Time Commitment: 1 to 2 Hours
- What This Guide Features: Exact geometric layout measurements, split tasks for adults/kids, and a Pinterest-ready presentation plan.
Summer 2026 is officially here, the sun is shining, and if your household is anything like mine, you’re probably looking for a way to pry the kids away from their screens and get everyone laughing together in the backyard.
Look no further! The ultimate solution is a DIY Ring Toss Game (classically known as Hookey). It’s an absolute parlor and backyard classic. The rules are dead simple: toss soft rubber rings onto the hooks to rack up points, and the first player to reach exactly 101 points wins.
This is the perfect warm-weather family project. Because there’s no heavy cutting involved, your kids can do a massive portion of the layout, twist in the hooks, and apply the numbers. It’s quick, rewarding, and results in a beautiful game you’ll play all summer long. Let’s build it!
RELATED: DIY Pucket Game for the Whole Family ︱Woodworking Projects
⚠️ Safety Reminder
Wear PPE (gloves, goggles, ear protection, dust mask). Use sharp tools responsibly. For load-bearing projects (decks, sheds, barns), check local building codes and consult pros. Work in ventilated spaces; minimize dust with eco-friendly practices.
Project Overview & Specifications
- Finished Size: 12″ Diameter, 0.8″ Thickness
- Estimated Cost: $20 – $35 (based on 2026 pricing at big-box retailers like Home Depot in Round Rock, TX)
- Aesthetic: Classic rustic-modern with brass accents.
Materials & Tools List
🪵 Materials
- The Main Board: 1 circular wood plaque, 12″ diameter and 0.8″ (approx. 13/16″) thick.
- (Pro-Tip: Buy a pre-cut 12″ pine or paulownia circle at Home Depot or a local craft store to eliminate the need to cut a perfect circle from scratch!)
- Hooks: 13 brass L-hooks (square bend screw hooks), roughly 1-1/4″ to 1-1/2″ total length.
- Rings: 6 to 12 flexible silicone or rubber rings (approx. 2-1/2″ to 3″ outer diameter). Colorful canning jar rings or silicone O-rings work beautifully.
- Numbers: 1″ tall black vinyl stickers (numbers 1 to 13), stencils, or a wood-burning kit.
- Hanger: 1 heavy-duty sawtooth hanger or D-ring hanger with small screws.
🛠️ Tools Needed
- Power drill
- Tiny pilot drill bit (1/16″ or 3/32″)
- Painter’s tape (to use as a drill depth stop)
- Ruler or tape measure
- Protractor or speed square (for geometric layout)
- Pencil & eraser
- Sanding block (220-grit)
Complete Cut List
| Part | Component | Qty | Material | Dimensions |
| A | Game Board | 1 | Pine/Paulownia Round | 12″ Diameter x 0.8″ Thickness |
Precision Layout Map
To make sure your rings actually fit and the game looks perfectly balanced, we need a clean, geometric layout. We will locate the center of the board and draw two concentric rings.
- Center Hook (13): Placed exactly at the center point $(0,0)$.
- Inner Ring (Radius = 2.5″): Holds hooks 9, 10, 11, and 12.
- Outer Ring (Radius = 5.0″): Holds hooks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8.
Step-by-Step DIY Ring Toss
Phase 1: Prepping & Marking the Board
Step 1.1: Finding the Center
- 👦 Kids / Collab: Lay the wooden circle flat. Measure the widest span of the board in a few directions to mark the absolute center point. Mark it with a light pencil dot and write “13” next to it.
- 🛠️ Adult Task: Verify the center point is accurate by ensuring it measures exactly 6″ from the outer edge all the way around.
Step 1.2: Drawing the Layout Rings
- 👦 Kids / Collab: Set a compass to 2.5″ and draw a light pencil circle around the center. Next, set the compass to 5.0″ and draw a second, larger circle.
- 🛠️ Adult Task: Use a straightedge or speed square to draw a vertical crosshair line and a horizontal crosshair line straight through the center. This gives you your cardinal directions (12, 3, 6, and 9 o’clock).
Step 1.3: Marking the 13 Hook Locations
- 👦 Kids / Collab: Mark the intersection points where the crosshair lines cross the circles:
- Outer Circle Marks: Mark 1 (12 o’clock), 3 (3 o’clock), 5 (6 o’clock), and 7 (9 o’clock).
- 🛠️ Adult Task: Use a protractor to mark diagonal lines at $45^\circ$. Where these diagonals cross the outer and inner circles, mark the remaining points:
- Outer Diagonals: Mark 2 (top-right), 4 (bottom-right), 6 (bottom-left), and 8 (top-left).
- Inner Diagonals: Mark 12 (top-right), 10 (bottom-right), 9 (bottom-left), and 11 (top-left).
Phase 2: Drilling & Hardware Installation
Step 2.1: Setting the Drill Depth
- 🛠️ Adult Task: We don’t want to drill all the way through your beautiful 0.8″ board! Wrap a piece of painter’s tape around your drill bit exactly 1/2″ from the tip to act as a visual depth guide. Stop drilling when the tape touches the wood surface.
Step 2.2: Drilling Pilot Holes
- 🛠️ Adult Task: Carefully drill a 1/2″ deep pilot hole straight down into all 13 marked pencil points.
Step 2.3: Screwing in the Hooks
- 👦 Kids / Collab: Hand-thread the brass L-hooks into the pilot holes. Keep twisting until the shoulder of the hook sits flush against the wood.
- ⚠️ Crucial Check: Ensure the “L” of every single hook points straight UP toward the 12 o’clock position so the tossed rings hang on them securely!
Phase 3: Applying Numbers & Finishes
Step 3.1: Applying the Numbers
- 👦 Kids / Collab: Erase all pencil layout lines. Place the vinyl number stickers (1 through 13) directly below or next to their corresponding hooks, matching the layout diagram. Press down firmly.
Step 3.2: Adding the Back Hanger
- 🛠️ Adult Task: Flip the board over. Screw the sawtooth hanger near the top edge, making sure it is perfectly aligned with Hook 1 (12 o’clock) on the front so the board hangs straight.
Step 3.3: Protecting the Game
- 👦 Kids / Collab: Apply a thin layer of natural, food-safe wax (like beeswax or carnauba) over the face of the wood. This protects the stickers, seals the pine, and gives it a gorgeous satin sheen.
To keep this project highly sustainable, check your local hardware store’s “cull lumber” bin or a nearby cabinet maker’s shop for a 12″ x 12″ hardwood off-cut (like oak or cherry). Instead of buying vinyl stickers, you and the kids can practice hand-drawing the numbers with a non-toxic paint pen or a simple wood-burning tool!
DIY Ring Toss Game FAQs
1. What is the official height to hang a DIY ring toss board?
For standard play, the center hook (Hook 13) should hang exactly 4 feet 6 inches (54 inches) from the floor.
2. How far away should players stand when throwing?
The official throwing distance is 4 feet 6 inches (54 inches) measured horizontally from the face of the wall where the board is hanging. You can adjust this closer for younger kids!
3. What wood species is best if I want to hang a diy ring toss board outdoors?
If you plan to leave your DIY Ring Toss Game on a patio or deck, swap out the pine board for a weather-resistant species like cedar or redwood. Apply a clear exterior polyurethane seal to protect it from moisture.
4. What can I use if I can’t find silicone or rubber rings?
Traditional Hookey rings are soft rubber, but you can easily substitute them with rubber jar rings (used for canning), heavy-duty silicone O-rings from the plumbing aisle, or even make your own by splicing and taping together colorful 1/4″ rope.
5. My hooks are turning too loosely in the wood. How do I tighten them?
If a pilot hole was drilled slightly too large and the L-hook feels loose, back the hook out, squeeze a small drop of wood glue into the hole, insert a toothpick, snap it off flush, and screw the hook back in. The toothpick will pack the hole and create a rock-solid grip!
