Bean Bags are a super versatile toy and the number of ways to play with them is limited only by your imagination. I have put together a list of our favourites and created a free printable booklet (you can find the link at the bottom of the post) so you can have them all in one handy place. It’s also perfect to add to add as part of a gift.

Want to play the games but don’t have any bean bags? Head over to the Make Your Own Bean Bags Tutorial.

Bean Bag Games

Target Toss:
Scatter the printable targets on the ground, with lowest points closest to the throwing line. Take turns tossing bean bags and trying to land on the targets.
Increase the challenge by placing the targets inside objects such as a bucket or pot.

Walk the Line:
For this activity you will need a piece of rope, lay the rope in a straight line on the ground. Balance a bean bag on your head and try to walk along the rope without it falling off.
Ideas to make it harder are to balance a second bean bag on top of the first, pick up an object along the way, add turns or waves to the rope line or try a heel to toe walk.

Fill the Bucket:
Place a pile of bean bags on one side of the yard and a bucket on the other, move all the bean bags to the bucket one at a time. You can make this a race with more than one child by giving them each a bucket to fill and see who gets the most. Or for one child change the way they have to get to the bucket each time eg. crawl, hop, jump, walk backwards etc.

Juggling:
Start with one bean bag and toss it up and catch with the other hand. Once this can be done add a second bean bag and toss both to the other hand at the same time. Then add the third bean bag, for this to work your riming needs to be spot on, you will need to be catching with one hand, while tossing with the other and have one bean bag still in the air ready to catch.

Tossing:
Start by tossing the bean bag into the air and then catching it, once you can do this easily try some of these ideas; toss the bean bag higher into the air, try to toss and catch the bean bag with only one hand, toss with one had and catch with the other or add a clap after tossing the bean bag and before catching, see how many claps you can add and still catch the bean bag.
Ultimate challenge: Try throwing up the bean bag and then catch it on the back of your hand. Throw it up from the back of the hand, and catch again. Can you toss it from the back of one hand to the other hand? And then back again?

Jumping Beans:
Scatter the bean bags on the floor. Pick up one and toss it into the air. With the same hand, pick up another bag and transfer it to your other hand. Repeat until you have all bean bags in one hand, and catch the thrown beanbag in the other.

Read to start playing? Download the printable booklet. You can fold the pages together to make a booklet or cut each on out and punch a hole in the corner and tie together with string or ribbon.