Category Archives: Activity CLUB

Ways to Have Fun on a Budget: Kubb

With football season starting back up strong, tailgating games are back in fashion.  Some of the more popular games including Corn Hole and Ladder Ball offer a simple setup and team competition, but often lack a touch of strategy that makes another game great.  A Swedish game called Kubb is set to spread like wildfire among the lawn game crowd.

What is Kubb

Kubb is an easy to learn, yet challenging yard game for people of all ages.  Anywhere from two to twelve players can play at once making it great for any occasion.  The game is based on a simple concept of knocking over blocks with batons, but provides much excitement as the game develops to the eventual take down of the king block.

In general, this is how Kubb is played.

  1. Each team sets up 5 blocks on a goal line and a king block is placed in the middle of the field – let’s call it the 50-yd line.
  2. Teams alternate tossing 6 batons at the opposing blocks with the objective being to knock over all blocks on the opposing goal line and then the king block (think 8-ball).  If the king block is knocked over in any way before the right time, that team loses.
  3. The extra element of the game is that after each baton toss, the opposing team picks up any knocked over blocks and must toss them from their line of scrimmage to the other half of the field and attack these blocks before going after the opposing goal line.
  4. Always toss batons and knocked over blocks from the standing block closest to the 50-yd line.  Usually this is just your goal line but if the other team messes up, this could be further up field.

If you’re a little confused check out the official World Championship Kubb Rule Book. I have yet to find a person who has tried Kubb and not loved it, so find a way to try today.

Where to Get Kubb

The great thing about Kubb is that you can make it yourself in 15 minutes. Based on the advice of a good friend, I recommend going up to your local home improvement store (e.g. Home Depot) to purchase the following.  Most stores will provide the cuts for free or at a low cost.

  • An 8 foot 4×4 fence post with some type of styled top.  Cut 10 blocks that are 8in in length starting at the bottom.  This will leave you with a 16in piece with the styled top which can be the king block.
  • 2 round dowels (wooden poles) each a yard in length. Cut the 2 dowels into 1 foot batons so that you have 6 batons. I recommend using 1.25in diameter oak wood dowels to keep these as heavy as possible so they can knock over the blocks.
  • You can also consider purchasing 4 stakes to mark the boundaries of your field.

Altogether, this should cost $20-25.  Alternatively, you can purchase Kubb online for $60-80.

Activity C.L.U.B. Ratings

Community
10 – With room for 12, this game allows any group to enjoy a nice day outside.
Low Cost
8 – Although the game can get unreasonably expensive when buying online, ten minutes in a home improvement store makes the cost of this game a great deal.
Underrated
9 – It’s one of those games you have to see to believe so most people are skeptical before trying. Everyone ends up loving the game, so I won’t be surprised to see this on ESPN2 before long.
Beneficial
7 – Throwing sticks may not be the most physically challenging sport but at least it gets you outside.

For more great lawn games, check out the Wikipedia Lawn Games page.

(photo Johan Larsson)

Ways to Have Fun on a Budget: Dining Table Ping-Pong

Do you love the game of ping-pong, but you are too cheap or don’t have room for a table? Do all your friends play beer-pong but you don’t like cleaning up afterwards or spreading swine flu? The next best game to hit the market since Pro Thumb Wrestling is Dining Table Ping-Pong and it’s the latest cheap activity in our Activity CLUB

What Exactly is Dining Table Ping-Pong

Dining Table Ping-Pong (DTPP) is what every bachelor pad owner, apartment dweller, and dorm room needs. Just like the world famous Table Tennis, DTPP offers a competitive activity that is playable for all skill levels. All you do is whip out the adjustable net and tie it to some chairs, put on the hard core sweatbands, and start pinging and ponging until you crash on a nearby couch.

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Ways to Have Fun on a Budget: Disc Golf

Whenever I want to do something fun with friends we often find ourselves stuck playing the “I don’t know, what do you want to do?” game. Other times we find a great activity, but it costs us a buck too much. Few and far between are the great activities that are a lot of fun, yet less intrusive on the wallet.  All of these activities can be found in my Activity C.L.U.B. with a new one being introduced each month.

The Lost Cousin of Golf

The sport of golf is one of the top sports in the world featuring a number of household names. A close cousin, although less famous, is the great sport of disc golf. Disc golf features the same general layout of golf – the goal of getting to a spot on each hole – but has a much lower cost to play and easier learning curve.

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