In 1984, Robert Grebler, an entrepreneur from California who was the brother of a close friend of Scott, contacted her and expressed interest in importing and distributing Jenga in Canada. The V&A Museum of Childhood has exhibited one of the original sets of Jenga since 1982. The blocks of the first sets of Jenga were manufactured for Scott by the Camphill Village Trust in Botton, Yorkshire. Scott launched the game she named and trademarked as 'Jenga' at the London Toy Fair in January 1983 and sold it through her own company, Leslie Scott Associates. A British national, Scott was born in Tanganyika, now Tanzania, where she was raised speaking English and Swahili, before moving to live in Ghana, West Africa. The name jenga is derived from kujenga, a Swahili word which means 'to build'. Jenga was created by Leslie Scott, the co-founder of Oxford Games Ltd, based on a game that evolved within her family in the early 1970s using children's wooden building blocks the family purchased from a sawmill in Takoradi, Ghana. The last player to complete a turn before the collapse is the winner. The game ends when any portion of the tower collapses, caused by either the removal of a block or its new placement. A turn ends when the next player in sequence touches the tower or when 10 seconds have elapsed since the placement of a block, whichever occurs first. A block may be touched or nudged to determine whether it is loose enough to remove without disturbing the rest of the tower, but it must be returned to its original position if the player decides to move a different one.

Once a level contains three blocks, it is complete and may not have any more blocks added to it. Each player may use only one hand to touch the tower or move a block at any given time, but may switch hands whenever desired. Starting with the one who built the tower, players take turns removing one block from any level below the highest completed one and placing it horizontally atop the tower, perpendicular to any blocks on which it is to rest. A plastic tray provided with the game can be used to assist in setup.

The blocks within each layer are oriented in the same direction, with their long sides touching, and are perpendicular to the ones in the layer immediately below. To begin the game, the blocks are stacked into a solid rectangular tower of 18 layers, with three blocks per layer.

Blocks have small, random variations from these dimensions so as to create imperfections in the stacking process and make the game more challenging. Each block is three times as long as it is wide, and one fifth as thick as its length – 1.5 cm × 2.5 cm × 7.5 cm (0.59 in × 0.98 in × 2.95 in). The darts are made from soft plastic and rubber materials so they’re safe for all ages.Jenga is played with 54 wooden blocks. To play, players take turns trying to throw their horseshoes as close as possible to the opposite stake, and with this set approved by the National Horseshoe Pitching Association, you'll be able to have a regulation game just like the pros.īased on a similar gameplay premise as horseshoes, these lawn darts are perfect for children and even glow in the dark, allowing you to play on warm summer nights. The lightweight PVC pipe frame is quick to assemble and stores easily in a zippered carrying case.Ī precursor to Ladder Toss, horseshoes has been played for centuries. The rules of Ladder Toss are easy to learn, and after a few practice throws you’ll be racking up points. The Baden Champions Set comes with everything you need for setup and gameplay, including a regulation net, four high-quality racquets, three nylon shuttlecocks and a protective storage case.

There’s also a dry-erase board included so players can create fun and creative custom rules that correspond to the numbers printed on the blocks.īadminton has been an Olympic sport since 1992, but it’s still a popular game at cookouts and outdoor parties. Played just like the original Jenga tabletop game, this giant version can be stacked over 5 feet tall and takes slightly more effort. Though Wiffle Ball can be played with just two people, it's also fun for larger groups. Utilizing a lightweight plastic bat and ball, you don't have to worry about breaking a window or damaging anyone's property. Available at Amazon and Dick's Sporting Goodsįor fans of baseball, Wiffle Ball is an inexpensive backyard version of the classic pastime.

Fun jenga rules