Tabletop Shuffleboard

Overview

This fun indoor activity is perfect for a rainy day! All you need are two coins and a smooth surface! Tabletop shuffleboard allows you to test your accuracy; can you get closest to the edge without falling off?

Age

School-age, Tweens, Teens, Adults, Seniors

Number of Players

2, 3 to 4

Team Division

Every man for himself (individual players)

Competitiveness

Competitive (has winners and losers)

Difficulty

Easy peasy (fun and simple)

Indoor or Outdoor

Indoors

Space Needed

Small (a clearable open space the size of a 1-car garage)

Noise Level

Quiet

Mess Factor

Clean and tidy

Prep Time

5 minutes or less

Game Time Length

5 - 15 minutes

Supplies

Two coins (quarters work great, but any coin will do!)

A smooth surface, such as a table (be sure that things will slide easily without scratching it!)

Tape (blue painter's tape is best)

Pen and paper for scorekeeping

Setup

1. Clear off your smooth surface; you'll want plenty of room to play!
2. Mark a "starting line" with tape. This is the line that players are not allowed to cross! Be sure that your tape is not damaging to your surface before you tape down your lines.
3. Hand each player one of the same coin. Quarters work great, but you can also try pennies, nickels, dimes, even foreign currency!
4. Get your pen and paper ready to keep score.

How to Play

The object of this game is to get your coin the closest to the edge of your tabletop without going over. Players try to beat each other's distances, while still keeping in bounds!
1. Choose a player to go first. That player places their coin flat on the surface and slides the coin forward.
2. Their hand is not allowed to go past your taped starting line!
3. After noting the distance of the first player's coin, the second player slides their coin forward.
4. Whoever's coin went the farthest, wins a point!
5. If your coin goes over the edge, you lose a point.
6. If your coin "bumps" your opponent's coin and sends it over the edge, your opponent loses ALL their points!
7. Keep playing until someone reaches the best of three, best of five, best of ten, etc.

Variations

1. Test out different coins. Have one person use a quarter, and one person use a penny. Does the quarter or penny go farther?

Tips

1. Be sure that your tape does not damage your surface, and that your coins do not scratch it.
2. In case of disputes when identical coins are used, mark coins with players' initials with a Sharpie. Be sure to let them dry before playing!