Playing games as a family can be a lot of fun. When nice weather hits, you want to be able to find enjoyable things to do outside. Ideas like the kubb game are a great way to get outside and have an activity to enjoy while you’re at it. It’s great fun for families, friends, and people of all ages. Yard games like these are the perfect activity to bring some excitement to your outdoor play.
Kubb, and many other yard games, are great family-friendly activities. Take a look below to learn more.
What is a Kubb Game?
This term may be unfamiliar. It’s certainly a unique word. Kubb is pronounced like “koob,” rather than “cub” as it might appear. It can easily be played with large or small groups, with parts to accommodate up to 12 players at a time.
The game has a Scandinavian twist, and it’s sometimes referred to as Viking Chess. The original game itself was not considered kid-friendly, but the versions that you see today and the outdoor models are something that kids can enjoy. You can also find versions where you can change the rules slightly to make the game simpler for young kids.
Kubb uses sticks and is designed to be a training game that establishes and hones throwing skills. The goal is to learn to throw the sticks to a specific place within the game.
The Rules of Kubb
This game can be very confusing, but most companies try to keep it simple to make it more family-friendly.
When you play, you will first determine two teams. You can have up to 6 members on each team. Each player gets a skittle, or a kubb. This is a wooden block. Then there is also a king, which is a special wooden block.
Establish the perimeter for the game so that you have sidelines, almost like a basketball court. It does not have to be that large. The size of the playing court is really up to you. The standard recommendations are 33 x 26 feet, 33 x 16 feet, or 26 x 16 feet. You can create whatever size will work for your needs or even your space.
The goal is to knock down all the kubbs for the opposing team and then knock down the king. It is important to not knock the king down until all kubbs are knocked over, or else it’s an instant loss.
The rules can be slightly complicated, so let’s break it down a bit more.
Starting Point
Once you’ve established your court lines and set up the kubbs and the king, you can begin play. The king goes in the center of both teams at an even center point. The kubbs can be set up at random in front of players or with a strategy behind them.
One team will throw first. They use their throwing sticks to throw toward the kubbs on the other side of the court. There needs to be a throwing line to stay behind each time. In order to avoid any injuries from the wooden sticks, one specific rule to enforce is throwing the sticks underhanded. They also should be held vertically at the toss.
On the first turn, only 4 sticks are thrown in an effort to knock down the kubbs. But subsequent turns change it up slightly.
Subsequent Turns
When a kubb is knocked over, it is then tossed into the opponent’s side. The goal here is to toss as close to the baseline as possible, and there are some strategies for how the kubb will be raised onto 2 edges with each throw.
Any kubbs not on the baseline need to be knocked out by the opposing team, so players will stand behind the throwing line and try to take these field kubbs out. A team cannot work on defeating baseline kubbs until all field kubbs are knocked over.
Once all field kubbs have been knocked over, the team will then work on hitting the baseline kubbs. Once all field kubbs and baseline kubbs are hit, it’s time to take out the king. Just remember, the king cannot be taken out early or it’s an automatic loss.
The teams will take turns as they work through all of their sticks. The turns continue until someone gets the king.
The Win!
The win occurs when a team has progressively made it through all of the kubbs and then to the King. They must topple the king last. If for some reason they accidentally topple the king before everything else is toppled, they automatically lose. This gives the other team an upper hand and the potential to take the game even when it seems they are way behind.
The win is the twist. While you might think taking out the king will be the win, you need to remember you don’t want to do it early.
Change It Up as Needed
When you look into kubb, you will find there are several different ways to mix it up. Some people have placed interesting twists or requirements on the moves to make the game more challenging. When children are part of the game, there can also be some adjustments to make the details a bit simpler.
While these are the basics of the game, the nice thing is that you can make minor adjustments to make it work for your terms and your players.
Handmade Amish Kubb Game
Yard games have a lot to offer. They are made to be large and enjoyable for families and groups alike. Amish Toy Box has a variety of quality yard games, including a spectacular Kubb game that is well worth checking out. Grab some games and enjoy your time with family!