Beans, beans…we all know that they are good for your heart (and the delightful end to that tale), but did you know they are also great for play time? From classic bean bag tosses to Jenga-like bean stack offs to life-like bean art, there are plenty of ways to make the humble legume the life of the party.
Bean Bag Toss
Nothing is easier than DIY bean bags. We recommend using at least 4 different colors of fabric, and making 4 bags out of each color. Once you’ve stitched them up, grab 5 paper plates, pie pans or any sturdy, shallow dish. Cut out numbers 1 through 5 and place them in the vessels, line them up and start tossing!
A Bean in the Hand
Each player puts between zero and four beans in his/her hand. Then each player guesses the total number of beans being held by all the players. Whoever is closest wins.
Photo: Live Simply
Bean Bingo
We showed you this site example of BINGO played with items from your local farmer’s market, but as long as you have the beans and the cards, you can fill your cards with anything from numbers to animal faces.
Stack the Beans
Pretty much as simple as it sounds. Beans come in all different shapes and sizes, and we’ve found a combination of types makes for a more exciting game. Just let everyone start stacking and see who can balance the most before the bean tower tips.
Photo: Yarnuh
Bean Art
Less of a game and more of a project (and practice in creativity and patience) we suggest you start this endeavor with a group trip to your local health food store, which probably has an entire bulk section dedicated to colorful dried legumes. Pick out a pretty selection, then start by trying to recreate (or cover) and existing artwork in beans of a similar hue.
Do you have any bright ideas for games to play with beans? Let us know in the comments below!
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