Cornhole explained for children, teenagers and adults

Introduction: cornhole for all ages

One of the biggest advantages of the cornhole game is that you can easily adapt it to different ages. With a few simple tweaks in distance, rules, and difficulty level, children, teens, and adults can all join in. In this guide, we show you how to make cornhole accessible for every age group.

Looking for the basics first? Then check out What is cornhole? – Basics & game overview or the ultimate beginner’s guide to cornhole.

Cornhole for young children

For young children, cornhole is mainly about fun, movement, and a sense of achievement. So adapt the game as follows:

Tips for children

• Shorten the distance to, for example, 3–4 meters;
• Use lighter bags if needed if standard bags are too heavy;
• Play to a lower score, for example up to 11 points;
• Keep the rules simple – for example, only points for bags on the board or in the hole, without cancellation scoring.

This way, children gradually build coordination and self-confidence through play. You can make the game even more playful with small challenges, such as “who can hit the board three times in a row?”.

Cornhole for teens

Teens often like a bit of competition and challenge. So you can raise the level a bit:

• Play with the official cornhole rules and cancellation scoring;
• Preferably use the standard distance or a slightly shorter variation;
• Add extra challenges, such as trick shots or small tournaments.

In Why cornhole is so popular and The psychology of cornhole, you can read why the game fits so well with the need for challenge and sociability in this age group.

Cornhole for adults

For adults, cornhole is ideal as a social activity during barbecues, drinks, or company outings. Most adults enjoy having a bit of tension and competition involved:

• Play at or close to the official distance of 8.23 meters;
• Use the official scoring system, see Cornhole overview: rules and scoring;
• Organize small tournaments or winner-stays-on formats.

For groups of colleagues or teams, cornhole is also perfect as team building, as we explain on Cornhole as a team building activity.

Cornhole for seniors

Cornhole is particularly suitable for seniors because it:

• requires relatively little physical strain;
• stimulates movement, balance, and coordination;
• provides plenty of social interaction.

You can shorten the distance, use lighter bags, and give players the option to play while seated. You can find more tips at Cornhole for seniors and care facilities.

Inclusive play with mixed ages

Are you playing with a group in which children, teens, adults, and seniors all take part together? Then it’s important to keep the game fair and fun for everyone:

• Give younger or less mobile players a shorter distance;
• Have the strongest players stand a bit farther back or play with “penalty throws”;
• Create mixed teams (for example parent + child or young + old);
• Use house rules that everyone understands and accepts.

On Who can play cornhole? Accessibility & inclusivity we go into more detail on adjustments and inclusive game formats.

Health benefits for all ages

Besides fun, cornhole also offers light mental and physical health benefits:

• improvement of hand-eye coordination;
• light exercise and activity, even for less sporty players;
• social interaction and togetherness;
• stress reduction through focus and relaxation.

You can read more about this at Mental and physical benefits of cornhole.

Frequently asked questions about cornhole for different ages