Cornhole is a beloved American pastime. If you have a friend or family member who loves playing cornhole, you may be wondering what kind of gifts you can get them to show your appreciation. Luckily, there are plenty of options! Here are some gift ideas for the cornhole player in your life.
A Set of Cornhole Boards
This is a great gift for someone who loves playing cornhole, but doesn't have their own set. There are many different designs and materials to choose from, so you can find the perfect set of custom corn hole boards to suit your loved one's style.
With so many vendors available to us online, or even local builders you might encounter in your area, the choices can be almost overwhelming. So how do you decide what kind of boards to get your cornhole-playing friend or family member?
Well, what do they like? Sports teams can be the obvious go-to when it comes to getting cornhole boards for a gift, but you can run into copyright issues. Licensing the likeness of a team (not just the name, but the mascot, the logo, sometimes the colors) is incredibly expensive, so make sure if you find "the perfect" set of team boards you check to confirm that the seller is officially licensed to sell those boards. If they aren't, they are likely a knock-off product and the quality can vary greatly.
Thankfully there are a lot of pre-designed, generic boards out there. Designs that have been created, either by hand or with the help of a computer, to make some really cool looking boards. Just like you'd pick out clothes, or any other gift, for your recipient, think about what they'd enjoy using all the time.
If they love the outdoors maybe you get them a set of boards with an awesome nature scene on them. If they love animals, or have animals, find a set of boards that speak to that. Many builders will even offer fully customizable boards as well, and can use actual pictures for the boards. These will be the most personal you can get for someone as a gift, too.
Cornhole Bean Bags
These make a great addition to a new cornhole set, or can be used as replacement bags for an existing set. Again, there are many different designs and materials to choose from, so you can find the perfect bean bags to match your loved one's style.
It seems funny, but the bag can really make a difference to a serious cornhole player. Even if you're thinking to yourself "how different can a literal bag of corn be?" you'd be surprised! The first thing is obviously the design. People want their stuff to just look cool, so picking out a sweet design is a great place to start. If you're going the fully custom route then you can pick something that will speak to your gift recipient specifically and wow them with that.
Once the design is picked out, think about the type of fabric. There are many types out there and depending on any restrictions that might exist for where they play, you'll have to choose carefully. If the bags are just for use at home, for fun, you can obviously use whatever fabric you want. You can even have two different fabrics on the bag, so one side might be more slippery and the other might be more rough. There are lots of options!
The filling is the next thing to consider. Whole corn kernels are great, but they don't hold up when they get wet and they typically leave a puff of "smoke" when they land on the boards. Some people prefer the feel of these bags and will only play with them. Other folks like the utility of the "all weather" bags that are filled with little plastic/resin beads instead of actual corn kernels. These stand up to abuse and weather a bit better, but do have a different feel.
A Cornhole Game Set
Some vendors out there only sell the boards with a "cornhole" order, they do not include the bags. That is why a cornhole game set is the perfect gift for someone who loves playing cornhole but doesn't have any of the required materials. It includes everything they need to start playing, including two boards and eight bean bags. This is the obvious combination of the two topics we've already covered. If you cornhole player already has a full set then doing only "part" of a set (just the boards, or just the bags) is a great way to offer them a personalized gift that doesn't burn a hole in your pocket. But if they are new to the sport and you want to provide a complete set, this is a great option as well.
It will be a more expensive option, most likely, than buying just boards or just bags, but unless they already have the other component they won't actually be able to play the game when they open their gift...unless you do the whole set option. So if you want them to open their gift and play right away, make sure to get both boards and bags!
The other thing to consider here is construction material. Some cornhole sets are made of wood. Some are plastic, and some are metal. They've even started to make boards out of "Trex" material, like what they use for outdoor decks, to provide a completely weatherproof option. So if your intended recipient has a complete set already but you still want to get them another complete set (what a good friend you are!) maybe it's time to get them a set of boards made from a new material for them to try?
Get Your Cornhole Gift Today
These are just a few ideas to get you started. Whatever you choose, your loved one is sure to appreciate the thoughtfulness of your gift! And this is a gift that is great to get all year round, no matter where you live.
If you are still unsure where to start, check out Skip's Garage. With thousands of designs, we have the perfect gift option for anyone on your list!