DIY Yard Game-Giant Block Tower Builder

Summertime means loads of fun playing games outside with family and friends. We love to bring out yard games like Kubb, Croquet, and Danish Ball. My kids love to play the traditional Jenga. I thought it would be fun to make a giant sized version for the yard. The traditional Jenga pieces are 1.5 cm thick, 2.5 cm wide and 7.5 cm long, making the Giant Jenga pieces couldn’t be simpler using 2×3 boards.  A ‘2×3’ board that you buy is actually 1.5 inches thick, 2.5 inches wide and we can cut them 7.5 inches long…perfect!

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To make things interesting, I made the Giant Block Tower Builder with a ‘throw ‘n go’ option (I’m calling it Roll ‘n Go).  The Roll ‘n Go version puts a fun twist on the game, and I kept it simple for my young kids.  Each side of the dice (die) is a different color and there is a corresponding set of blocks in each color.  They will roll and whatever color it lands on, they have to move a block of that color.  Playing tower builder the traditional way is fun too.

I also made a carrying crate that doubles as the Giant Block Tower Builder stand for the yard game. The crate has enough room for the 54 Block Tower pieces and die. This is totally optional to make.

How to Make a DIY Giant Block Tower Builder Yard Game

Materials

• 5 – 2″ x 3″ x 8′ boards (actually measure 1 1/2″ x 2 1/2″ x 8′)
• 1 – 1″ x 8″ x 10′ board – optional carrying crate (actually measure 3/4″ x 7 1/4″ x 10′)
• scrap piece of 4″ x 4″ post – optional dice (actually measure 3 1/2″ x 3 1/2″)
• sandpaper
• 26 – 1 1/4″ wood screws – optional for carrying crate
• wood glue – optional for carrying crate
• 2 – drawer handles – optional for carrying crate
• paint/stain – optional
• paint brush – optional

Tools Used

• Miter Saw
• Sander
• Drill

Cut List

• 54 – 1 1/2″ x 2 1/2″ x 7 1/2″ block pieces cut from the 2×3 boards
• Optional carrying crate
  • 4 – 3/4″ x 7 1/4″ x 19 3/4″
  • 2 – 3/4″ x 7 1/4″ x 13″
• Optional dice
  • 1 – 3 1/2″ x 3 1/2″ x 3 1/2″ from a 4×4 post

Cut Diagram

Making the Giant Block Tower Builder pieces

Cut the 2×3 boards into 7 1/2″ long pieces, you should be able to get 12 – 7 1/2″ pieces from each 2×3 board.  I used a miter saw and set up a stop block on the left side so I didn’t have to measure every piece.

Cut 54 giant block tower pieces. (Sometimes those kids toys can be useful 🙂 ).

Sand each block smooth. I used a belt sander for this part to make it faster, a regular hand sander will work too.

Paint or stain the yard game blocks if desired.

I used latex paint (ultra pure white, the real teal, pimento, paradise sky and cherries jubile). One issue with latex is that it dries in a day, but doesn’t cure for a few weeks. So the blocks want to stick to each other. You can coat them with a clear coat, wait until the paint has fully cured, or use a chalky paint. (If you leave them natural wood you won’t have this issue.) However the colors make the yard game really cute.

I had my helpers paint 9 giant blocks in each color. One set of 9 blocks I left natural wood.

Making the Carrying Crate

Cut the 4 pieces of 1×8 to be 19 3/4″ long.  Use a countersink bit (or a regular drill bit about the size of the screw shank) and drill holes for the screws as shown in the sketch. The holes should be about 3/8″ away from the side and evenly spaced.

Add a bead of wood glue along one of the sides of a ‘long side’ board. Use 1 1/4″ minimum to secure a ‘top/bottom’ board to the ‘long side’ board as shown.

Add a bead of wood glue to 2 sides of the ‘short side’ boards and attach it to the ‘long side’ and ‘top/bottom’ boards with 1 1/4″ screws. Attach another ‘top/bottom’ board right by the other ‘top/bottom’ board and secure it to the ‘short side’ board with 1 1/4″ screws.

Attach the last ‘long side’ board with wood glue and 1 1/4″ screws to the ‘short side’ and ‘top/bottom’ boards.  If you want to add handles, add one to each side. I painted my handles teal.

Remove any excess squeeze out glue. After the glue has dried, sand the carrying crate smooth, especially the top/bottom where the blocks will be stacked to play the yard game.

Making the Dice

Cut a piece of 4×4 to a cube, 3 1/2″ x 3 1/2″ x 3 1/2″. Paint each of the 6 sides a different color (one side will stay natural wood.) After the paint has dried, lightly sand the edges to distress as desired.

Now you’re ready to roll ‘n go and play Giant Block Tower Builders for hours of fun! Make sure to check out how to make DIY Kubb Yard Game and DIY Molkky Yard Game too. 

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How to play Giant Block Tower Builder yard game

• Empty out carrying crate and turn it bottom side up.
• Build up the block tower
  • 3 blocks on each row
  • Start a new row of 3 blocks, rotating the block direction
  • Repeat until you have 18 rows
• Minimum of 2 players
• Pick who will go first and what order the players will go (ie clockwise)
• The player who’s turn it is will remove a block (with only one hand) from any row except the top, and place the block on the top of the tower, continuing the row direction pattern.
• If the player who’s turn it is successfully stacks the removed block on the tower without it falling, the next player will take a turn.
• Whichever player the block tower falls during their turn is the game loser, and the game is over for that round.
• Have Fun!

How to play Giant Block Tower Builder yard game with the Roll ‘n Go option

• Empty out carrying crate and turn it bottom side up.
• Build up the block tower
  • 3 blocks on each row
  • Start a new row of 3 blocks, rotating the block direction
  • Repeat until you have 18 rows
• Minimum of 2 players
• Pick who will go first and what order the players will go (ie clockwise)
• The player who’s turn it is will roll the color dice (die) and whichever color the dice lands on the player will remove a block in that color (with only one hand) from any row except the top, and place the block on the top of the tower, continuing the row direction pattern.
• If the player who’s turn it is successfully stacks the removed block on the tower without it falling, the next player will take a turn.
• Whichever player the block tower falls during their turn is the game loser, and the game is over for that round.
• Have Fun!