Snow Skee Ball

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!  When the weather starts giving a chill, everyone seems to start thinking ‘let it snow’ in wants for a fresh coating of white to run around and play outside in.  Planning on playing the game of Snow Skee Ball adds to this excitement. Not only will kids have fun playing the game, they have fun building the ‘game board’!

Like many of the games that can be played at the beach during the summer, games in the snow offer the ability to sculpt and create various ‘game boards’.  Since kids enjoy packing and piling the snow, the building of the lane, ramp, and holes for Snow Skee Ball becomes part of the great time together.

With only a few inches of snow, a lane with a ramp at the end, and scoring area can be formed.  The lane is created by stomping down a 10 foot section of snow (about 2 feet wide).  Then, by adding and packing more snow towards the end of this track, and blending it down towards the start, builders create a slight incline for the balls of the game to be thrown.  Small walls, or edges, along the lane could also be built.  At the end of this area, pile up some snow to build the ramp.  A ramp about a foot and a half high off the ground, and blended once again into the lane, works well.

Once this is completed the holes for scoring are positioned.  A packed ring of snow, beginning about 6 inches away from the ramp, with four large to smaller rings inside (as pictured on right) is made.  The rings, decreasing in size, should be aligned with the center of the lane.  Like normal Skee Ball, a ball is rolled up the lane and ramp, and depending on the thrust of the roll determines which hole the ball lands in.  If wanted, two upper side rings can be created too.  Scoring is as follows:

Any ball landing in the ‘ringed area’ scores 10 points.
Any ball landing in first ring scores 20 points
Any ball landing in second ring scores 30 points
Any ball landing in third ring scores 40 points
Any ball landing in fourth ring scores 50 points.

If the two upper rings are made, they are worth 100 points.

The last step before playing the game is the making of the Snow Skee Balls!  Each player makes their own set of six.  They should be palm sized.  (When making the rings, be sure to make the last hole of 50 points (and the 100 points holes, if used) a little larger than the ‘Snow Skee Balls’.  As the rings move closer to the ramp, the rings are made bigger for an easier target.)

Each player takes turns rolling their Snow Skee Balls up the lane in attempts to score the most points!  The player who scores the most, wins the round.

If during the game, the rings lose their edges (from near hits or misses), repairs can be made. And one last note, sometimes in creating a Skee Ball lane, and letting it sit over night, makes it even more sturdy to play again the next day!

Getting outdoors and playing games in the snow is a lot of fun.  Snow Skee Ball is just one of the games to play. Eere are some others: Fun in the Snow Games.

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