Features of Ball in the Bucket – Fairground Throwing Game
Product features
- Players:
- 1 player per turn |
- Game time:
- 1-3 min per game
- Staff:
- Not needed (optional host) |
- Weight:
- Approx. 15 kg
- Set-up:
- 20 min |
- Takedown:
- 20 min
- Size:
- Approx. 190 x 70 cm |
- Recommended space:
- 2 x 2 m
- Branding:
- Header and board with your brand (on request)
- Other features:
- 100% manual game, no electricity needed.
- Hire it on its own or with the rest of the mini fair.
- It can also go inside a fairground stall with staff and prizes.
What is Ball in the Bucket: a fairground ball-throwing game for events
Think you can land the ball in the bucket?
Ball in the Bucket (Encesta la Pelota in Spanish) is a classic fairground ball-throwing game: you throw, and the ball has to stay inside the bucket.
- Free-standing upright board with red and white stripes and a bucket fitted into the centre.
- Authentic fairground slogans: the board reads “2 in to Win!” and “Step Right Up! & Try Your Luck”.
- Looks easy, but isn’t: the ball bounces, so you have to judge the strength of your throw.
- Short rounds: 1 to 3 minutes, one player per turn, so the queue moves quickly.
We bring it to Barcelona and all over Spain, with transport, set-up and collection included in the service.
How to play Ball in the Bucket
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The rules fit in one sentence, just like at a traditional fair:
- The player stands in front of the board and picks up the balls.
- They throw one at a time, trying to land the ball in the bucket in the centre.
- Watch out: the ball bounces. Throw too hard and it flies out.
- As the board itself says, get 2 in to win.
It is one player per turn, so the queue moves quickly with rounds of 1 to 3 minutes.
Tip for organisers: note down the successful throws in a leaderboard and give a prize to the best thrower of the day. A small challenge with a ranking encourages people to come back for another go and keeps the area busy.
Size, space and set-up for Ball in the Bucket
- Approximate size: 190 x 70 cm per unit, weighing around 15 kg.
- Recommended space: 2 x 2 m for the game and the player.
- No electricity needed: it is 100% manual.
- Indoors or outdoors: if it rains, keep it under cover.
- Set-up and take-down: it arrives assembled; 20 minutes to set up and 20 to take down.
- Transport: it travels wrapped in protective plastic film, and we take care of transport, set-up and collection.
- Materials: varnished wood and high-resistance printed vinyl, in the red and white look of a traditional fair.
- Staff: no attendant is needed, although you can add one.
All the games in our mini fair
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Ball in the Bucket for children’s parties, communions and corporate events
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It is a game everyone understands straight away, so it suits very different audiences at almost any celebration.
- Fairground games for communions: children play without any explanation and adults join in the competition. Perfect for a mini fair for communions in the garden or the banquet venue.
- Fairground games for family days: bring staff families together in an area of fairground stalls with short queues and a great atmosphere.
- Games for company parties in Barcelona and across Spain: a bit of friendly competition between colleagues during the cocktail hour or a break.
- Fairground game hire for weddings: entertainment for guests of all ages while they wait for the banquet.
It also works very well at street parties, local festivals and end-of-year school parties run by schools and parents’ associations, or at fairs and events organised by town councils. As it needs no staff and no electricity, it can be set up almost anywhere.
Ball in the Bucket customised with your brand
We adapt the game’s graphics, the header and the board, to your brand image. You send us your artwork or we design it for you within a couple of days. Customisation needs about 2 weeks’ notice.
- Header and board with your logo and colours.
- Prizes with your company’s merchandising, or plush toys.
Activation idea: place the game at your stand at a trade fair or conference and give a branded gift to anyone who gets 2 balls into the bucket. It draws people to the stand and leaves them with a keepsake bearing your logo.
Build your own mini fair: combine Ball in the Bucket with other games
Ball in the Bucket can be hired on its own or as part of a set. For a complete mini fair, combine it with different kinds of games: Ring Toss for more aiming, Ball Roll for skill and Hook a Duck for the little ones.
Recommended set: for 100 guests, 4 to 6 games. That way queues stay short and every guest finds something to suit them.
Discover the whole collection in our Mini Fairground Games: they come on their own, without staff. If you prefer a complete stand with staff, decoration and prizes, take a look at our Fairground Stalls.
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Frequently asked questions
What is Ball in the Bucket and how do you play it?
It is a fairground aiming game with a red and white striped board and a bucket in the centre. Players throw balls and try to make them stay inside the bucket. As the board says, 2 in wins. The ball bounces, so you need to judge the strength of your throw.
What events is the ball-in-the-bucket game suitable for?
It suits children’s parties, communions, weddings, family days, company parties, street parties, end-of-year school parties and fairs. Everyone understands it straight away and rounds last 1 to 3 minutes, so the queue moves quickly and it works for audiences of all ages.
Does Ball in the Bucket need electricity, and can it be used outdoors?
No electricity is needed: it is 100% manual. It can be used indoors or outdoors, although if it rains it is best kept under cover. It measures about 190 x 70 cm and we recommend a space of 2 x 2 m. It arrives assembled and takes us 20 minutes to set up.
Can Ball in the Bucket be customised or combined with other games?
Yes. We adapt the header and board to your brand with about 2 weeks’ notice, and you can send your artwork or we can design it. It can also be hired in a set with other mini fairground games, or inside a fairground stall with staff and prizes.
