The short answer
Quick picks
Ranked on published specs, not on play we have not done. Tap any row to jump to the full write-up further down this page.
| # | Product | Best for | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | No photo GoSports 3 ft x 2 ft Portable Cornhole Set Tailgate-size 3 by 2 foot boards in MDF composite with printed graphics, eight all-weather bags at a stated regulation size and weight — 6 by 6 inches, 1 lb each — and boards that clip together at a published 8.5 pounds apiece. | Best for kids | 7.3/10 | |
| 2 | No photo GoSports 2 ft x 1 ft Portable Cornhole Set Two 2 by 1 foot MDF boards with a slick vinyl surface, six duck-cloth bean bags, built-in carrying handles and a hook-and-loop closure that stores the bags inside. | Best for young kids and travel | 6.7/10 |
Cornhole is one of the best games for children once they can reach the board. The problem is that the American Cornhole League court is 27 feet from board to board, and a six-year-old throwing a one-pound bag underarm will not get there. They throw, the bag lands halfway, and the game stops being fun.
The fix is not a toy set. It is a smaller board, a shorter line, and — the part people miss — bags that are still the real thing.
Published specs
Two sizes, one decision
| 3 x 2 ft set | 2 x 1 ft set | ACL regulation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Board size | 3 x 2 ft | 2 x 1 ft | 4 x 2 ft |
| Board material | MDF composite, printed graphics (not real wood) | MDF, slick vinyl surface | — |
| Bags | 8, stated regulation 6 x 6 in, 1 lb | 6, duck cloth (size not published) | 8 |
| Board weight | 8.5 lb each | Not published | — |
| Storage | Boards clip together, bags between | Boards close together, bags inside | — |
| Distance | Your call | Your call | 27 ft front to front |
The bags are the decision. The 3 by 2 set publishes eight bags at a stated regulation size and weight — 6 by 6 inches, 1 pound each. That means a child learns the real throw on a smaller board, and the same bags work on a full-size board when they are ready. The 2 by 1 set publishes six bags with no size or weight, which makes it a small-child and travel set rather than a stepping stone.
The 8.5-pound board weight matters too. A child can carry a board, which means they set the game up themselves — and a game children can set up themselves is a game they play.
Setting up
Set the line, then move it
The ACL fixes the regulation court at 27 feet, and there is no single published junior distance we can point you to. So set it by the child: put the boards where they land about one bag in three on the board, and move them back a few feet every time they get comfortable. It is the same rule this site uses for every game with a movable line.
The full-size game — and whether your yard can hold it — is on best cornhole boards and regulation vs tailgate size. The rules children will eventually play by are in cornhole rules.
Criteria
How we picked
- Verified in stock at the maker before writing.
- A published board size smaller than regulation.
- Honest about the material. GoSports states plainly that neither is real wood.
Neither publishes a hole diameter or an age floor, and we have left both blank. We have not played with either — how we pick.
The picks in full
Every pick, with its published specs
Best for kids
GoSports 3 ft x 2 ft Portable Cornhole Set
GoSports
Our spec score
7.3/10
- Spec completeness
- 6/10
- Footprint clarity
- 6/10
- Durability
- 5/10
- Pack-down
- 9/10
Scored on published specifications only. We have not played this set.
Tailgate-size 3 by 2 foot boards in MDF composite with printed graphics, eight all-weather bags at a stated regulation size and weight — 6 by 6 inches, 1 lb each — and boards that clip together at a published 8.5 pounds apiece.
Skip this if
Skip this if you want real wood. GoSports is plain that these are MDF composite with printed graphics, not real wood, and it publishes no hole diameter.
What works
- A published 8.5 lb per board — a child can carry one
- Full-weight bags, so the throw transfers to a regulation board later
- Boards clip together with the bags inside
- Honest about the material
What does not
- No published hole diameter
- MDF with printed graphics, not real wood
- No published leg design
Published specifications
- Boards
- 3 x 2 ft
- Material
- MDF composite, printed graphics (not real wood)
- Bags
- 8 all-weather, stated regulation 6 x 6 in and 1 lb each
- Board weight
- 8.5 lb each
- Carry
- Boards attach together with the bags stored between
- Hole diameter
- —
- Legs
- —
- Age floor
- —
Source: GoSports product listing
Source: GoSports product listing
Source: GoSports product listing
Source: GoSports product listing
Source: GoSports product listing
Not published by the manufacturer.
Not published by the manufacturer.
Not published by the manufacturer.
Manufacturer listing: GoSports product listing
Best for young kids and travel
GoSports 2 ft x 1 ft Portable Cornhole Set
GoSports
Our spec score
6.7/10
- Spec completeness
- 4/10
- Footprint clarity
- 6/10
- Durability
- 5/10
- Pack-down
- 10/10
Scored on published specifications only. We have not played this set.
Two 2 by 1 foot MDF boards with a slick vinyl surface, six duck-cloth bean bags, built-in carrying handles and a hook-and-loop closure that stores the bags inside.
Skip this if
Skip this for anyone over about ten. At 2 by 1 feet with six bags this is a small-child and travel set, and GoSports publishes no bag size or weight, so it is not a scaled regulation game.
What works
- Small enough for a hallway, a patio or a hotel lawn
- Stores its own bags
- Built-in handles
- The least expensive cornhole set we could verify
What does not
- No published bag size or weight
- Six bags rather than eight
- No published hole diameter
Published specifications
- Boards
- 2 x 1 ft
- Material
- Lightweight MDF, slick vinyl surface
- Bags
- 6, duck cloth
- Carry
- Built-in handles; boards hook-and-loop together with bags inside
- Hole diameter
- —
- Bag size and weight
- —
- Set weight
- —
- Age floor
- —
Source: GoSports product listing
Source: GoSports product listing
Source: GoSports product listing
Source: GoSports product listing
Not published by the manufacturer.
Not published by the manufacturer.
Not published by the manufacturer.
Not published by the manufacturer.
Manufacturer listing: GoSports product listing
FAQ
Questions people actually ask
What size cornhole board is best for kids?
Should kids use regulation cornhole bags?
How far apart should kids' cornhole boards be?
Are kids' cornhole sets real wood?
Why you can check our work
We have not played these. Every figure above is copied from a manufacturer's published listing or a governing body's published rules, and named so you can verify it. Where a maker publishes nothing, the field is blank rather than filled in. How we pick explains the whole method, including what would change a recommendation.
Read next
Related pages
Picks
Best cornhole boards
Five regulation sets ranked on published surface thickness, frame construction, weight and bags.
Comparison
Regulation vs tailgate-size cornhole
The full-size court is 33 by 10 feet. Here is what a smaller board changes, in feet and in play.
Picks
Best yard games for kids
Games chosen on published age floors and equipment weight, plus the ones to avoid outright.
Guide
Cornhole rules
ACL scoring, cancellation explained, and what happens past 21 — with the published source.
Picks
Yard games for a kids' birthday party
Twelve children, two hours and no patience for rules — filtered on published age floors.
Picks
Best yard games for small yards
Five games that fit under 30 feet of clear run, with published footprints for each.
Sources
- GoSports — 3 x 2 ft portable cornhole set
- GoSports — 2 x 1 ft portable cornhole set
- American Cornhole League — rules and regulations
Every figure on this page is copied from one of these sources. If you find one that is wrong or out of date, tell us and we will fix it.