Recreation Therapy Corn Hole Boards

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CRi, Choice. Respect. independence. (formerly known as Community Residences, Inc.), is a community-based organization with a focused effort on providing people with developmental disabilities and/or mental health needs the resources, supports and services they need to live their lives with purpose, actively engaged in communities of their choosing. CRi’s mission fully supports a person’s ability to exercise control of their life’s choices, and to live in and contribute to communities of their choosing, as young adults through aging in place. We believe in serving individuals within the communities in which they live & supporting the individual’s choices and independence.

With COVID changing the way we all interact with the world, we’ve had to adjust our routines, implement coping mechanisms, and find new strategies to connect with our loved ones. CRi residents have had to do the same, but many don’t understand why. They can no longer go to their day-programs, see friends from other homes, or venture into the community for a fun outing. Staff have been working with residents to find ways to keep them learning and growing through games and projects that can be done at home - recreation therapy. The goal of recreation therapy is to use "recreation or other activity-based interventions to address the assessed needs of individuals with illnesses and/or disabling conditions" [1] to improve quality of life.

Corn hole, a fun summer game, is a great activity that is not only fun but helps engage many physical and mental faculties for individuals with mental health needs and developmental disabilities. Indoor mini-corn hole boards can be used inside during the cold months or outdoors during the Summer. Additionally, they are easy to move and store. Check out this website for more details on this project - https://www.blackanddecker.com/en-US/ideas-and-inspiration/projects/cornhole-boards.

Corn Hole Boards

Double the plywood and screws if you plan on making two boards.

Supplies

• (2) 14 x 24" pieces of ½" plywood for game boards
• ¾" wood screws
• 1/16" drill bit
• Drill
• Jigsaw
• Circular saw
• Measuring tape
• Compass
• Pencil
• 180-220 Grit Sand Paper
• Paintbrush
• High Gloss Exterior paint
• Drop cloth

How to Get Started

1. Lay down your drop cloth to protect your floors from paint splatter and sawdust.
2. Measure 6" from the top and 7" across from the side to mark the spot for the center of your corn hole.
3. Taking your compass, use the marked point as the center of your circle and draw a circle with a 3" radius or 6" diameter.
4. Using your jigsaw, carefully cut out the circle.
5. Take one of the 14"x24" plywood boards and measure a straight line diagonally across the board.
6. Using either a jig saw or a circular saw, cut along the diagonal line to create the risers for the board.
7. Attach the other square plywood to the hypotenuse of the triangle that you just cut. Secure one leg at a time. You might need an extra pair of hands here. Using the 1/16" drill bit pre-drill three or four holes from the top of the board to the side of the legs. Pre-drilling holes ensures that the plywood legs don’t splinter when you drill in the screws.
8. Drill in the screws into the pre-drilled holes.
9. Repeat for the other leg.
10. Sand all the edges and surfaces. Say no to splinters! Wipe down all the residue.
11. When painting, make sure to cover ALL THE EDGES of the board. This helps protect from water damage. We recommend using two layers of paint, but wait about 30 minutes between painting each coat. If you plan on making a second board, you can take this opportunity build the second one as the paint dries.
12. After waiting another 30-45 minutes for your base layers to dry, decorate your board! Use bright colors and shapes to make your boards fun and appealing.
    
    **Wood Working Challenge - To help save space, see if you can build a board with retractable legs. For a great set of instructions, check out this website https://www.bobvila.com/articles/diy-cornhole/. Just note that corn hole boards are larger in these instructions so you will have to scale your legs accordingly to fit the smaller board.**

    Corn hole boards can be dropped off to the following addresses:

    Chantilly HQ

    14160 Newbrook Dr, Chantilly, VA 20151
    Donation boxes are located in the lobby beyond the double glass doors
    Accepting donations Monday - Sunday from 10am to 2pm

    Arlington/Falls Church Maintenance Office

    7297A Lee Hwy, Falls Church, VA 22042
    Donation boxes are located in the lobby just inside the front door
    Accepting donations Monday - Sunday from 10am to 2pm

    Richmond

    808 Moorefield Park Dr., Ste. 120, Richmond, VA 23235
    Accepting donations Monday - Friday from 10am - 1pm

[1] https://www.atra-online.com/general/custom.asp?page=AboutRecTherapy