Ring Toss is a carnival game that can be easily set up with just a few supplies. To create a ring toss game, fill 10 plastic soda bottles with sand. Paint three of the bottle caps yellow, three of them blue and three of them orange. Paint the remaining bottle cap red. Glue the tops onto the bottle tops to secure them permanently. Arrange the bottles on the ground so that you have a varying pattern of colors. Place the red-topped bottle in the center of the arrangement.
To play, students stand on a marked spot that is 3 feet away from the bottles. They are given three rings to toss as they attempt to loop one around the neck of a bottle. Players who are successful are awarded prizes that correspond with the color of the bottle top on which their rings land. Award the biggest prizes to players who score a ring on the red top.
Have a picture of a clown enlarged to poster size and printed. Paste it to an equal-sized piece of cardboard or foam board. Cut a hole out of the mouth that is large enough for a bean bag to pass through. Have students attempt to toss bean bags through the clown's mouth from a distance of 3 to 4 feet.
Alternatives to the clown include circus animals, the school mascot or a picture of the principal. Replace the bean bags with food items and change the name to "feed the animal." For instance, students attempt to toss bananas through a monkey's mouth when the game is called "Feed the Monkey."
Fill a sandbox or baby pool with sand. Purchase several miniature treasure chests from the party supply store. Write the names of available prizes on slips of paper. Fold the papers, place them in the treasure chests and tape the chests closed. Bury the chests in the sand.
Players dig in the sand to choose a treasure box. The box is opened and the player receives the prize written on the slip of paper. Vary large and small prizes to make it a true game of chance. Prize ideas include lollipops, candy bars, inflatable fish, plastic sunglasses and plush animals.
Rent a dunk tank or ask parent volunteers to build one for the carnival. Each student gets three balls to aim at the target. When the target is hit, the person sitting inside of the tank is dropped into a tank of water. Enlist adult volunteers to sit in the dunk tank. Candidates that may provide extra amusement include the principal, coaches or members of the PTA.