Skittles

lawn games · target sports · European origin

Nine wooden pins. Players set up nine wooden pins in a diamond pattern and try to knock them down by rolling or throwing a ball at them.

UK and Ireland tradition. Skittles has been played for centuries in the United Kingdom and Ireland as a popular outdoor game that people still enjoy today.

Worldwide variations. Similar games are played all around Europe with different names, like quilles in France, kegeln in Germany and Austria, and bolos in Spain.

Bowling's ancestor. Skittles is considered the forerunner of modern tenpin bowling, the game you might play at bowling alleys, which came to America with Dutch settlers.

Skill and strategy. The goal is to knock down all the pins in as few throws as possible, which means you need good aim and a steady hand.