Handmade toys with cardboard! DIY game ideas that will captivate kids
Looking for summer vacation craft ideas or fun toys the whole family can enjoy? With simple cardboard you have at home, you can handcraft all kinds of games—from nostalgic classics to original creations.
In this article, we’ll introduce DIY ideas for popular games everyone knows, like Whac-A-Mole and marble mazes.
Once you’re done, you can play with family and friends and it’s sure to be a hit! Try making cardboard toys and games packed with the fun of creating and the joy of playing!
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Handmade Toys with Cardboard! DIY Game Ideas That Will Fascinate Kids (11–20)
Rubber Band Gun Target Shooting
Crafting a target and a rubber band gun out of cardboard is a great recommendation for kids’ summer projects because there are only a few steps.
Since it involves some detailed work with a utility knife, caution is needed if younger children are participating.
However, once the parts are cut out, it’s mostly just gluing the pieces together, so it should be easy to complete.
After it’s finished, the gun is lightweight because it’s made of cardboard, and the rules are simple, making it useful for a wide range of activities—from daycare and kindergarten events to recreation for seniors.
It’s a highly recommended craft that can be enjoyed across generations in many different settings.
racing game
A colorful and comical craft where a game unfolds inside a cardboard window, just like Mario Kart.
You can also test how to control Mario on this flowing course.
Install a rotating mechanism inside the base box, attach a course paper with obstacles and other designs, and by moving it, you create the appearance of a scrolling track.
Finally, attach a Mario mascot that can move left and right with a steering wheel, and it’s complete.
It’s also important to decorate it colorfully to enhance the Mario Kart atmosphere.
pull-back car
This craft lets you experience the fun of a car you built with your own hands zipping along powered by rubber bands.
Cut corrugated plastic board (pladan) to match the size of the chassis.
For the wheels, use bottle caps: make a hole in the center of each cap, pass a bamboo skewer through, and create an axle.
Secure the axles firmly to the body with hot glue, and it will start to look like a real car.
Hook a rubber band onto the rear axle and wind it forward to get it ready.
When you let go, the car surges ahead with the power of the rubber band.
You can freely design and color the body, so customizing the look is part of the appeal.
Using familiar materials and a simple mechanism, this is a hands-on project that lets you both build and learn while enjoying dynamic motion.
Air hockey
This project shows how to make the familiar arcade air hockey game using cardboard.
The key is the puck; if you make it glide smoothly, the game will feel fast and exciting.
The overall field is basically a piece of cardboard with walls and goals attached, and laying down baking paper will make the puck slide even more easily.
The puck contains a marble inside; as the marble rolls, it helps the puck glide across the field.
The larger the field, the more strategy and back-and-forth the rallies will have, so it’s important to consider that balance when you build it.
basketball board game
Introducing a basketball board game made from cardboard.
Cardboard is a great ally for crafts, isn’t it? Many of you probably used it for summer vacation projects.
Let’s use that same cardboard to make a board that lets you enjoy a basketball game.
Attach a ball launcher and hoops onto a cardboard base set at an incline.
For the hoops, use paper cups and stick several onto the board.
For the basketballs, lightweight ping-pong balls are perfect.
As a finishing touch, decorate the board with NBA stickers and more to boost the fun.
seesaw game
A seesaw game crafted with cardboard is simple yet challenging, so you can keep enjoying it even after it’s finished.
Its large size also makes it a striking choice for a summer vacation project.
Since you’ll use tools like a utility knife and a compass, adults should carefully supervise if the child is young.
A hot glue gun speeds up assembly, but regular glue works too, so choose based on your child’s age to keep the process smooth.
Decorating the ping-pong balls you roll or drawing your favorite designs on the field will make it more colorful—try creating a one-of-a-kind seesaw game of your very own.
Handmade toys with cardboard! DIY game ideas that will captivate kids (21–30)
ball basket
A ball toss game using cardboard is also a simple and fun activity.
First, unfold the flaps of a cardboard box and secure them with packing tape to make a deep, box-like container.
Next, draw your desired shapes on the cardboard and cut them out with a utility knife.
Since cardboard is sturdy, an adult should handle the cutting.
After decorating around the holes however you like, crumple up newspaper and tape it to make balls.
It’s best to have plenty of balls so the game can keep going without stopping.
Try playing and see if you can land the ball in your target hole!
