Craft a real playable DIY claw machine using everyday materials!
A crane game that kids and adults can’t help but get hooked on! Why not try recreating it as a handmade version you can play anytime? Using familiar materials you already have at home, you can make a realistic crane game.
From the arm’s movement to the claw opening and closing, there are plenty of playful mechanisms.
Options range from battery- and motor-powered electric versions to manual versions operated with twine, with varying levels of difficulty.
You’ll enjoy the building process, and once it’s finished, you can have an exciting time playing with family and friends.
Here’s how to make your own handmade crane game.
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Made with everyday materials! DIY claw machine ideas you can genuinely play with (11–20)
A full-fledged crane game that even beginners can make
This is a crane game that delivers a stable finish by proceeding through the steps in order.
Cut the cardboard into individual parts, and thread bamboo skewers and string to create the movement mechanism.
Carefully securing everything with glue improves durability.
By combining binder clips and popsicle sticks for the arm, it can perform a gripping action, and using wooden dowels and boards expands the range of control.
The moment you lift a prize feels just like the real thing, and it’s sure to captivate not only children but adults as well.
It’s a practical idea that keeps material costs low while offering both a sense of accomplishment and plenty of play value.
Let’s make a crane game
The crane game you can’t help playing at the arcade—now you can enjoy it at home! Let’s make your own DIY crane game as a science project.
Prepare a cardboard box, a tension rod longer than the box’s width, a large clear file folder, yarn, a magnet, paper clips, a safety pin, and some small prizes.
Use the cardboard to build the outer casing and the arm.
Then make the arm mechanism with the tension rod, magnet, and yarn.
Attach a safety pin to each prize, and use the magnet to latch onto the pin and lift it.
It’s a bit elaborate, but with an adult’s help, even lower elementary school students can do this project.
Cardboard crane game
Claw machines are loved by both kids and adults, aren’t they? That thrill when you operate it yourself and win a prize is ageless! In fact, you can even make a claw machine by hand.
Of course, building a large one can be challenging, but a small version can be made in just a few hours if you have cardboard! For prizes, you can put in snacks or handmade trinkets—coming up with the contents is fun too.
If you have the time and budget, try making a large claw machine that can be the highlight of a school festival.
Paper Cup UFO Catcher
The “Paper Cup UFO Catcher” is a popular DIY recreation idea you can enjoy with elementary school kids.
Cut eight slits into a paper cup to make tentacle-like arms, then insert a straw through the center to move it.
Place another paper cup over the top and move it up and down—this opens and closes the arms.
The moment it grabs the target is super exciting! It’s easy to make with everyday materials, yet the movement feels authentic and makes it really fun to play.
Figuring out the controls is part of the charm, and it gets even more exciting when friends compete.
It’s a recommended activity that combines the joy of crafting with the sense of achievement from a game.
Crane catcher
@and.connect2023 You can make it with a paper cup, but this time we crafted it with a plastic cup so you can play with it in the bath! The rim is hard, so be careful when using scissors. The plastic cup gave the arm a stronger feel than the paper cup. The method is the same for paper cups, so choose whichever you like and have fun making and playing with it! &connect#MayuMariSenseiEnjoy parent-child timeFond of craftsCherish time with your children#StayHomePlay Project#EnjoyPlayingAtHomeIdeas for indoor play at homeCrafting with parents and children#I love craftswork kit#Mom's smile is the bestPaper cup craftCrane game with paper cups#PlayingWithWaterInTheBathplastic cup
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Kids’ favorite claw machine fun in the bathtub! Introducing the “Crane Catcher.” First, prepare two tall, clear plastic cups.
Cut eight slits into one of them.
Remove every other section, then spread the remaining tabs and fold the tips to make claws.
Poke a hole in the bottom of the second cup.
Make four 1 cm slits in a straw; spread them out and tape the straw to the first cup.
Finally, place the second cup over the first, and you’re done!
