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.
- Craft a real playable DIY claw machine using everyday materials!
- Handmade capsule toy machines with everyday materials! Easy craft ideas you can make
- Handmade games: DIY craft ideas you can make and play
- Handmade toys with cardboard! DIY game ideas that will captivate kids
- [Handmade Toys] Fun to Make! A Collection of Pull-Along Toy Ideas
- Kids and adults alike will be captivated! A collection of DIY marble run ideas
- Handmade Lottery Draws Kids Will Love! A Fun Collection of Ideas to Make and Play
- Great for festival stalls! Handmade game ideas
- [Make with Kids] Handmade Outdoor Play Toy Special
- [Let’s Make and Play!] Handmade Ideas for a Target Shooting Game
- [For Kids] Today’s Handmade Craft Ideas
- Handmade goldfish scooping ideas: How to make goldfish and scoops (poi)
- A simple yet amazing craft you can make with straws! An idea that will have you completely absorbed
Can be made with familiar materials! DIY crane game ideas you can seriously play with (1–10)
A crane game that opens and closes its arm using magnets
Let’s make a crane game out of construction paper.
It uses magnets so that the three-pronged claw closes, and once it grabs something, it won’t open until it returns to the drop slot.
You’ll need four sheets of construction paper, three toothpicks, magnets, string, washers, and prizes like candy.
The base where you attach the arm has a complicated shape, but once you get past that, the rest should come together quickly.
After finishing the arm, make the platform where the prizes sit.
Both parts are three-dimensional, so assembling the components to see how they form the final shapes seems like a great way to build spatial awareness.
A fully-fledged DIY crane game with Arduino
Are you familiar with Arduino, which is commonly used in electronic projects? It’s pronounced “Arduíno,” and by loading programs onto it, you can modify game consoles and toys, read switch states, and control motors.
You can even build a full-fledged claw machine that uses Arduino.
Because it’s authentic, the crane actually moves when you insert money.
Having one at home would probably delight children, but it does require writing programs.
Some people might find programming intimidating.
However, programming has been a required subject in elementary schools since 2020.
Through an Arduino-based claw machine, children who are already interested in programming can enjoy it even more, and those who aren’t might find a new spark of interest.
No base!! A crane game powered by a motor
By cleverly arranging the battery orientation, you can make a crane game that works without a circuit board.
Mentioning battery orientation might remind some of you of what you learned in elementary school science.
Since electric current flows from the negative to the positive terminal, reversing the battery orientation changes the direction of movement.
Let’s apply this principle to the buttons and use it to move the crane game’s arm.
It requires delicate button control, but you can play a crane game that works without a circuit board.
It also serves as a science experiment—your very own crane game.
A crane game made using split pins
Let’s make a three-pronged claw crane using cardboard and split pins.
Since it’s made of cardboard, it’s relatively sturdy and can grab and release small figurines.
It’s fun to build and play with, and it’s also recommended for summer vacation projects.
The materials are simple: cardboard, split pins, yarn, and six AA batteries.
The batteries are used as weights, so used ones are fine.
The claw mechanism might be a bit complex, so study it by watching the video.
Once the claw is complete, just attach it to the crane base and you’re done.
Operate with 4 strings! UFO catcher
This is a crane game that lets you freely play with strings while also exercising fine motor skills.
Use construction paper to make the pillars and frame, and fix bamboo skewers to the base to attach the strings.
Hang a weighted arm made from construction paper there, thread fishing line through it, and set it up so you can pull from four directions.
When you pull the strings, the arm opens; when you release them, the weight causes it to naturally close—allowing you to play just like a real UFO catcher.
Finally, add a prize retrieval slot, and you’ll have a solid finished product that can actually grab and collect prizes.
Building it while understanding the mechanism makes it educational, and it’s a unique idea that encourages trial and error through play.
