Handmade games: DIY craft ideas you can make and play
We’ve put together a collection of DIY game ideas you can make and play.
Crafts are great not only for indoor play, but also for activities in childcare settings and as summer break projects for elementary school students.
And if what you’re making is a game, kids can enjoy playing with it even after the crafting is done—which they’re sure to love.
In this article, we introduce a variety of games you can make by hand.
If you’re looking for handmade game ideas, feel free to use this as a reference.
Since they’re handmade, it’s also fun to set your own rules and difficulty levels!
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Handmade Games: DIY craft ideas you can make and play (21–30)
Marble Rolling Tower
How about a stylish marble run, a Marble Rolling Tower, made from toilet paper cores and colored construction paper? First, stack three toilet paper cores vertically to make one long tube.
Next, let’s create the tracks where the marbles will roll using colored construction paper.
Prepare a rectangular sheet of colored paper, cut it lengthwise in half, then fold the half sheet in half two times.
Unfold the second fold, and along the crease you just made, cut a series of deep, fine slits from one edge to the other.
Once that’s done, fold it into a long, thin triangle to form the track.
Finally, attach the track diagonally to the tube like a slide, and glue a piece of cardboard to the very bottom of the tube as a base—done! Try making it with different colors of paper.
Mini crane game with straws
@ranmaru_shien Mini Crane Game#HandmadeToysworkChildcareEducational# developmental support (ryōiku)#AtHomePlay
♬ Super Mario Bros Main Theme – Geek Music
This is an idea for enjoying a crane game easily using just simple materials.
Bend the accordion section of a straw and secure it firmly with tape to create the arm.
Wrap construction paper around it to add strength, and cut the tip with scissors, spreading it out like petals.
This serves as the crane’s claw, allowing you to grab small prizes.
For operation, lighter materials are easier to handle, so colorful pom-poms or small beads are recommended.
Because the straw is easy to move, even children can operate it without using too much force.
It’s a fun idea that combines the ease of crafting with playability.
Magnet Crane Game
A crane game that uses magnets can become uniquely fun with just a few clever tweaks.
We recommend building a frame out of cardboard and attaching a clear plastic panel so you can see inside.
Install paper cups inside to hold prizes, and run a tension rod through the sides to create the crane’s range of motion.
Attach a magnet to the end of a string, and it turns into a mechanism that can lift prizes with metal embedded in them.
By turning a wooden rod to raise and lower the string, you can aim and drop with great control, making each attempt exciting.
It’s a compelling idea that lets you experience the fun of ingenuity while you play.
Safe Design Marble Game
Kids love rolling toys! Many children want to play with marbles, but when kids are small, there’s a risk of swallowing them, which worries caregivers.
So here’s a toy idea that uses marbles safely.
Inside a box, move plastic bottle caps with marbles set inside them toward a goal without letting them fall into holes.
The marbles are firmly fixed to the caps, and the caps are also tied to the box with string, so it’s safe.
Decorate the box and caps with any designs you like, and play by tilting the box to slide the caps around.
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.
Marble run made from cardboard
Let’s try making a cool marble run using cardboard.
Prepare a rectangular piece of cardboard that isn’t too thick, and cut off one section on the large face and one section on the narrowest side.
Then, using the pieces you removed and other bits of cardboard, build the pathways for the marble to roll along and attach them to the base cardboard.
Instead of connecting every path all the way through, it’s also fun to leave gaps here and there so the marble drops down to the next level and continues.
Be sure to set up the goal area so the marble stops securely and doesn’t roll out after reaching the finish.
Marble roll with a toilet paper core
This is a simple marble run you can make using toilet paper rolls.
Prepare eight toilet paper rolls.
Cut two of them in half to make two shorter pieces each.
For the remaining six rolls, make a single slit in each so they can be opened up.
Assemble these six into two vertical towers by stacking three each.
Attach the halved rolls diagonally across the openings of the towers to form slide-like chutes, and you’re done! To ensure the marble drops down properly, be careful not to glue one end of each chute completely to the tower—leave a slight gap at the end.
Decorate the toilet paper rolls by drawing on them or adding washi tape or patterned origami paper!
Marble roll with a toilet paper core
This is a simple marble run you can make using toilet paper rolls.
Prepare eight toilet paper rolls.
Cut two of them in half to make two shorter pieces each.
For the remaining six rolls, make a single slit in each so they can be opened up.
Assemble these six into two vertical towers by stacking three each.
Attach the halved rolls diagonally across the openings of the towers to form slide-like chutes, and you’re done! To ensure the marble drops down properly, be careful not to glue one end of each chute completely to the tower—leave a slight gap at the end.
Decorate the toilet paper rolls by drawing on them or adding washi tape or patterned origami paper!
Card gacha machine
Trading card games are popular with everyone from kids to adults.
Even people who aren’t interested have probably heard about them because rare character cards often become a hot topic.
How about making a capsule toy machine (gacha) for those card games? This gacha is perfect for an elementary school science project, though it involves a lot of fine work, so it might be better suited for upper grades.
A nice point is that you can play not only with trading cards but with various kinds of cards.
It’s a fun gacha with an elaborate mechanism, including a coin-insert feature.
5 Easy DIY Crafts You Can Try
Kids love crafts, but as first graders it can be hard to stay focused for a long time.
So here are some quick craft ideas you can finish in a short time.
You can make five things: a moving boat, a guitar, a fortune slip (omikuji), a ghost that pops out of a box, and a spinning top.
The materials are mostly recyclables—things you likely have at home—such as milk cartons, plastic bottles, wooden chopsticks, straws, ice cream sticks, and plastic bags.
You can play with each item after you make it, so once you’re done, decorate it however you like and put it to use as a fun at-home activity.