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!
- Handmade Lottery Draws Kids Will Love! A Fun Collection of Ideas to Make and Play
- Kids and adults alike will be captivated! A collection of DIY marble run ideas
- [Let’s Make and Play!] Handmade Toy Ideas You Can Create Yourself
- [Let’s Make and Play!] Handmade Ideas for a Target Shooting Game
- [For Elementary School Kids] Handmade Toy Craft Ideas
- [Childcare] Easy! Make a DIY target game. Playful craft and fun game
- [Lots of Ideas!] Handmade Target-Throwing Game
- [Make with Kids] Handmade Outdoor Play Toy Special
- [Children’s Club] Easy and fun indoor games. Exciting party games
- [For Kids] Today’s Handmade Craft Ideas
- [For Kids] Fun Indoor Game Ideas for After-School Day Services
- Adults will be hooked! A collection of craft ideas using toilet paper rolls
- [Indoor Activities] A Collection of Craft Ideas Recommended for Elementary School Students
Handmade games: DIY craft ideas you can make and play (31–40)
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.
Crane game made from a milk carton
A claw machine made by recycling milk cartons is an eco-friendly craft you can try with everyday materials.
First, open up the carton, cut it into the necessary shapes, and secure everything firmly with duct tape.
Next, create the part where the string will be tied, and staple the arm’s joints while devising how they connect.
Make holes in the control handle, thread the string through, tie it tightly, and reinforce it with duct tape.
Once finished, you’ll have a mechanism that lets you operate an arm moving up and down to grab prizes.
The light weight and easy workability unique to milk cartons are key features, making it perfect for doing with children.
It’s a fun idea that lets you enjoy a sense of accomplishment while playing.
Handmade UFO catcher with magnets
A handmade UFO catcher that combines colored paper clips and neodymium magnets is a unique craft that uses magnetism.
Fix the magnet to the end of a string and secure it firmly with glue.
For the main body, connect two plastic bottle caps vertically with masking tape, adding thickness to the sides so that the clips won’t stick to them.
Thread the string through the caps to complete the arm.
Pre-drill a hole in a clear bottle, pass the string with the main body through it, and drop the clips inside.
When lowered, the magnet attracts the clips; when pulled up, the distance increases and the clips release—just like a real claw machine.
It’s a clever idea that makes good use of magnetic properties.
Target game with paper cups and cardboard
This is a handmade cardboard target game that even little kids can enjoy! First, decorate a paper cup however you like, then cut four slits in it.
Secure two rubber bands into the slits.
Make holes in the cardboard that will serve as the target.
For small children, be careful when using scissors or other tools.
You can launch crumpled paper balls for fun, too.
Beyond paper cups, you can also try things like stick-and-rubber-band launchers—feel free to get creative and adapt it to your environment so kids and adults alike can enjoy it!
Goldfish scooping
You can even make a classic summer festival game—goldfish scooping—by hand! All you need are everyday items like a milk carton, vinyl tape, and PE tape.
First, make a “poi” scoop using a ring-shaped strip cut from a milk carton and a drain strainer net.
It’s safer for the teacher to handle the cutting and stapling.
Wrap the vinyl tape around the scoop you made.
For the goldfish, cut the milk carton into an egg shape, draw goldfish-like patterns, and attach PE tape as the tail with tape—that’s it! These goldfish actually float on water, so it feels more realistic.
Hope you catch lots of goldfish!
Edible soap bubbles
Have you ever felt like you kind of want to try eating a soap bubble? Of course, you shouldn’t eat regular soap bubbles, but you can make your dream come true by making edible ones.
The method is pretty simple.
First, prepare your favorite hard candy and melt it in the microwave until it becomes gooey.
Let it cool a bit, then attach some to a straw and blow.
Voila—edible bubbles will appear.
If you blow with more force, you can make larger bubbles.
Catching them with your mouth is fun, too.
Extending Sword
Here’s how to make an extendable sword using a plastic wrap core and paper.
First, cut the core and use construction paper or similar to make the handle.
Next, make the blade with calendar paper.
Cut the paper so it’s as long as possible.
Roll it tightly so it fits inside the plastic wrap core.
Apply cellophane tape to the paper and adjust it so it matches the inside of the core, then stick it in place.
Once it’s the right size, you’re done! You can twist to extend and retract it for play.
Be careful not to pull it out too far.
Infinite Marble Run
Here’s a perfect boredom-buster for kids: a marble run that rolls endlessly.
You’ll need two stiff, deep paper plates and two paper cups.
First, cut a hole in the center of each plate to make a donut shape.
Next, make a single slit on each plate, then interlock the two plates so they form a figure eight.
When assembling, a hot glue gun is recommended over glue or paste.
Finally, insert the paper cups into the holes you cut in the plates, and you’re done! The marble will whirl around the figure-eight track so kids can enjoy it for ages.
To make it more challenging, try playing with the paper cups removed.
Powerful! Chopstick Gun
Prepare seven pairs of disposable chopsticks and plenty of rubber bands as materials.
First, use five pairs of chopsticks to make the main body.
Stack the chopsticks for the body alternately left and right so that about two-thirds overlap.
Secure them firmly at two points with rubber bands, then cut a notch at the front end to hook a rubber band.
Attach a short, cut chopstick to the rear of the body as the trigger, and glue another chopstick fixed in a V-shape behind that as the grip.
Your powerful chopstick gun is complete!
Treasure hunt with magnets
It’s a game where you place a magnet under a prepared treasure map and find the treasure by tracing the map with a magnet until it sticks.
You can enjoy a treasure hunt using just a single map spread out on a table, and because it uses the properties of magnets, it can feel like a mysterious experience for younger children.
You can also make maps of your home or a park and hide treasures where the magnet reacts, making it fun for older children with a wider range of activities.
With a little creativity, it’s an enjoyable treasure hunt game both indoors and outdoors, and highly recommended.
