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: Craft Ideas You Can Make and Play (51–60)
Cardboard craft target game
@ai_paint_diy It flies way farther than expected, so please play near a wall! I'll upload the detailed instructions on Instagram tonight!Target practicefestival#OuchiMonte#EducationalPlay#HandmadeToys#WorkingGirl#CardboardCraftscardboard#StayHomeTime#homeparty
♬ YONA YONA DANCE – Akiko Wada
Roll up long, cut strips of cardboard to make rings, create five of them, and stick them onto a base piece of cardboard.
Write point values inside the rings to complete the target.
This toy launches a ball into the target rings, so make a launcher by stacking and gluing an ice cream stick and a plastic bottle cap onto a clothespin.
Clip the clothespin onto the base to secure the launcher, and use a ball made from crumpled aluminum foil.
Put the ball into the bottle cap, press the ice cream stick downward, and release—it will shoot out with force.
Strikeout for kids
@nami_aidakko Voice LibraryStrikeoutCardboard artShooting GalleryHashtag-like
♫ Dear Boy — Hump Back
This is a cardboard craft project for a strikeout game that’s super popular at festivals! First, choose a piece of cardboard sized to fit the children.
Cut out a 3×3 grid, then decorate the cut-out pieces.
Finally, adjust the cut-outs so they fit nicely into the frame.
It’s easy to make, and since it’s cardboard, it’s also great for use as a shooting game target! Share ideas, get creative, and have fun together—kids and adults alike!
Target shooting game with an air cannon
Fun for kids and adults alike! This is a shooting game you can enjoy indoors.
Punch a hole in an empty snack box, tie off a balloon’s mouth, and cut off the tip.
Stretch the cut balloon over the hole in the box, then put the original lid back on and secure it with vinyl tape.
Decorate the outside with origami paper, and your air cannon is complete! For targets, you can cut cardboard into any shapes you like and start playing right away, just like a shooting gallery.
It’s easy fun for both kids and adults, so try customizing it for different events and enjoy!
Let’s make darts!
Prepare several long strips of cardboard cut to a width of 3.5 cm.
Lightly spray one side with water to moisten it, then peel off the outer layer of paper.
Once the cardboard is dry, use glue and roll it up from one end into a spiral.
Keep adding strips and roll them all together.
That completes the target, so next we’ll make arrows using origami paper and toothpicks.
Use a toothpick as the arrow’s shaft, and glue origami paper to the back as the fletching.
Wrap tape around the tip of the toothpick as a weight, and it’s done.
Mount the target on a wall and try throwing the arrows to play.
A UFO catcher made with two paper cups
This is a paper-cup craft that lets you enjoy an arcade-like experience using only everyday materials.
Cut slits into the first paper cup, spread them open, and fix a straw in place to create an arm-like mechanism.
Punch a hole in the second paper cup and thread the straw through it to complete a movable arm.
Set lightweight toys or paper-made prizes in place, and kids can enjoy the excitement of aiming and catching them.
Playing with a device they made themselves boosts their sense of accomplishment and helps develop observation and problem-solving skills.
It’s a unique idea that’s both fun and educational, guaranteed to get everyone engaged.
Cannon cardboard target practice
An idea recommended for those who want to make serious cardboard crafts: the “Cannon Cardboard Target Game.” Both the targets and the cannon are made by assembling pre-cut cardboard parts.
The cannon is a fully featured build with adjustable angles, and inside it has a rod set up to push out a ball using rubber bands.
You pull the rod back and release it to launch the ball with force.
It’s also fun that if you hit the target just right, Bowser falls down.
Why not try making it with your favorite character?
straw airplane
Popular in after-school care, the “straw airplane” is a fun craft that’s easy to make with a straw and construction paper—and it flies really well.
First, cut off the bendy part of the straw with scissors so it’s straight.
Next, cut two long, narrow strips from the construction paper, roll each into a ring, and tape them to the front and back of the straw.
Using a smaller ring in front and a larger ring in back makes it stable and helps it fly surprisingly far.
Kids are amazed at how it flies differently from a regular paper airplane! You can compete to see whose airplane flies the farthest, try different throwing techniques, and enjoy playing over and over.
Marble maze made from a candy box
Here’s a marble run you can make using an empty candy box! Prepare a box where the lid and the compartment for the candy are separate.
On the side that held the candy, glue cardboard strips along two opposite edges and cut a hole where you can retrieve marbles that fall through.
On the lid, sketch the course, glue cardboard where you want walls, punch a few holes, and mark a start and a goal.
Once it’s ready, stack the two parts with the lid on top, and you’re done.
Depending on how you design the course, you can create marble runs with various levels of difficulty!
Target shooting
You can make a safe shooting game using a paper cup and a balloon.
First, cut out the bottom of the paper cup.
The teacher should prepare this in advance.
Next, attach a tied balloon to the bottom area.
Cut off the side of the balloon opposite the knot, then stretch it over the cup.
Secure the seam between the balloon and the cup well with tape.
After that, put a ping-pong ball into the cup and pull the balloon—pop! The ping-pong ball shoots out, and your shooting game is complete! Make various targets and enjoy the game.
Handmade crane game out of cardboard!
A claw machine made from cardboard is a perfect activity for kids who love crafts.
By assembling the cardboard into a box and cutting out windows so you can see inside, you can create the feel of a real arcade machine.
If you use pipe cleaners for the arm, it will move flexibly, letting you enjoy the sensation of grabbing prizes.
Fill it with plush toys or light trinkets, and each attempt becomes more exciting—you can even compete with friends and family.
You can adjust the difficulty by changing how you build it, and once it’s finished, you’ll experience both the satisfaction of completing it and the fun of playing.
It’s a creative idea that lets you enjoy an arcade vibe using familiar, everyday materials.