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 (71–80)
cake
Here’s an idea for felt cakes you can use for pretend play.
Basically, make a pattern for the cake shape you want, then cut the felt to match and sew it together.
You could make several slice-shaped shortcakes that combine into a whole cake for easier play.
Place a piece of cardboard on the bottom of each cake, then stuff it with cotton and sew it closed.
For the cream, cut the felt into a pinwheel shape and sew it so the tips gather tightly—this will make it look realistic.
After that, add your preferred toppings, like cream layers in the cross-section and strawberries!
Demon-slaying play in pachinko
Pachinko, long popular with children, makes a perfect toy for target practice.
Cross the ends of two chopsticks in a plus shape and tie them with a rubber band.
On the opposite end, lay a short chopstick across horizontally and secure it the same way.
Cut a small rectangle out of sturdy material like thick paper or a milk carton, then punch one hole on each side.
Thread a rubber band through each hole and tie them, then attach the other ends to the split tips of the chopsticks you made earlier.
That’s it! For targets, stick origami paper onto toilet paper rolls, draw faces to make little “oni” (demons), and you’re ready.
Make it by Setsubun and try your hand at “oni-slaying” on the day!
Let’s try making a tangram
Here’s an idea for making a handmade tangram, a puzzle that’s popular with children.
There are many store-bought options, but you can make one yourself if you have construction paper.
Creating it on your own also leads to discoveries about numbers.
Tangrams let you freely choose colors and shapes while having fun, and they nurture creativity and spatial awareness.
As kids cut out the pieces and arrange them, they naturally develop fine motor skills and concentration.
Completing a figure or making an original design gives them a sense of accomplishment and boosts their confidence.
A handmade tangram isn’t just a toy—it becomes a warm, enriching experience that supports children’s intellectual and emotional growth.
You can make it in 10 seconds! Marble run
Want to play something right now? For you, here’s a marble-rolling game you can make in 10 seconds.
All you need is a food tray and a pencil.
A slightly larger tray might work better.
To make it, just poke several holes in the tray with the pencil.
Roll lots of marbles on the tray and fit them into the holes you made—done! You can also write point values next to each hole and turn it into a game to see how many points you can score by placing marbles in them.
It’s quick to make even if you don’t have much time, so give it a try!
You can make it in 10 seconds! Marble run
Want to play something right now? For you, here’s a marble-rolling game you can make in 10 seconds.
All you need is a food tray and a pencil.
A slightly larger tray might work better.
To make it, just poke several holes in the tray with the pencil.
Roll lots of marbles on the tray and fit them into the holes you made—done! You can also write point values next to each hole and turn it into a game to see how many points you can score by placing marbles in them.
It’s quick to make even if you don’t have much time, so give it a try!
Tetromino
Tetrominoes instantly bring Tetris to mind for anyone who enjoys video games.
It’s a puzzle where you combine various shapes—like the I, O, L, S, and T pieces—to complete squares and rectangles.
Its simplicity is exactly what makes it challenging.
Because you can’t reach the goal by just matching the pieces you see in front of you, it can be highly effective for children’s cognitive development and for seniors’ brain training.
Once you get the hang of it, try challenging yourself to see how quickly you can create the specified shapes.
It’s a puzzle game that never gets old.
Ball Rolling & Puzzle
This craft lets you enjoy both a puzzle and a marble-rolling game with a single creation, so it’s great for keeping kids engaged for a long time.
The puzzle is simple: cut out the round parts of the illustration and fit them back in, making it suitable even for younger children.
When playing the marble-rolling game, remove the round pieces used for the puzzle, place a ball on the illustration, and tilt it so the ball falls into the cut-out holes.
Since you can switch between the two modes daily, it’s also a craft that older adults can enjoy regularly without getting bored.
Othello
If your household has lots of plastic bottle caps, how about making an Othello set? For the Othello pieces, just take two bottle caps of different colors and stick them together with cellophane tape.
For the board, use cardboard and draw an 8×8 grid.
If it’s hard to gather 64 caps in the same color for each of two colors, you can still make it by marking the two sides differently—attach white and black stickers or paint them with acrylics.
Othello is a great game that exercises the brain and can be enjoyed by players of different ages.
Target game with paper cores
This is a rubber band shooter you can make with materials you have at home, where you line up paper cores as targets.
Cut slits in a toilet paper core wrapped with duct tape to thread a rubber band through.
Next, cut open the tip of a straw, fold the left and right sides, hook the rubber band onto it, and secure it with tape.
Thread the rubber band through the core, then tape it firmly in place to complete the shooter.
Line up targets made from the cores and shoot balls made of duct tape to play.
It’s also fun to use kitchen paper cores to set up targets at different heights.
Give this easy shooting game a try—kids can enjoy making and playing with it, too.
bowling
This is a PET-bottle bowling game that even small children can enjoy indoors.
Decorate the bottles with the children’s artwork made using stickers, crayons, scissors, and glue! Kids will love the tactile fun of sticking on stickers and the fresh experience of drawing with crayons.
If scissors are used, teachers should provide age-appropriate support.
Wrap the finished drawings around the PET bottles and enjoy bowling! The excitement of a first bowling game will have their hearts racing.
When they knock the pins down well, they’ll also feel a great sense of achievement!
