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)
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?
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.
Handmade games: DIY craft ideas you can make and play (61–70)
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!
ball basket
A ball toss using cardboard is a simple and fun game.
First, unfold the lid flaps of the cardboard box and tape them down to make a deep box shape.
Next, draw your preferred shapes on the cardboard and cut them out with a utility knife.
Since cardboard is sturdy, adults should handle the cutting.
After decorating around the holes with drawings, crumple newspaper into balls and secure them with tape to make the balls.
Having plenty of balls is recommended so the game can continue without interruption.
Try playing to see if you can get the balls into your target holes!
