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 (81–90)
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!
Bowling with bottles of lactic acid bacteria drinks
Here’s a small and cute bowling game you can make using lactic acid drink bottles.
Since the bottles themselves are small, you can even play on a tabletop! After rinsing out the contents, decorate the bottles however you like.
For the ball, try using a wad of newspaper or other paper rolled into a ball, or make a DIY ball by combining strips cut from a paper carton.
It only takes a light touch to play, so it’s enjoyable not only for children but also for older adults.
Gather some lactic acid drink bottles and give it a try!
Milk Carton Bowling
Let’s make bowling pins using milk cartons! It doesn’t have to be milk—any type of drink carton is fine.
Once the carton is empty, rinse the inside and reassemble it back into its original shape.
Before sealing the top, add a marble or a small amount of water as a weight.
Then decorate it however you like with construction paper, origami paper, or stickers, and you’re done! For the ball, crumpled newspaper or flyers, or a plastic play ball, are great options.
ring toss
“Ring toss” is a fun game you can make together with children.
It helps them practice throwing with their arms, and the fact that you can play it indoors is another plus.
First, roll up newspaper or wrapping paper into stick shapes.
Be sure to twist and roll them together with the kids.
Once they’re stick-shaped, wrap them with tape to cover them.
Choosing bright colors like red or green makes them visually fun, too.
You can also make large rings and use them for a ring-crawling game.
Try incorporating various ideas!
fishing
Let’s make a fishing game where you can catch all kinds of sea creatures—big fish, small fish, crabs, and jellyfish! We’ll use recycled materials to create the fish, such as small empty containers like plastic bags, yogurt cups, lactic acid drink bottles, and toilet paper rolls.
Embed a magnet from the inside where the fish’s head or dorsal fin will be.
For the fishing rod, attach string (like kitchen twine) to a pair of chopsticks and put a magnet at the end.
You can wrap the chopsticks with masking tape to make them cute.
Have fun making your children’s favorite sea creatures and playing with them!
Paper Plate Balance Game
Let me introduce a guaranteed crowd-pleasing, handmade recreation activity you can make and play with elementary school kids: the Paper Plate Balance Game.
Paint a paper plate in four colors—red, yellow, blue, and green—and attach capsule toy containers or paper cups underneath to create an unstable balancing base.
The rules use two kinds of dice: one regular number die and a special die with “colors” and faces like “x2” and “x3.” Players take turns placing small counters (like marbles or flat game pieces) according to the color and number rolled.
If you upset the balance and make pieces fall, you lose.
It’s easy to make, and a fun idea game that nurtures dexterity, concentration, and creativity.
A UFO catcher made from a candy box
A UFO catcher made from an empty Tabecco Animal cookie box is a playful craft.
Use the box as the base, and create the frame and decorations with construction paper and colored paper.
Combine straws of different thicknesses—slide a regular straw inside a tapioca (boba) straw—to support the movement of the arm.
Reinforce it with parts from a milk carton, and thread string through it so the arm can move up and down; this mechanism is key.
Design the tip of the arm so it can grip prizes securely.
Using double-sided tape or glue during assembly will make it sturdier.
It’s a cute, fun-to-play idea that makes great use of everyday materials.
Pusher Game
https://www.tiktok.com/@mikayo.k/video/7368367091386174741A “pusher game” that recreates the popular coin games from arcades at home is a craft idea you can enjoy using plastic bottle caps.
Stack cardboard boxes to make a sliding platform, and if you set it up to move manually back and forth, the caps will drop just like coins.
If you drop them in with good timing, you can experience that satisfying moment when the pile of caps collapses all at once.
You can even turn it into a competitive game depending on the rules, making it a perfect, exciting craft for elementary school kids.
It’s a recommended idea that lets you enjoy a full-fledged game using familiar materials.
Paper Cup UFO Catcher
The “Paper Cup UFO Catcher” is a popular DIY recreation idea you can enjoy with elementary school kids.
Cut eight slits into a paper cup to make tentacle-like arms, then insert a straw through the center to move it.
Place another paper cup over the top and move it up and down—this opens and closes the arms.
The moment it grabs the target is super exciting! It’s easy to make with everyday materials, yet the movement feels authentic and makes it really fun to play.
Figuring out the controls is part of the charm, and it gets even more exciting when friends compete.
It’s a recommended activity that combines the joy of crafting with the sense of achievement from a game.
Cool rubber band gun
Let me introduce a strong and cool rubber band gun.
Prepare 17 bendable straws, a clothespin, tape, and scissors, and let’s make it.
Take two straws and tape their bendable sections together to secure them.
Attach one clothespin to the gap of the joined straws to create the base.
When bundling straws, secure them tightly so the stacked pieces don’t shift.
Stack eight straws by grouping them in sets of four, extend the bendable sections, and build the structure.
When attaching parts together, make sure the straws are firmly fixed so they don’t slip.
Once it’s finished, hook on a rubber band and give it a try!
