Handmade mancala ideas: an educational toy you can make from recycled materials
Mancala is a board game beloved in regions such as Africa and the Middle East.
It’s simple enough for anyone to play, but winning takes strategy—so it really makes you think.
It’s also popular as an educational toy for children.
In this article, we introduce DIY ideas for making your own mancala set.
All you need is a board with pits for placing stones and some counters like marbles or beads, so it’s easy to make by hand.
There are ideas for using recycled materials like milk cartons, cardboard, and egg cartons, so if you like, try crafting one with your child and enjoy the process together.
Handmade mancala ideas: an educational toy you can make from recycled materials
Mancala with a milk carton
The Mancala I’m introducing this time is made using 13 milk cartons.
First, cut about 3.5 cm off the bottom to create 12 small boxes.
For the long vertical parts, cut one carton in half and use those pieces.
After cutting, join the cartons together with vinyl tape to complete the main body.
Next, make the playing pieces.
Cut the carton into circles about the size of a 500-yen coin, and paint them in bright colors to make them look nice.
It’s easy to make, so once you’ve collected some empty milk cartons, be sure to try making it and have fun playing!
Mancala with paper cups
Here’s an idea for making a DIY Mancala board using paper cups and cardboard.
First, make slits in the paper cups with a utility knife, then cut along them with scissors and fold the edges inward.
Next, cut colored construction paper to fit inside the cups and attach it to the bottom and sides.
It’s helpful to use the same color or pattern of paper for cups on the same team.
For the board, cut the cardboard to match the shape of the cups using a utility knife.
Once the cups are taped onto the board with duct tape, it’s complete.
For the pieces, it’s recommended to make them from sturdy materials like thick cardboard.
Mancala with sponge sheets
https://www.instagram.com/p/CSwBv8RLUPM/Mancala is a long-beloved board game and is also popular as an educational toy for children.
This is an idea for a mancala set made by stacking multiple layers of sponge sheets with circular cutouts.
Basically, to play mancala you just need two boards with six holes each and some stones.
The stones can be substituted with marbles or flat glass beads, so there’s no need to make them.
You can use a craft knife to cut the sponge sheets into circles, but a large hole punch might make the job faster.
Mancala with aluminum cans
Here’s how to handcraft a mancala board using 12 aluminum cans.
First, cut about 2 cm off the bottom of each can with scissors.
Next, make slits at the 1 cm mark and fold them inward.
Be sure to do this safely using pliers.
After that, use an awl to make a hole in the center, then screw the cans onto a wooden board with a screwdriver.
Attach the plastic cases at both ends in the same way.
It’s sturdy, so you’ll have a durable mancala board you can play with for a long time!
Mancala made with resin
If you want to make a stylish and durable mancala board, why not try resin? Basically, you just pour resin into a mold and let it cure, so even beginners can make it.
In this idea, they mix something like gold leaf into clear resin, pour it into the mold, then add colored resin to form the board.
Vibrantly colored resin is also used for the stones, and some of them sparkle just like the board! Make two identical boards and connect them later with hinges.
Since it folds, it should be easy to store.
Mancala with condiment containers and mini cups
There are versions of mancala that use two boards with six holes each, but this one is a single-piece design.
The base can be anything, like cardboard.
Arrange condiment containers you can buy at a 100-yen shop in two facing rows of six each as a substitute for the holes, and glue them down.
Attach two small cups on the left and right, and you’re done! It’s very easy, so why not make it together with your child? If it feels too simple, try coloring it or adding stickers to create your own original mancala!
Mancala with Side Dish Packs
Here’s how to make a homemade Mancala set using side dish cups you can buy at a 100-yen shop.
Prepare size No.
9 cups.
You’ll need seven cups per team, so using the same pattern for each team makes it easier to tell them apart and is recommended.
For the board to attach the cups to, use cardboard.
Cut it slightly longer than the length of seven cups and tape pieces together with packing tape.
The one on the left is the goal, so when you glue the cups down, leave a bit of space for that one.
Once you draw decorations and arrows around the goal, you’re done!
Mancala with cardboard
How about making a Mancala board using cardboard? The only material is cardboard, and you’ll use stationery like a ruler, compass, and utility knife.
First, prepare two pieces of cardboard cut into rectangles.
In one of them, make six holes on each side facing each other.
Use a ruler to measure and decide where the holes go, and draw the circles with a compass.
On the other piece, glue long, narrow strips of cardboard vertically to form a frame.
Flip it over and attach the cardboard with the holes to the bottom piece to finish! If you want the holes to be deeper, make several identical layers and stack them.
Mancala with Lego
Here’s an idea for making a mancala set using LEGO bricks.
LEGO lets you stack and connect pieces of various shapes to play, and it’s fun because you can create all kinds of forms by combining different blocks.
Using those same LEGO bricks, you can even make a mancala board! First, build the base of the board.
Leave a little space on the left and right sides, then divide the remaining area into a grid of 6 columns by 2 rows.
Add an outer frame so the stones don’t fall out.
Use small bricks in place of stones.
If you have LEGO bricks, give it a try and have fun playing!
Mancala with an egg carton
Here’s a DIY idea for making a mancala set using an egg carton.
A mancala board has 12 pits arranged in two rows of six facing each other.
Egg cartons often come in packs of 10, but 12-egg cartons are also available.
You can also connect two 6-egg cartons to make a full mancala board.
If the lid is flat, you can cut it down the middle, attach the two halves to the sides, and use them as the stores for the captured stones.
Since you don’t need to make any holes, it’s a great option for people who want to avoid using tools like box cutters or scissors.
In conclusion
We introduced some handmade ideas for Mancala. They all looked easy to make and ready to play right away! If you want to play Mancala but aren’t sure about buying one, please use these ideas as a reference. If you’re good at DIY, you might even try making one out of wood!