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Handmade mancala ideas: an educational toy you can make from recycled materials

Deputy Editor of RAG MUSICsasashina
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSIC. JFC-certified fact-checker. I’m Sasashina, a mom currently raising an elementary schooler and a preschooler. During my student years at Kyoto College of Science and Technology, I studied a wide range of fields including sound, lighting, and video technology, building a foundation in comprehensive stage production and creative expression. After graduation, I joined a music production company, where I still work, consistently building experience in production and engaging in a variety of music-centered tasks. Currently, I mainly handle articles for children, drawing on what I’ve learned about parenting and what I feel and discover through daily interactions with my kids. I hope my work can be of help to you, even in a small way!

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 made with resin

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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.

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Mancala with an egg carton

Playing Mancala (or Sungka) on a homemade board made from an egg carton

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.

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Mancala with condiment containers and mini cups

I tried making Mancala 000

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!

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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!