Great for festival stalls! Handmade game ideas
Festivals are one of the events everyone looks forward to, aren’t they? In addition to local community festivals, they’re also held as events at preschools, schools, and senior facilities.
If you’ve been put in charge of a booth, you might be wondering, “What should I do?” In this article, we’ll introduce handmade games that are perfect for festival stalls.
Along with classic games like target shooting and yo-yo fishing, we’ve gathered a variety of ideas that both children and adults can enjoy.
We’ve focused on things that are easy to make with readily available materials, so feel free to use this as a reference!
Recommended for festival stalls! Handmade game ideas (1–10)
Target shooting
Shateki is a classic game at festivals.
Hitting the target and winning prizes really gets everyone excited.
This time, we’re introducing a shooting toy you can easily make with a toilet paper roll.
It doesn’t cost much in materials, so it’s highly recommended.
Just glue origami paper onto a toilet paper roll, cut slits, and hook a rubber band onto a straw.
Draw the targets on construction paper and secure them, and you’re done.
If you add a playful touch—like changing the size of the targets—you’ll see even more smiles all around.
Candy scooping
Snacks are so tasty that you can’t help but eat too many, right? There are all kinds—chocolate, potato chips, savory snacks, gummies, and candy.
Among them, dagashi (traditional cheap snacks) are loved by people of all ages.
Treats like Umaibo, kinako-mochi on a stick, and Tirol Chocolate also carry a sense of nostalgia.
Offering these super-popular snacks as a “snack scooping” game at a festival stall is a great idea.
All you need is a large container and a scoop, and you can easily recreate the fun vibe of a festival stall.
Empty Can Fishing Game
Introducing the “Tin Can Fishing Game” that kids will want to try over and over.
Attach paper clips or rings to empty cans and simply use a magnet or a hook-tipped fishing line to reel them in—such simple rules, yet even adults will find themselves getting hooked.
It takes focus and a bit of technique, making you want to keep trying.
Assign points to the cans or color-code them to boost the gameplay and make it even more fun.
By adjusting the can size and the fishing distance to suit the children’s ages, you can keep it safe and enjoyable.
It’s easy to prepare, low-cost, and perfect for booths at temple fairs and summer festivals.
Ghost busting with an air cannon
Introducing a handmade target game: “Ghost Busting with an Air Cannon”! You’ll make the air cannon from a paper cup and a balloon, and the targets from a paper cup and construction paper.
For the air cannon, cut out the bottom of a paper cup, tie the balloon’s mouth, then cut off the tip of the balloon’s bulb.
Stretch the balloon over the rim (drinking side) of the paper cup and tape it in place to finish.
Hold the cup, pull back the balloon, and release—bursts of air will shoot out like bullets.
For the targets, cut a paper cup in half vertically and attach a piece of construction paper with a ghost drawing on it.
Wani Wani Panic
A handmade “Whac-A-Croc” is guaranteed to be a huge hit with kids at fairs and summer festivals.
It’s easy to include at nursery, kindergarten, or elementary school summer events, and you can make it from familiar materials like cardboard.
Every time a crocodile puppet pops out, the kids go wild with excitement! The hammer for whacking can be safely made by rolling up newspaper.
The game is simple, but the speed and suspense will have the whole venue buzzing.
Turn it into a timed score challenge to boost everyone’s motivation! With a little creativity, you can expand the design and rules, so go ahead and create a fun, original booth.
Thousand-String Lottery
Senbon-kuji (the thousand-string lottery) is always a big hit at festival stalls.
You pick one string you like and pull it, and you’ll get a prize like candy or a toy.
The thrill of not knowing what you’ll win is part of the charm.
It may look hard to make, but it’s actually easy.
Prepare a large cardboard box and make some holes.
Thread strings through them and clip on prizes that everyone will love.
Try making a senbon-kuji yourself and have fun—kids and adults alike can enjoy it.
Coin Challenge
Coin challenge is a simple game where you just drop in coins, so anyone can enjoy it casually.
Especially at summer festivals, since it’s a hot season, a water-based coin challenge might be a hit.
First, fill a tank with water.
Then place several containers inside the tank.
It might be more fun to use containers of different sizes.
The way to play: drop coins into the tank, and the person who gets the most coins into the containers has the advantage.
It also seems fun to compete with a few people.
PET bottle darts
How about planning a “PET Bottle Darts” game for your festival stall that anyone can enjoy anywhere? All you need are plastic bottles and chopsticks! Place plastic bottles with the caps removed on the floor, aim, and drop a chopstick.
If it lands in the bottle’s mouth, you win! You can adjust the difficulty by changing the size of the bottles.
Decorate the bottles cutely to match the festive atmosphere.
Since this game uses quite a few chopsticks when there are many participants, prepare plenty by splitting each pair into two sticks.
grab bag
How about a grab-and-go game where you fill a box with lots of sweets and let people scoop them up with a ladle or their hands? It doesn’t cost much, and the treats can be eaten on the spot or taken home as souvenirs, so grab-and-go stalls are very popular.
It’s exciting and fun when someone manages to grab a lot of candy.
When preparing a large quantity, it’s convenient to use a local candy wholesaler or online shops.
If you put the sweets in a large inflatable pool and use toy grabber hands, it adds even more of a game-like feel.
Whac-A-Mole
If there’s a whack-a-mole game at the festival, both adults and kids are guaranteed to have a blast! Make one by hand and liven up your summer festival.
Adults should handle decorating the cardboard base and cutting the holes.
It’s the kids’ turn to make the moles.
Using empty egg cartons and construction paper, you can create round, cute moles.
Have the children draw the faces, too, to give each mole lots of character.
Also let the kids take charge of moving the moles in and out by attaching them to wooden chopsticks.
You’re sure to have an exhilarating game on your hands.
