Fun for all ages and genders! Handmade Mölkky ideas
Mölkky is a game born in Finland, and the number of players is steadily increasing in Japan.
You throw a wooden Mölkky stick at targets called skittles, which look like bowling pins and have numbers written on them, and you score points either by the value of the number on the skittle you hit or by the number of skittles knocked down.
It doesn’t require much physical exertion, and depending on how you play, you can even do it indoors while seated, so anyone can enjoy it regardless of age or gender.
Mölkky equipment is sold online and elsewhere, but some people may want to enjoy it while spending as little money as possible.
In this article, we’ll introduce DIY ideas for making your own Mölkky set.
Use these tips as a reference and give it a try!
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Fun for all ages and genders! Handmade Mölkky ideas (11–20)
Animal-pattern Mölkky
When you think of the look of Mölkky, it’s usually simple—just numbers written on the pins, with the rest left as bare wood.
Why not make use of those undecorated wooden areas and draw animal illustrations in each blank space? It would add a cute overall touch, and it might also make it easier to give quick advice on which pin to aim for next.
The only tricky part is that you’ll be drawing illustrations on curved surfaces—this might be where the artist’s skill is put to the test.
Colorfully Painted Mölkky
This idea takes Mölkky—which is often seen as a simple-looking game with numbers written on wooden pins—and makes it even more fun by painting it in bright colors.
Just adding color changes the look, and it feels like the game could become more exciting.
Since color perception can affect how easy a pin is to aim at, it’s a good idea to choose your colors with that in mind.
You could play with team-colored Mölkky sets, or assign colors by number to make target areas clearer—there are plenty of ways to use this approach.
Molkky made by wrapping paper around a piece of wood
Mölkky has numbers written on a surface that’s cut at an angle—this distinctive shape can be a tricky point to prepare when making a set by hand.
How about a simple method that solves that preparation challenge: just wrap the wood with paper printed with numbers? By changing the paper design, you can enjoy Mölkky sets with various looks and easily update their appearance.
Also, since the wood inside is wrapped and less visible, you can experiment with materials and adjust the weight, which could add strategic depth to the game.
Square Mölkky made from firewood
This is about deliberately making Mölkky—strongly associated with cylindrical pins—out of square pieces of wood, taking into account how easily they topple.
The key is that the square shape makes them harder to knock down, which heats up the strategy and mind games over where to aim.
You can match the standard Mölkky shape to keep it classic, but intentionally varying the thickness will increase the gameplay depth—highly recommended.
You might also prioritize design by charring the wood for color or being particular about how you write the numbers.
Just stick paper on the logs! Easy Mölkky
This suggests sticking numbered papers on logs of various shapes and playing Mölkky with them.
A key point is how easy it is to start—once you have enough logs, the game can begin.
Because the shapes are irregular, they won’t topple as smoothly as in standard Mölkky, which makes the strategy more interesting.
You also throw a log, so it won’t roll exactly as you intend—that’s another challenging aspect.
It’s best not to overthink which number goes on which log; assign them randomly.
Enjoy the unique gameplay that comes from numbers being slapped on haphazardly right then and there.
In conclusion
I introduced some ideas for making your own Mölkky—how did you like them? Just like the real game, there were options ranging from cutting wood to make the pieces to using everyday materials like plastic bottles and paper cups. Have fun starting from the process of making the equipment yourself!