Making Your Own Board Games

Making You Own Games is Fun and Easy to Do

Jun 23, 2008 Belinda Mooney

Making your own games can be as fun as playing them. Making a board game is easy. All it requires is some basic supplies. But beware, game making can become addictive!

Making your own game boards is not only fun but is an inexpensive alternative to costly games your purchase. Plus games can be made to center around whatever idea or theme you want. Kids can make fun games to play with their friends. Teachers, parents, daycare workers and homeschoolers can make games that reinforce what is being taught.

Basic Supplies for Making a Game Board

There are many options for making a game board. You want it to be sturdy enough to play on and not have much give. A plain piece of paper is not going to work for this unless you are able to laminate your finished game board. Here is a list of options for making game boards:

• Poster Board – this is nice and sturdy and comes in a variety of colors. You can get several game boards out of one piece of poster board depending upon the size of the game.
• Card Stock – This makes great game boards. It is sturdy, like poster board, but it a more convenient size. You can make a game board the size of the card stock or you can use two pieces and make a larger game board. Just design a left and a right size and make sure they match up.
• Card Board – Making a game is a great way to recycle old card board. Card board boxes can be cut down to the size you need. Cereal boxes can be opened flat and used to make game boards.
• File Folders – This is another great option for a game board. You can clearly label the game on the tab and file the game away when you are done playing.

Designing Your Game

Once you have decided on what you are going to use for your game board, it is time to design the game. You will want to have a theme or goal in mind for your game. You might want to make a game with a space theme or one that teaches the states and the capitals. It can be about whatever you want.

The easiest board game to make is one where players follow along a set path. The goal is to get to the finish first. You can roll the dice to move, spin a spinner or use game cards. Here are some tips for making your board:

You will need spaces to move along. Picture a CandyLand game. It has colorful squares that players move along. This is the basic concept. Your game “squares” can be any shape and any design. If you are doing the space theme you might hop along planets, stars or space ships.

You can draw your own spaces and color them in or you can print off clip art and glue it to your game board. Another option to make colorful pathways is the paint sample cards at the local home building store. They are perfect for making game squares. One game maker even found some in the shape of Mickey Mouse ears.

Next add some fun. Write some directions on some of the spaces such as “You have hit an asteroid. Go back two.” Design shortcuts by making bridges to higher up levels..

Using Game Cards

If you are going to use game cards instead of dice to control the moves, you will need to make the game cards as well. Business cards are the perfect size for game cards. Make sure you have a clear set of rules. It can be a question and answer format. The card asks a question and if the person answers correctly she gets to move ahead. Or the card can give specific instructions like, “ Move ahead two spaces.”

Make your game board colorful and interesting. You don’t just want a plain white background with a few colors of space to hop along.

Playing Pieces for Homemade Games

Playing pieces can be almost anything small enough to move around the board. Visit thrift shops and purchase cheap older games and use the pieces. Save playing pieces from old games that have pieces missing. You can use pennies, beans or even building blocks. If your game has a space theme, use tiny plastic astronauts in different colors. Gem stones would work for a princess game or a treasure hunt.

Creating your own games is a fun way to add crafting to any learning experience or theme your child may be interested in. It is easy to do, requires very little cost and inspires creativity. Within an hour or two you can have an entertaining game you that your kids will play over and over again.

The copyright of the article Making Your Own Board Games in Kids Crafts is owned by Belinda Mooney. Permission to republish Making Your Own Board Games in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.