In our house we can't decide which is more fun: designing the
game, or playing it! All you need is some bits and pieces from around the house
and a little imagination, and your kids may create a family treasure - or even a
new Monopoly!
Age: 5+ (with adult help)
All you need to make the simplest board games is a large piece
of paper, some crayons, a die and some imagination. But with a few extra
supplies and ideas you can go a lot further...
Give your kids a collection of stickers - character stickers,
small round stickers, small square stickers etc - a file folder, and some felt
tips, and they can create a masterpiece. You just need a start space, a finish
space, and a few child-designed hazards along the way!
A large square or rectangle of corrugated cardboard cut out of
the side of a large cardboard box can be the beginnings of a new game. How about
covering it with fabric and using felt shapes for spaces? Or you could use paper
mache techniques to make it into a "relief" board.
Give the kids a stack of small white cards so that they can
create their own forfeits or challenges to go alongside the game.
Suggest a theme - jungle adventure, pirate adventure,
explorers - and cut out some pictures from magazines or print clipart off the
internet to help add some excitement to the game board.
Make a family game board using photos of members of the
family.
A large box lid can become a 3-D game. Gather together your
collection of bottle tops, yoghurt pots and other bits and pieces, and cut holes
into the lid into which to sit the deeper items. Stick small boxes onto the top
too if you want - think "Mousetrap" and get the game pieces climbing in and out
and up and down along the path to the finish!
Use paper money from an existing board game or print out some
of ours.
If your children like making up their own games, you might find
our new printable "money", counters, tickets etc useful. Printable game supplies
Make A Name Book
More of a craft activity than a game, this is a great way for kids to get to
know each other at the beginning of the school year.
Matching Game cards can be used to play Memory
(Concentration), Go Fish and many other card games, as well as played with
our sorting mats by one child on their own. Printable Games