Hobbies Board Games

12 DIY Board Games So You're Never Bored

By
Lauren Thomann
Lauren Thomann
Lauren Thomann
Lauren Thomann is a jewelry and antiques expert, sharing over 15 years of hands-on experience with DIY jewelry, gemstones, heirlooms, as well as home renovation projects. Her businesses, Ageless Heirlooms and Heirlooms at Home, focus on antiques. Lauren has also studied at the Gemological Institute of America.
Learn more about The Spruce Crafts' Editorial Process
Updated on 05/05/20
DIY board game ideas

At the Fire Hydrant 

Board games are a great way to keep busy and connect with friends and family members. Don't have any on hand? You may not have known that you can make your own! These 12 DIY board games below could help save you from boredom if you happen to be stuck in the house. Plus, it's a reason to break out the crafting supplies!

  • 01 of 12

    Paint a Colorful Backgammon Board

    Backgammon Game Lovely Indeed

    It might be faster and more convenient to buy a backgammon board, but where's the fun and creativity in that? By painting your own, you can match the style and colors of the game to your existing decor. That way when you're not playing, the game can stay out in the open and look good in the process. 

    DIY Backgammon Game from Lovely Indeed

  • 02 of 12

    Convert a Dry Erase Board Into a Scrabble Board

    Giant Word Game Garrison Street Studio

    Life-sized board games are more fun when playing with a large group. When you're thinking of making your own board game, consider making it larger to make it more memorable. This version of scrabble uses a large dry erase board as its base and magnetic squares as the letters. 

    DIY Giant Word Game from Garrison Street Studio

  • 03 of 12

    Use a Mat for Classic Games on the Beach

    Beach Game Mat Kojo Designs

    If you want to partake in some board games at the beach, chances are a typical board game will get too sandy and pieces will get lost. Paint a roll out mat instead and collect seashells for game pieces. That way if one gets lost, no worries. You can go out and replace it with another. 

    DIY Outdoor Classic Board Games from Kojo Designs

  • 04 of 12

    Craft a New Version of an Old Classic

    Harry Potter Monopoly Charlie Lou

    Monopoly sells a ton of expanded versions of the original classic. However, what these versions sometimes lack is attention to detail. For instance, a monopoly game dedicated to your city might entirely miss the point because the creators weren't experts. If you are an expert on something and love monopoly, challenge yourself to make a custom version like this handmade Harry Potter monopoly game. 

    DIY Harry Potter Monopoly from Charlie Lou

    Continue to 5 of 12 below
  • 05 of 12

    Craft a Chess Board Using Legos

    Legos Chess
    Teach Beside Me

    Teaching your children how to play chess at a young age has a wide range of benefits, from an added focus to increased problem-solving skills. However, if a chess board is too intimidating for your child to play on, consider making one out of legos instead. We guarantee any lego-loving child would get on board with this idea. 

    How to Make a Lego Chess Set from Teach Beside Me

  • 06 of 12

    Print Photos of Friends for This Version of Guess Who

    Guess Who Almost Makes Perfect

    With its silly faces and bright colors, ​Guess Who is a game geared toward young children. Create a version for adults using pictures of all your friends and family. By using people you know, the game becomes much funnier and more conversational. 

    DIY Guess Who Game from Almost Makes Perfect

  • 07 of 12

    Bring Your Passion for a Game to the Next Level

    Settlers of Catan Life of Gregory D

    There are some board games that have a large group of dedicated and diehard fans. These people throw parties dedicated to playing and celebrating the game. One such game is called Settlers of Catan. This blogger took his love for the game to the next level by sculpting a completely original version of the game. Now that's dedication!

    Homemade Settlers of Catan from Life of Gregory D

  • 08 of 12

    Repurpose Printables Into a Memory Game

    Donut Printables "Memory" Game Oh Happy Day

    These printable donuts are incredibly versatile. Not only can they be used to fashion a garland, but they also double as an inexpensive and fun memory game for kids. To make this DIY memory game officially a board game, fashion a board to place the donut pieces on. 

    Donut Printables from Oh Happy Day

    Continue to 9 of 12 below
  • 09 of 12

    Convert a Serving Tray Into a Board Game for a Child

    Serving Tray Board Game Bluet and Clover

    You can make a DIY board game by using things you already have in your home. In this case, an old serving tray is lined with patterned paper. Then cut out circles are adhered to the surface to create a path. After making some Candyland style cards, little animals were used as the game pieces. 

    Serving Tray Board Game from Bluet and Clover

  • 10 of 12

    Print Off Board Games for Your Kids

    Shapes & Colors Board Game
    I Heart Naptime

    Kids like variety, so sometimes you can have dozens of board games and in time, they'll tire of them. To keep things interesting (and inexpensive), print off different board games that other bloggers and teachers have created. 

    Shapes and Colors Printable Board Game from I Heart Naptime

  • 11 of 12

    Get Artistic With Stickers and Doodles

    DIY Board Game Ideas
    At the Fire Hydrant

    Sometimes it's easy to mimic an existing board game when you're creating. Other times, it's more fun to let your imagination run wild. This DIY board game idea is half game, half art project. To keep this project somewhat manageable, consider picking a theme before you start doodling and adding stickers. Here, the family opted to go with a travel-themed game. 

    DIY Board Game from At the Fire Hydrant

  • 12 of 12

    Strategize Different Ways to Play the Game

    Create Your Own Board Game Nerds and Nomsense

    You don't need to be super artistic to create a fun DIY board game of your own. More than that, you need to be innovative with new ways you can play a game. If you start a game from scratch, come up with a basic set of rules and build from there. If this seems too intimidating, search for a template instead. 

    10 Tips for Making Your Own Board Game from Nerds and Nomsense