Cardboard is one of our favorite DIY materials and we made this wreath game recently during this Christmas season. It is basically a shoebox lid which I turned into a simple game.
The goal of the game is to put all the marbles in the holes. This is inspired by a toy in the image below. But, I do not know exactly the name of this toy.
This game is great for kids to develop various skills like fine motor, Hand-eye coordination, concentration, and focus.
This is an interesting play for adults as well. I tested it 5 times and took between 40 seconds to 90 seconds to complete it.
Now let’s see some pictures & tips to learn how to make it.
Things needed:
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- Shoebox lid
- Marbles
- Cutter
- Pencil
- Green and red color pens
- Popsicle sticks
- Hot glue gun
How to Make a Cardboard wreath game
First, draw two concentric circles on the shoebox and fill the space with green to make a wreath. I just dabbed with my daughter’s dot markers. Such an easy & satisfying task! Of course, you can choose any medium to color it.
Next, we have to punch holes. Make a small insert with a cutter and then expand the hole with a pencil or pen. Twist the pen as you insert. This gives a perfect circlular hole.
Make sure the hole is less than the size of a marble and good enough to hold the marble in place. When the holes are ready, we will be adding some barriers to make the task challenging.
Use a hot glue gun to stick the side of the popsicle sticks on the cardboard base. Once it is done the game is ready.
Watch our toy in action.
The one I have designed will be quite challenging for small kids. If you are introducing this to your toddler, I suggest you try a simple one like the one below. I made it when my child was 2 years old.
Check out some more game ideas made using a Shoebox lid
Also, check out our DIY twig wreath
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If you loved this activity, you might also like our Christmas nativity set – A digital downloadable printable which you can easily turn into a nativity scene.
Would you like to see more simple ideas like this? Let us know in the comment section.