DIY Mouse Board Game (with Video)
A fun DIY game for kids, this Mouse Ball Game is simple to make with materials you already have at home. While we provide a free mouse printable template to make a mouse version of this game, your kids can customize it to be any animal that they’d like!
DIY Mouse Board Game
My daughter loves board games and we’ve amassed a serious collection of them… to the point where our games cabinet is bursting at the seams.
She got the idea this year to make our own board games and I’m excited to see what other ideas she comes up with.
Today’s DIY Board Game is a Roller Ball Game using ping pong balls and a shoe box lid.
The objective is to strategically tilt and move box lid around until you position all three of the ping pong balls in the small holes, giving all three of your animals noses!
We did a mouse version because I’m a huge fan of Ratatouille and the little mouse faces remind me of the cute critters from the movie, but you can adjust our printable template or create your own template to make a different animal version of this game. (Or you could download a Mickey Mouse template and make this into a Mickey Mouse board game.)
There are so many ways to play with this Mouse Ball Game:
As a fun independent game for one child.
If you just make one and have multiple kids, kids can time each other to see how many balls then can sink in a minute, or time themselves to see how long it takes to sink all of the balls. They can then take turns and compete. Or just take turns each trying to sink a single ball.
Or, make more than one and have the kids play against each other – either one or one or in teams.
This DIY board game is perfect for a family games night activity or a movie night activity – whether you’re watching Ratatouille, The Nutcracker, Cinderella or An American Tail: Fievel Goes West (or any other movie featuring mice).
More DIY Games for Kids
- Printable Mermaid Board Game
- Alice in Wonderland Matching Game
- DIY Monster Pinball Game
- Printable Recycling Game
- Homemade PB&J Felt Game
- Indoor Bean Bag Games
Be sure to check out our quick video to see how to play and make this easy DIY board game for kids – and then don’t forget to scroll down to get your free printable template and printable instructions:
Materials to Make a Mouse Ball Game
- Shoe Box Top
- Cardstock or Construction Paper: Green, Pink, Purple, Blue, White papers
- Scissors <– these are the ones we have and they have lasted for years in our daycare, and unlike some other safety scissors – they actually cut things!
- Pencil
- Glue Stick
- Black Marker
- Ping Pong Balls
- Printable Mouse Template
How to Make Mouse Board Game
Take a shoebox top, then trace around it on pink paper.
Cut out the pink rectangle and then glue inside the shoe box lid.
Print out the mouse template and trace the main head shape onto purple, green and blue paper. Cut out the shapes and then glue into the box lid.
Draw a small circle for the noses just below the tips of the mice head shapes and use scissors or an Xacto knife to cut out. Check to ensure that the ping pong balls can set in nicely, making the holes bigger if needed.
Trace the inner ear shape of the mouse template onto pink paper, then cut out and glue in place on the mice ears.
Trace the circle shape of the mouse template on white paper, then cut out and glue in place for the mice noses.
Using a marker or black pen, draw on the irises of the eyes, whiskers and any additional facial features (like eyelashes or eyebrows).
Pin this DIY Board Game for your next games night:
Grab your free printable instructions for our DIY Mouse Ball Game – and don’t forget to grab your printable mouse template here:
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DIY Mouse Board Game
A fun DIY Board Game for Kids, this simple Mouse Game tests your agility as you try to gently maneuver the board to position all of the balls in to the holes to give noses to the mice. A fun shoe box craft for a rainy day or family games night.
Materials
- Shoe Box Top
- Cardstock or Construction Paper: Green, Pink, Purple, Blue and White
- Scissors
- Ping Pong Balls
- Printable Mouse Template
Tools
- Pencil
- Glue Stick
- Black Marker
Instructions
- Take a shoebox top, then trace around it on pink paper.
- Cut out the pink rectangle and then glue inside the shoe box lid.
- Print out the mouse template and trace the main head shape onto purple, green and blue paper. Cut out the shapes and then glue into the box lid.
- Draw a small circle for the noses just below the tips of the mice head shapes and use scissors or an Xacto knife to cut out. Check to ensure that the ping pong balls can set in nicely, making the holes bigger if needed.
- Trace the inner ear shape of the mouse template onto pink paper, then cut out and glue in place on the mice ears.
- Trace the circle shape of the mouse template on white paper, then cut out and glue in place for the mice noses.
- Using a marker or black pen, draw on the irises of the eyes, whiskers and any additional facial features (like eyelashes or eyebrows).
Recommended Products
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LIVINGO Premium Tailor Scissors Heavy Duty Multi-Purpose Titanium Coating Forged Stainless Steel Sewing Fabric Leather Dressmaking Softgrip Shears Professional Crafting (9.5 INCH) -
OIG Brands Ping Pong Balls - Beer Pong Ball Bulk Pack of 12 - White Washable PingPong
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Astrobrights Colored Cardstock, 8.5” x 11”, 65 lb / 176 gsm, "Spectrum" 25-Color Assortment, 75 Sheets (80944-01)
I hope your kids love making their own animal board game as much as mine did!
For more easy craft ideas, check out our full crafts for kids collection here:
For more homemade toys, check out our full homemade toy collection here:
For more Disney ideas, check out our full Disney craft collection here:
