How to Make Your Own Board Game

Design, build, and play a custom board game from scratch using simple household materials. HowTo: Family Edition: family how-tos that actually help.

1. Draw your path. Lay your cardboard flat. Use a pencil to lightly sketch a path that winds from a 'Start' square to a 'Finish' square. You can make it a straight line, a zigzag, or a giant spiral.
2. Add your spaces. Go over your pencil line with a marker. Draw squares or circles along the path to act as the spots where players move their pieces. Make some of them special colors, like green for 'move forward' or red for 'go back'.
3. Create your rules. On index cards, write down challenges or rewards for players who land on special spaces. For example, 'Jump three spaces ahead' or 'Sing a song to stay here.' Keep the rules simple so your friends can learn them quickly.
4. Choose your pieces. Pick small items to represent each player. If you want, you can decorate your buttons or bottle caps with stickers or paint to make them look like characters.