How to Make an Elementary Board Game

Determine what you would like your board game to teach your elementary students. Board games can have many purposes, such as lessons on shapes, colors, numbers, letters, vocabulary or creativity.

Determine how you want the board-game pieces to move across the board. The movement can be decided through cards that players draw, dice, a spinning wheel or any other creative option that you come up with. The purpose of the game can be incorproated into how the players move. For example, if you want the game to teach children about colors, the cards that they draw can have colors on them that the children must identify in otder to move.

Create game pieces. Game pieces can be made from any objects such as pebbles, figurines, toys or buttons. Color code your game pieces to make identifying players and positions on the board easier.

Cut out a large, square or rectangular game board from cardboard or any material that lies flat and is sturdy enough to hold the game pieces. On the cardboard, clearly mark a beginning and end point of the game. Draw out the path that the game pieces must take; be as creative as you like.

Establish rules for your game. The rules should be in concordane with the purpose or lesson of the game and should be simple enough for elementary age students to understand and remember. If desired, write the rules out and attatch them to the back of the game's container or the game board itself.

Decorate the game board as you desire using craft supplies. Remember that the simpler the design of a game board, the easier it is for children to play. Test the game by having both adults and elementary-aged children play through the game a few times. Ask the testers whether they notice any problems, then improve the game based on their suggestions.