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DIY: Checker Board

The game of checkers has been traced back to 1400 B.C. Over the course of the past 3400 years, it has been embraced by many cultures. Premade checkerboards are available at a variety of stores in a variety of materials, from inexpensive sets made of cardboard to high-end, expensive boards--designed for serious players and display--made of wood or even glass. If you'd like to save a little money and take part in a fun, rainy day craft project with your kids, you can make your own checkerboard at home with inexpensive, everyday materials.

Things You'll Need

Square piece of cardboard
Scissors
Ruler
Pencil
Two pieces of colored paper
Scotch tape or glue
Packing tape (clear)

Instructions

- 1
  Cut your cardboard into a square measuring 8 inches by 8 inches.
- 2
  Cut 32 small squares out of each color of paper. The squares should measure 1 inch by 1 inch. You will have 64 squares when you are done. To make this process easier, you can use a ruler to draw a grid of 1-inch-by-1-inch squares in pencil on the sheets of paper before cutting.
- 3
  Place one square on the corner of your board and glue or tape it on. Continue to place the squares down--one full row at a time--alternating colors as you go. Your finished board will have a layout of 8 squares by 8 squares, for a total of 64 squares.
- 4
  Reinforce the board by placing rows of clear packing tape on top of the colored squares. This gives it a sleek-looking finish and protects the paper from lifting or getting ripped during use.

Chess & Checkers