Make a cardboard game
Build a tabletop cardboard maze game with movable walls and a marble. Design routes, decorate pieces, and test problem-solving and fine motor skills.
About this tutorial
Build a tabletop cardboard maze game with movable walls and a marble. Design routes, decorate pieces, and test problem-solving and fine motor skills.
What you need
Step by step
- 1
Step 1
Choose a flat cardboard piece for your game base the size you want.
- 2
Step 2
Plan your maze by drawing routes and marking a start zone and a finish goal on the base.
- 3
Step 3
Cut several long thin strips from scrap cardboard to use as movable walls.
- 4
Step 4
Cut small rectangles from scrap cardboard to make wall stands.
- 5
Step 5
Fold each rectangle into an L shape to create a stand that will hold a wall upright.
- 6
Step 6
Attach the stands onto the base where you want walls using tape or glue.
- 7
Step 7
Slide the wall strips into the stands to build your first maze layout.
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Step 8
Roll the marble from the start to the finish to test how the maze works.
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Step 9
Move and reposition walls to fix stuck spots or to make the route trickier.
- 10
Step 10
Decorate the base and walls with coloring materials stickers or paint to personalize your game.
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Step 11
Share your finished cardboard maze on DIY.org
Fun facts
How do you build a tabletop cardboard maze game with movable walls and a marble?
Start by sketching a maze layout on a sturdy cardboard base. Cut thin cardboard strips for walls and create slots or shallow tracks to slide walls in and out. Secure end walls with glue or tape so tracks stay aligned. Add start and finish holes for the marble. Test the marble’s path, adjust wall spacing for smooth rolling, then decorate pieces with paint, markers, or stickers for a finished game.
What materials do I need to make a cardboard marble maze?
Gather a large piece of corrugated cardboard for the base, thin cardboard strips for movable walls, a ruler, pencil, utility knife or scissors, hot glue or strong tape, and a marble. Optional items: craft paint, markers, stickers, scrap cardboard for ramps or obstacles, and a cutting mat. Substitute wooden skewers or straws for tracks if you prefer gliding walls. Always supervise tool use and keep small parts away from toddlers.
What ages is a cardboard marble maze suitable for?
This activity suits ages 4–12 with varying supervision. Ages 4–6 enjoy decorating and placing walls with close adult help for cutting and glueing. Ages 7–9 can design simple mazes and assemble walls with minimal guidance. Ages 10–12 can build complex tracks, ramps, and solve design challenges independently. Avoid giving small marbles to children under 3 due to choking hazards and supervise use of sharp tools for younger kids.
What are the benefits of making a cardboard maze for kids?
Building a maze strengthens problem-solving, spatial reasoning, and fine motor skills as kids measure, cut, and adjust walls. It encourages planning, creativity when decorating, and iterative testing—resilience through trial and error. Working together promotes communication and teamwork. The low-cost, hands-on project also introduces basic engineering ideas and can spark interest in STEM while being screen-free and adaptable for different skill levels.
Watch & Learn
Need help?
What can I use instead of a marble or special cardboard if I can't find them?
If you don't have a marble for the 'Roll the marble' test, use a small bead, button, or bouncy ball, and if you lack scrap cardboard for the 'Cut several long thin strips' walls use cereal-box cardboard or craft sticks and replace folded L-shaped stands with clothespins.
My walls keep falling over or the marble gets stuck—how do I fix that?
If walls fall or the marble gets stuck during the 'Roll the marble from the start to the finish' step, reinforce each 'Fold each rectangle into an L' stand with extra tape or glue, trim or sand rough edges on the 'long thin strips,' and widen tight turns by sliding the stands farther apart.
How can I adapt this maze activity for different ages?
For younger children make the 'Plan your maze' routes wide and short and use larger beads instead of marbles, for elementary add more 'long thin strips' with moderate turns to build fine motor skills, and for older kids create complex layouts with multiple goals and timed runs after you 'Decorate' the base.
What are some ways to extend or personalize the cardboard maze after it's built?
To enhance the game, decorate the base and walls with a theme, glue on small ramps or cardboard tunnels for multi-level routes, add numbered checkpoints and a paper scorecard for timed runs, and then photograph and 'Share your finished cardboard maze on DIY.org'.