Make Some Lava Checkers - Fun at-home activities for Kids.

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Make Some Lava Checkers!

Make a lava-themed checkers set: decorate a board, craft molten stone and lava pieces from clay, then play to learn strategy with friends.

Table of contents

Step-by-step guide to make a lava-themed checkers set

What you need

Sturdy cardboard or wooden craft board, ruler, pencil, paint set with red orange yellow black and gray, paintbrushes, air dry clay in gray and in red or orange, toothpick or clay sculpting tool, scissors, newspaper or protective mat, clear varnish or glue, adult supervision required

Step 1

Lay out newspaper or a protective mat on your table to keep it clean.

Step 2

Use the ruler and pencil to measure and draw an 8 by 8 grid on the board.

Step 3

Paint every other square (the playable squares) with a molten stone color like gray or black.

Step 4

Paint the remaining squares with lava colors using red orange and yellow to make them look glowing.

Step 5

Let the painted board dry completely before you touch it.

Step 6

Roll 12 equal gray discs from the gray air dry clay to make the stone pieces.

Step 7

Roll 12 equal red or orange discs from the lava colored clay to make the lava pieces.

Step 8

Use a toothpick or sculpting tool to add swirls cracks or tiny lava veins to the pieces for a molten look.

Step 9

Let all the clay pieces dry fully according to the clay instructions.

Step 10

Place the 12 stone pieces and 12 lava pieces on the dark playable squares in the standard checkers starting positions.

Step 11

Play a game with a friend to practice strategy and try to capture the other side.

Step 12

Take a photo of your lava checkers set and share your finished creation on DIY.org.

Help!?

What can we use if we can't find gray air-dry clay for the stone pieces?

If gray air-dry clay isn't available, use polymer clay (bake instead of air-dry), smooth pebbles painted gray, or painted bottle caps as substitutes and follow the same drying or curing step described for the clay pieces.

My paint is bleeding between squares and the grid looks messy—how can I fix it?

Use the ruler and pencil to re-mark straight 8×8 lines, apply painter's tape along the grid lines before painting every other square, and let each color dry completely between coats so the molten stone and lava colors stay crisp.

How can I adapt this activity for different ages?

For younger kids have an adult draw the 8×8 grid and paint the board ahead of time and let them roll larger, thicker discs and press simple swirls, while older kids can precisely measure with the ruler, sculpt detailed cracks with a toothpick, and experiment with custom checkers rules during play.

How can we enhance or personalize our lava checkers set after it's finished?

After the painted board and clay pieces dry fully, varnish them to protect the colors, add felt or small magnets under the discs for steadier play, and take a photo of your lava checkers to share on DIY.org.

Watch videos on how to make a lava-themed checkers set

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Easy, Fun Science Experiment for Kids [Lava Lamp] #scienceexperiment

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Facts about clay crafts and board games for kids

♟️ Checkers (also called draughts) has been played for centuries and in 2007 the game was "solved" — perfect play from both sides leads to a draw.

🌋 Lava is what we call magma once it reaches the surface and can flow at temperatures roughly between 700–1,200 °C (1,292–2,192 °F).

🟫 A standard checkers board has 64 squares (8×8) and each player starts with 12 pieces in many common rule sets.

🧁 Polymer clay bakes hard in a home oven at low temperatures (around 110–130 °C / 230–265 °F), so it’s perfect for DIY game pieces.

🎨 To get a molten-lava look, artists often layer translucent reds and oranges over textured black bases, then add glossy varnish for shine.

How do I make a lava-themed checkers set?

To make a lava-themed checkers set, start by preparing a board: paint an 8x8 checkerboard on sturdy cardboard or plywood using dark grays for stone and reds, oranges and yellows for lava veins. Roll air-dry or polymer clay into 12 dark “molten stone” discs and 12 bright “lava” discs, texture with a toothpick, then bake or air-dry per package directions. Seal pieces with varnish, attach felt pads if needed, let dry, then play checkers to practice strategy with friends.

What materials do I need to make lava checkers?

You’ll need a sturdy board (cardboard, poster board, or small plywood), acrylic paints (black/gray and red/orange/yellow), brushes, ruler and pencil for the grid, air-dry or polymer clay in dark and bright colors, clay tools or toothpicks, a rolling pin, varnish or Mod Podge, optional felt pads, baking oven if using polymer clay, wax paper and paper towels. Supervise oven use and small-piece handling for safety.

What ages is this lava checkers activity suitable for?

This craft-and-play activity suits ages about 6–12 for mostly independent work. Children aged 4–5 can participate with close adult help for painting, shaping clay and cutting board pieces. Teens can do detailed sculpting, textures and advanced finishes. Adjust tasks by skill level: young kids can paint squares or place sticker markers, while older kids handle clay baking and design. Always supervise oven use and small pieces for choking hazards.

What are the benefits of making and playing a lava-themed checkers set?

Creating and playing a lava checkers set supports creativity, fine motor skills and planning. Sculpting clay improves hand-eye coordination, while painting develops color mixing and design sense. Playing checkers builds strategic thinking, patience and social skills like turn-taking. The lava theme offers cross-curricular learning—talk about volcanoes, rocks and heat—turning a craft into sensory-rich STEM and language-learning opportunities.

Ready to create?