Design and Create Crochet Games

Children and adults enjoy games. Why not make your own? If you can do basic crochet you can make games.

One basic game is checkers. The checkerboard would involve eight squares by eight squares bordered. I made mine granny squares to create a rug effect when it’s laid out. The checkers would be 16 circles of 2 colors. I simply did the first round of granny squares to fit the board. You could just cover large buttons or any round plastic pieces. Any material that can be covered will work, but they need to be washable. This, of course, should not be given to children under 3.

What other board games can you design? Chess, of course, would have the same board as checkers but you would need to design the pieces. Break free from the traditional set and make little people for the pawns, slightly larger people for the bishops, knights, kings and queens. Your little people could start at the bottom, crochet a flat round bottom, then create a bell shape to attach to it for the body. Place a small, round head on top. The bishops could have robes. The knights could have mail shirts made of gray yarn. The Queens would have gowns and the kings would be the tallest players with cloaks. Consider patterns available of nativity scenes and try to focus your design along that line of little people.

Think about your favorite games and consider if you could duplicate them in crochet for your family. Perhaps you could enlarge them, on rug or blanket sized boards with large pieces. Or create a new game based on your family’s hobbies. For example, a crochet a rug with a racetrack. Then make little cars to race, with dice to determine placement of your pieces. You plot out your own rules. Make some pit stops, a sinkhole, a place where a rockslide might occur. Dice would simply involve six squares sewn together. The dots representing numbers can be crocheted in or embroidered.

Bowling is a national pastime. Plan to make 10 pins of the design of your choice and a set of stuffed balls for toddlers and children. Make a carrying case for them to keep them organized.

Speaking of balls, you can make baseball bats, baseball gloves, baseballs, soccer balls, footballs, and plain balls to throw and kick around in crochet. Design them to fit young hands and feet. For a plain ball, cast on 2 stitches, complete 10 single crochet in the 2nd chain from hook. Then, working in rounds, simply increase your stitches incrementally until you get the size ball you want. Single crochet a few rows and then begin decreasing the stitches in the round until you can close the ball. Add embellishments for the type of ball you want to create. Stuff them with rice, beans or cotton depending on the childs age.

For the young boxers you can design boxing gloves and a punching bag. They can play safely for hours with their realistic tools. Don’t forget to make a cape for you’re your fighter.

Plan to make up a few games for the holidays this year, or for birthdays. You can even make them just because and give a surprise to a child in your life.