Making board games at home is a fun thing to do. It is a nice way to display your creativity. For mothers, it's a smart way to keep their children engaged in such activities that need skills and are easy to do. There are many different board games that can be prepared at home. Trivia, battle games and finish games are some of the games commonly played at home along with other indoor games. Homemade Board Games An economical way of enjoying summer vacations is creating board games at home. It is not necessary to prepare the boards right from scratch. Pieces of old games and different items, easily available in the house can be used to make these board games. These games can be played at parties too. Road Trip Game A map which has a starting and ending point, guides the flow of the game. On the basis of the dice, the players have to move across the map with the help of a dice. As the players move ahead, they have to pass through different hurdles like 'traffic tickets' and 'flat tires'. The game can be made as interesting as possible by adding such hurdles and other interesting features. Since it is not a standardized game, one can also incorporate new ideas to enrich it. Various real life circumstances and events can be introduced to the game. Progress of the player can be tracked by means of the number of 'miles' traveled. The player could capture a region and prohibit other players from entering it; or he could just tax them for passing through the region. The player who reaches the end point first, wins the game. Star of Africa This game is played with a board designed in a manner such that it appears to be the map of Africa. The objective of this game is to obtain a 'star' i.e. a diamond is placed in the middle of the board. The players traverse the map of Africa with the help of markers. On their way, the players have to collect jewels. Players also get 'robbed' on their way if they meet thieves. 'Money' is needed for traveling by waterways or airways. The Star of Africa, just like other board games can be made interesting by applying a bit of creativity. Different Versions of Monopoly The 'Monopoly', published by Parker Brothers is one of the most popular games of all time. One can think of creating different versions of Monopoly with his own innovative ideas. There is absolutely no limit as to how many different ideas you can implement in creating newer versions of Monopoly. A version of Monopoly incorporated with different features of the world of Harry Potter can be a good idea. As children find Harry Potter to be interesting, it is really a brilliant idea to attract their attention. There are many board game ideas and actual games available online you can draw inspiration from in order to create newer ones. Treasure Hunt Games You can think of bringing the treasure hunt game from real life onto homemade boards. As you know, treasure hunt can be played in many different ways i.e. by using different items to be searched and also by using different ways to hide them. A treasure hunt board game can be created by adding newer and interesting ideas to the regular ones. Make Your Own Board Games To make your own board game, gather materials such as a white foam board, color pens, markers (stones, cars, charms, etc.), place cards, construction paper, small pencils, scissors glue, etc. With the help of above mentioned items, a suitable board for playing these games can be prepared. Pencils are used to draw different shapes and borders on the board. The board can be decorated with the help of marker pens, colors, crayons, etc. Glue is used to paste paper onto the foam board. Along with construction paper, different types of decorations can be glued to the foam board. Benefits of Homemade Board Games Making board games at home itself offers many advantages.

• These games can be personalized as per your interests. Games that are customized according to specific interests of the players can be enjoyed to the fullest.
• These games are considered a great afternoon activity for kids. Drawing, cutting, pasting, gluing, etc. are activities that enable children to increase their concentration in a fun-filled way.
• The board games can be made educational by incorporating school lessons.

These games need to be durable and should also be tough so that they endure rough handling by children. One can also laminate the board to increase its life. The best board games in the market are both interesting as well as educational and which help in the mental development of children. You can think of making such interesting games at home with the help of your creativity.