create your own board game assignment

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Tuesday, December 26, 2017

More than a "design your own board game" project.

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Student-Made Board Games Ideas for Elementary Teachers in 2024

If you haven’t implemented student-made board games in your elementary classroom yet, you must keep reading this blog post. They are a great tool to increase student engagement during times of the school year when their minds are wandering, like right before winter holidays and summer vacation. They successfully engage students in learning, create an opportunity to practice and review previously-taught skills, and offer students time and space to use their creativity and problem solving skills to create something of their own. That sounds like a big win!

This blog post will answer the following questions about student-made board games:

• What are student-made games?
• Why should I incorporate student-made activities in my elementary classroom?
• How do I implement student-made games in my room?
• What are some tips for using student-made games in my classroom?
• Can you share some strategies for holding students accountable while they are playing board games?
• What are some common obstacles with these activities and how do I overcome them?
• Can you share some ideas for using student-made games?

What are Student-Made Board Games?

Student-made board games are a fun way to assess students’ learning for any subject. Students create the questions, the board game, its pieces, and the written directions for gameplay. Board games are a creative way to review or extend lesson objectives. Students must think through how to play the game and how to make it engaging for their classmates to play. Student-made games are very engaging and can be used all year long for other students to review and play in stations or centers. These games could also be used as portfolio pieces for an individual student. 

Why Use Student-Made Board Games?

First of all, students LOVE making board games. Their engagement soars because they love getting the opportunity to be creative and make a game that is fun to play. These games are excellent for showing mastery of unit skills or objectives for any subject, making them easy to implement multiple times throughout the year if you wish. Student-made games showcase various skills like process writing and grammar skills for the directions, subject mastery for questions and answers created, and creativity for the board game and its pieces. You can’t go wrong with this activity! 

How to Implement Student-Made Board Games

Here are 7 steps for how to implement student-made board games:

• Decide which objectives for students to show mastery with.
• List concrete expectations related to their board game. Use a rubric for this.  
• Show examples of previously created student-made board games. 
• Think about if they will work individually, in partners, or in groups. 
• Have students brainstorm and outline their game. Then, have them show their ideas to you for approval before moving on. 
• Students should create a board game that is easy to play and engaging for other students. They will need to include questions with correct answers, clear and concise directions, and an easy-to-follow game board. These things will need to be completed with neat handwriting or typing so that it is easy for their classmates to play their game correctly.
• Once games are created, it’s time to play! Create peer review sheets that those who play their game can fill out. This way, the game-makers can get feedback to improve their game if needed. 

5 Tips for Using Student-Made Board Games in Your Classroom

• Student-made board games are my favorite ways to sum up a unit and differentiate for all students.
• Partner students in a way that will let them all shine, either by ability or another way.
• Give students a time limit and set a due date for this project. You can have a game playing day on the date it’s due for extra motivation. You could even have treats or prizes to make it extra special! 
• Have students brainstorm and outline the game first. Then have them show it to you to be sure they get off on the right foot. 
• You can utilize student-made board games as a whole class at the end of a unit, as a project for a small group of partners, or as an individual station or center assignment. 

How to Hold Students Accountable for Student-Made Board Games

In any student-led assignment, some students may struggle to demonstrate their best work. Frequently review the expectations and rubric to make sure students are clear on the expectations. Remind them that their peers will be playing the games and to put in their best effort for game day. 

Another way to hold students accountable if you are having student groups create games is to give each student a specific job. This way, everyone has a job and responsibility. Just make sure those jobs still show mastery of the skill. For example, you could have every student in the group in charge of 10-15 questions with answers, one student in charge of board game design, another student in charge of writing clear directions, and another in charge of revising and editing the directions. 

Common Obstacles for Using Student Made Board Games

Since this is more of a creative, independently led project, some students may struggle to demonstrate their best work or stay on task during the creation of their student-made board game. Having a rubric and clear expectations helps teachers to ensure students are participating and doing their best. Also, students generally find this activity engaging because their friends will be playing their games after the game is complete! 

If some students struggle with organization, this could be problematic to keep all the materials for their board games in one place and organized for the next time they work on it. Having a system for organization of all the materials is helpful for all students. 

10 Ideas for Using Student Made Board Games

Try one of these make your own board game ideas the next time you have your students create their own board game!

• Math word problem creation and practice
• Vocabulary practice
• Reading comprehension skills
• Unit review for any subject
• Test prep for any subject
• Advanced student project for any subject
• Spelling practice
• Sight word practice
• A novel study or review

Student-Made Board Game Project

Below is information about my student-made board game resource.

What is the Create Your Own Board Game Project?

The packet includes printables for students of all levels to create their own games and concept review activities and gives teachers editable printables so they may quickly make custom games, hands-on activities and centers for their students… so much more fun than worksheets! This product was designed to provide busy teachers with an easy tool for making learning fun.

This resource includes editable files so you can create your own games and centers so your students can enjoy hands-on activities instead of worksheets. I’ve included editable files so you can quickly type in your own questions, equations, spelling/vocabulary words, content trivia, and more.

What is Included in the Create a Board Game Project?

• student task card / directions
• scoring rubric
• 9 game boards
• differentiated student direction writing activity stationary
• blank foldable dice
• traditional foldable dice
• 4 styles of spinners (just use a pencil & paperclip)
• matching game cards
• game question cards

How can this Design Your Own Board Game Resource be Used?

• early finisher task
• class project
• enrichment activity

We hope you found this information about student made board games helpful! If you did, then you may also be interested in these posts:

• How to Launch Guided Math Workshop in Your Elementary Classroom
• Math Hands-On Learning Ideas for Elementary Students
• Math Spiral Review Ideas for Elementary Teachers
• Read more about: ELEMENTARY TEACHING , INTEGRATED CURRICULUM ACTIVITIES

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• May 18, 2022

Fostering Creativity & Learning: How to Implement a Board Game Project

Updated: Feb 15

In an era when digital screens seem to dominate, the tactile, interactive experience of playing a board game remains a delight. But what if students were given the opportunity not just to play, but to create their own board games? A 'Creating Board Games' unit can be a powerful way to engage students, stimulate creativity, and apply learning in any subject.

In my classroom...

In our probability unit, I introduced a project where students were tasked with creating their own board games, focusing on integrating probability concepts. This hands-on approach aimed to deepen their understanding of probability in a fun, engaging way. Students worked in groups, brainstorming game ideas that incorporated probability through dice rolls, card draws, or spinners.

They designed game rules, objectives, and mechanics that required players to make decisions based on probabilistic outcomes. As they tested and refined their games, I observed remarkable engagement and a deeper grasp of probability concepts. The culmination was a class showcase where each group presented their game, explaining the probability principles behind it. This project not only enhanced their learning but also fostered creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking.

Here's a guide on how you can run this dynamic and engaging activity in your classroom.

Research and Development

Before diving into the creation process, it's essential to build a solid foundation of understanding. Provide students with the space to research and analyze what makes a board game enjoyable and effective. Encourage them to tap into their experiences and expertise as board game players. Some key topics to consider:

The history and development of games.

What makes a board game enjoyable (compare and contrast different games).

Features of board games.

Thinking critically about board game rules and instructions.

Once students have a solid understanding of what goes into a good board game, they can start the creation process. Encourage them to bring their ideas to life, designing all the elements needed for their game, including dice, spinners, question cards, and the game board. Allow them to be creative, and ensure they know that the sky is the limit!

Application and Review

After the creation process, the real fun begins: playing the games! Students should first play their own games to test out the mechanics and instructions, and to determine if they're fun. Then, they should play each other's games, offering constructive feedback for improvements. This phase allows for genuine reflection and presents an opportunity to make adjustments based on user experience.

Implementation Tips:

Clearly outline the project's objectives and expectations from the start.

Encourage students to reflect their learning and understanding from the unit in the game.

Allow sufficient time for the creation process - it's not a race.

Foster a positive, constructive environment for feedback and game review.

Celebrate all finished games – a game expo could be a fun way to wrap up the project!

Examples of Units of Work:

History : Students could create games based on historical events or periods they've studied.

Science : Games could revolve around concepts such as the life cycle, the solar system, or the process of photosynthesis.

Math : Games could help players practice or apply mathematical concepts, such as fractions or geometry.

Geography : Games could help players learn about different countries, landforms, or climate zones.

Literature : Students could create games based on abook they've read in class, allowing for deeper exploration of themes, characters, and plot.

In conclusion, a unit on creating board games provides a platform for students to apply their learning in a fun, engaging way. If you're looking for a comprehensive resource to support this endeavor, consider the "Create a Board Game: Project-Based Learning Unit." This resource includes everything you'll need to run a successful, engaging, and educational board game creation unit. Don't wait – bring the joy of learning to your classroom with this unique project today! Find it here !

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Creating Your Own Board Game

Introduction: Creating Your Own Board Game

Board games have been stretching the creativity, strategy, and luck of both children and adults since time immemorial – even in the days of Egypt, the board game Senet entertained Pharaohs in their spare time (Attia, 2016). Just as satisfying as playing a well-crafted board game, however, is creating one yourself, and advances in technology and the ease of finding materials makes such a task simple and easy. There’s never been a better time to learn how to build a game from the ground up, and give your family an extra activity in the process!

Step 1: Necessary Materials and Safety Information

Necessary Materials

Before you begin the creation of your board game, there are several items you’ll need to construct your game from the ground up. All of these supplies should be readily available at any nearby Office Depot or Staples store:

- 1 6-sided dice

- 1 printer/photo-copier or access to a print-shop

- At least 230 square inches of foam board

- 4 sheets of white paper

- 1 sheet of newspaper or other disposable material

- Pencils, pens, or other writing utensils

- 1 pair of sharp scissors

- 1 box-cutter, razor, or sharp knife

- Glue stick, Super Glue, or Glue Gun

- At least 4 colors of paint

- One roll of duct tape

- At least 4 printable full-sheet labels

- 1 12-inch ruler

- 1 sheet of lined paper for rules

Safety Information

Many materials listed can be dangerous in the hands of children. Do not leave scissors unattended near children, as they can cause injury when misused. Keep the dice in a safe place as it can prevent a choking hazard, and call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222 is glue or paint is swallowed by a child. If using a glue gun, glue guns can present a burning hazard as it cools and should be kept out of the hands of small children.

Step 2: Creating the Rules

The first step towards making any board game is creating a set of rules that direct what players are and are not allowed to do, as well as the objective of the game and conditions for victory. In our example we’ll create a simple 4-player “race game” where the general goal is to move a token to the end of a track. The steps to designing a fun, engaging set of rules are as follows:

1. First, decide on the number of players that will be able to play your game at one time. This will determine the number of player tokens we need later.

2. Next, decide on the length of the game – the harder it is to win, the longer the game will last. In this example, the number of tiles (“steps” a player token needs to cross) between the start and the finish should be 40 for a game that will probably last between 15 and 30 minutes. Tiles should be around 2 inches x 2 inches, larger if particularly important or with large amounts of text.

3. Once the basic questions are out of the way, you need to decide what choices the players will have . This is what makes the game fun – players must be able to affect how the game plays out. In this example, we’ll decide that some of the tiles will give players the ability to move enemy pieces or their own piece in specific ways, depending on the square.

4. Next, decide how the game progresses . Does everyone move at the same time, or do they take turns? In our example game, we’ll say that the game progresses one player’s turn at a time, starting from the youngest player.

5. One of our last steps is determining what a player can do on their turn – what’s the list of actions a player can take? Furthermore, how do we decide the outcome of these actions? In our game, a player is simply allowed to roll the dice and move a number of squares equal to their roll on their own turn, as well as choose a unique outcome when they land on a square that gives them a choice.

6. Finally, we need to determine the goal of the game – what are players trying to accomplish, and how do they win? When it comes to a simple race-game like ours, landing directly on the final tile is a simple win condition.

7. Write all of the answers to these questions on a lined sheet of paper – these are the rules of your game.

Step 3: Designing and Printing Your Game Board

At this point, you can use the rules you’ve created to design a game board – this is the field that the players will play the game on.

1. The first step is to draw a board that corresponds to your rules, objective, and number of players . For a simple game like our example, draw out a path of 40 tiles and split it among 4 sheets of white paper, cut into squares with sides 7.25 inches long. Each of these sheets will correspond to a corner of the game board when printed. When preparing a larger game, increase the size of the squares of foam board you use to make the game board later to accommodate a larger play area.

2. In about 25-40% of the tiles (in our case 12), write extra effects of your choosing . Some of these should provide the player with a choice of some sort, such as “Move ahead 1 space or move another player back 2 spaces.” This way, players feel they have a role in winning the game outside of lucky rolls of the dice.

3. Once your board has been drawn, either take it to a print-shop or load it into your photo-copier and print the 4 sections onto 4 full-sheet labels .

4. Cut out the board pieces from the label to make sure that the length matches the size of the game board, with a 0.25-inch margin between pieces to let the board fold easily . For example, if the board is in 4 squares with sides of 7.5 inches, make sure your labels are squares with sides of 7.25 inches to account for the margin.

5. Once the board pieces have been cut out, set them aside to be used towards the end of the process.

Step 4: Constructing the Board

The second to last step is the creation of the board itself – now that you’re done deciding what it will look like, you can create the sturdy copy that your players will use. The creation of this board follows these steps:

1. First, take the foam board and measure out 4 7.5 inch squares using the ruler .

2. Cut these squares out with a pair of scissors and lay them out, side by side.

3. Take 2 of these squares and attach them to each other using a 7.5-inch-long piece of duct-tape, as shown in the image of the bottom of the board below.

4. Flip these squares so that the non-taped side is facing upwards.

5. Take a third square and line it up with the side of the first 2, creating a 90-degree angle.

6. Tape this square to the first 2 with another 7.5 inch long piece of duct-tape along the seam where the sides connect.

7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 with the 4th square, lining it up at a 90-degree angle in the final remaining corner. At this point you should have one large square with one strip of tape on the bottom and two strips of tape on the top.

8. Take this opportunity to use another 8 7.5 inch lengths of tape to cover the edges of the board , wrapping the tape around and underneath as you go to protect the edges from wear and tear. The board should now resemble the figures above from both the top and the bottom.

9. Take the labels that we set aside earlier, peel off the backing, and attach to the four corners of the board. Make sure that the 0.25 inch margin we allowed for is along the seams , to make folding the board easy.

10. Your game board is now finished, and can be laid to the side as we construct the last set of pieces for our game.

Step 5: Constructing the Game Pieces

The only remaining unfinished pieces are the player tokens for our game – the pieces that denote where players are along the board.

1. First, take the foam board and cut it into 4 3 inch by 1 inch rectangles and 4 2 inch by 2 inch squares .

2. Paint these 4 sets of foam pieces four different colors or patterns to help differentiate them, then set them aside to dry on a sheet of newspaper for roughly 2-4 hours.

3. Once the pieces are dry, glue the 3 by 1 inch rectangles to the 2 by 2 inch squares . Attach them so that the long end of the rectangles are perpendicular to the square – the square will be the base of the piece with the rectangle affixed on top, as the figure to the right demonstrates.

4. Let the glue dry for 1-5 minutes , then place the pieces with the board and dice.

Step 6: Conclusion

At this point, you’vecreated the rules, board, and pieces for your very own home-made board game - the only remaining components you will need are time and players. It’s also easy to substitute different answers or designs at any point in the first set of steps to create an entirely different game – with an adequate supply of materials, you can make any of a variety of games that catch your interest. The only step left is to enjoy testing out your new board game with friends and family!

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How to Make a Board Game for a School Project

Kimberley mcgee, 26 jul 2018.

It’s one assignment students tend to get excited about: When a school assigns the task of creating a board game project, the ideas for fun puzzles and playing themes are seemingly limitless. Board games are a great way to get a student involved in learning new things.

Explore this article

• Homemade Board Games and Education
• Board Game Assignment Ideas
• Rules of Play

things needed

• Game board: manila folder, cardboard, foam board, tag board or legal size white paper
• Game box: cardboard gift box or tag board
• Markers or crayons
• Additional tag board, card stock or manila folders
• Craft knife (optional)
• 3x5 index cards (optional)

1 Homemade Board Games and Education

Board games aren’t just fun, they can be a handy educational tool. When you build your own or create board game assignment ideas, you are approaching a lesson from different angles. For instance, a fourth grade math board game project can assist young minds in understanding new and often more complex math problems that haven’t been introduced in the curriculum yet. Board games can teach social skills and moral problems. When kids create their own board games and sets of rules to play, they are considering the concept of rules as well as cause and effect. They also teach children how to win as well as lose with grace.

2 Board Game Assignment Ideas

First, you will need to choose a topic to wrap your game around. This can be a favorite book, a period in history or the future, a math concept, science facts or current pop star crushes. Once you have chosen a topic you feel comfortable enough with to create a multi-layered game, grab a pen and paper and plot out what the board will physically look like. Consider what shape the pieces will be.

If you’ve chosen a singer, the pieces could look like musical notes or a microphone. A sea-themed board game can have starfish, fishing rods or dolphins. You can choose coins or buttons or create specialty pieces out of polymer clay. Next, think through how the pieces will be moved around the game. The players can draw cards, roll dice, flick a spinner or roll specially made dice that correspond with the game’s overall theme.

3 Rules of Play

Make sure to write down the rules to your game clearly. Consider any issues that may pop up when the pieces are moving around the board. Is there a go back to the start option? Are there cards that need to be chosen? Is there a penalty for not saying “blue” when a player lands on a blue square? Have a friend or classmate play out the game so that any issues that could arise can be dealt with before the board game is turned in.

• 1 Fractus Learning: What Board Games Teach Kids?

About the Author

Kimberley McGee is an award-winning journalist with 20+ years of experience writing about education, jobs, business and more for The New York Times, Las Vegas Review-Journal, Today’s Parent and other publications. She graduated with a B.A. in Journalism from UNLV. Her full bio and clips can be seen at www.vegaswriter.com.

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assignment:

• Create a design for a dice board game.
• Include directions sheet
• Make game prototype including all pieces
• Design and produce packaging
• Marketing campaign

Think of a theme (subject matter) for the game ( medieval, pirates, butterflies, ocean, underground, etc )

Think of images that will support the theme.

Do all necessary research on the topic.

Use worksheet to write down words associated with the theme.

Ex: castle. unicorn, knight, horse, rock bridge, dragons, etc.

Create the rules based on the theme. Consider the following questions:

1. What is the objective of the game? Get somewhere, rescue somebody, escape from somewhere, find something, collect bonus points, be the first one to get to a point, etc

2. Who are the players? How many players can play? Do players follow the same path?

3. What are the start and end points? Where are the players at the beginning of the game and what is their goal and the purpose of the journey?

4. What obstacles are there for the players to set them back, quit, stop, or change the rout?

5. What advantages can the players get to move forward? Are there any shortcuts? Are there any perks or "lucky" steps?

What layout will work better for your game?

What is the shape of the field itself? It does not need to be a rectangle.

Start sketching concept thumbnails.

Mark Start and Finish spots.

How many players can play?

Do players follow the same path?

How many Start and Finish spots do you need?

May be all players come to the same finish spot?

Is the play field going to be a side view or a top view?

What is the general shape of the path?

What is the direction of the move (up, down, return to start, etc.) ?

Are there any hidden paths?

Design the board. Use full size drawing paper.

Start with the background / setting. Include possible "obstacles" and "advantage" spots.

Add start and end spots.

Add obstacles that would slow down the players.

Add advantage spots.

Draw the path that will go through action spots.

Draw step spaces along the path.

Mark return spaces.

Use arrows or signs (ex.: return 3 spaces).

Mark advance spaces with arrows or signs.

Mark other actions (skip turn or skip 2 turns, etc).

Create the board & play pieces

Write down and design the game rules

Design marketing campaign

Design and create packaging / ad

Test the game based on your rules.

Any adjustments needed?

• My Storyboards

Games Worksheet Templates

Customize games templates.

If you're assigning this to your students, copy the worksheet to your account and save. When creating an assignment, just select it as a template!

What are Games Worksheets?

Games worksheets are educational resources that combine traditional worksheets with elements of games, making learning fun and engaging for students. These worksheets are designed to teach various concepts and skills through interactive and entertaining activities, such as board games, puzzles, and mazes. They can be used in a classroom setting or at home to help students practice and reinforce their knowledge in a fun and exciting way. With games worksheets, students can develop problem-solving skills, critical thinking skills, and teamwork skills, all while having fun and staying motivated to learn. There are various types of worksheet games available above, all of which can be tailored to suit different grade levels and subject areas. Looking for something bigger than a worksheet? Check out our poster board game templates !

The Benefits of Using Game Worksheets in the Classroom

Game worksheets are a fun and engaging way to teach and reinforce concepts in the classroom. By using game sheets, board game templates, and worksheet games for kids, teachers can create a dynamic learning experience that captures students' attention and makes learning enjoyable. Here are some of the key benefits of using game worksheets in the classroom:

• Student Engagement: Game worksheets can be played by one student or by the whole class, making them a versatile teaching tool that can be adapted to meet the needs of different students and classrooms.
• Saves Time: By using pre-made game worksheets and board game templates, teachers can save time that would otherwise be spent creating their own games and activities from scratch.
• Covers Different Topics: Game worksheets can be created for a wide range of topics and subjects, making them a flexible tool for teaching and reinforcing a variety of concepts.
• Develops Problem Solving and Critical Thinking Skills: Game boards require students to use problem solving and critical thinking skills to win the game, helping to develop these important skills in a fun and engaging way.
• Encourages Collaboration and Communication: Game worksheets can be played individually or in groups, providing opportunities for students to collaborate and communicate with each other while learning.
• Makes Learning Fun: Game worksheets are a fun and interactive way to teach and reinforce concepts, making learning enjoyable and engaging for students.

Try to create classroom games and incorporate game worksheets in your classroom. With a variety of board game templates and worksheet games for kids available on our website, it's easier than ever to create your own game worksheet. Start using our free game worksheets today and see the positive impact it has on your students' learning and engagement!

Ten Fun Board Game Ideas for Classroom Activities: Using Board Game Templates to Make Your Own Games

Looking for fun and interactive ways to engage your students in the classroom? Why not create your own board games using our collection of editable board game templates! These templates allow you to customize the game boards and cards with your own words and images, creating a unique and engaging learning experience for your students. In this part, we will share 10 fun board game ideas that you can easily create using a blank board game template or any of our pre-made board game templates available. From language arts to math, these games cover different topics and are sure to save you time while making learning fun for your students.

Here are ten board game ideas that you can use to engage your students in the classroom:

• History Trivia: Challenge your students to a game of historical trivia. Create a board game template with historical questions, and have students compete against each other to see who can answer the most questions correctly.
• Math Challenge: Make math more exciting with an editable board game template. Students must solve equations to move their game pieces along the board.
• Vocabulary Quest: Help students expand their vocabulary with a board game that incorporates blank spaces. Have students fill in the spaces with their own words and challenge them to define each other's words as they move around the board. Alternatively, you can use a bingo card with vocabulary words or concepts related to the lesson.
• Crossword Puzzle Board Game: Combine a classic crossword puzzle with a board game for a fun and challenging activity. Students can move around the board by answering crossword puzzle clues, and the first to reach the end wins.
• Geography Adventure: Take your students on a journey around the world with a geography-themed board game. Create a board game template with a map, and have students answer geography questions as they travel around the board.
• Science Quest: Test your students' scientific knowledge with a board game that challenges them to answer questions related to different topics, such as biology or chemistry.
• Art Race: Introduce your students to different artists and artistic styles with a board game that asks them to identify famous works of art.
• Literature Challenge: Use a blank board game template to create a game that challenges students to answer questions related to famous works of literature. For an added challenge, you can incorporate point of view worksheets into your literature board game. Have students answer questions about the point of view of different characters in the story, or ask them to identify the point of view being used in a particular passage.
• Cultural Exploration: Help students learn about different cultures with a board game that explores traditions, customs, and famous landmarks.
• Language Learning: Make learning a new language more fun with a game that helps students practice speaking and writing. Create prompts and questions related to vocabulary and grammar.

Make your own classroom games to have a fun and engaging learning experience for your students. Give these board game ideas a try, and see how they can help your students learn and have fun at the same time!

Looking for more related resources to enhance your classroom activities? Check out our matching worksheets templates , circle chart worksheet templates , images and text worksheet templates , and teacher templates . With our variety of resources, you can create engaging and interactive activities that are tailored to your students' needs and learning goals.

Make Your Own Board Game Using Our Board Game Maker

Are you looking for a fun and engaging way to teach your students? Creating your own board game is a great way to do just that! With our board game maker, you can make a board game online for your classroom in just a few simple steps.

Our board game maker offers a variety of printable board game templates and printable game templates that you can customize to fit your lesson plan. You can also use our board game template maker to create your own unique game board from scratch.

The best part is that our board game creator is completely free to use! You can create fun worksheet games that align with your curriculum and provide your students with a unique and enjoyable learning experience.

To get started, simply choose an editable template from our library of free resources. Then, customize the board game template by adding your own questions, images, and instructions. You can even choose the colors and fonts to make your game board truly unique.

Once you've created your game, simply print it out and start playing! Your students will love playing the game and learning at the same time. You can also share your board game with other teachers or students by uploading it to your website or social media accounts.

So what are you waiting for? Start creating your own board game today with our board game maker and make learning fun and interactive for your students!

You can also try our handwriting worksheets creator , a great tool for creating customized handwriting practice sheets. Choose from a variety of templates and input the text you want your students to practice, and our creator will generate a personalized worksheet.

How to Make a Board Game

Choose one of the premade templates.

We have color, black and white, portrait, or landscape templates. Take a look at our example for inspiration!

Click on "Copy Template"

Once you do this, you will be directed to the storyboard creator.

Give Your Worksheet a Name!

Be sure to call it something related to the topic so that you can easily find it in the future.

Edit Your Worksheet

This is where you will include directions, specific questions and images, and make any aesthetic changes that you would like. The options are endless!

Click "Save and Exit"

When you are finished with your worksheet, click this button in the lower right hand corner to exit your storyboard.

From here you can print, download as a PDF, attach it to an assignment and use it digitally, and more!

Happy Creating!

Frequently Asked Questions about Games Worksheets

How do i create my own game worksheet.

You can use board game templates or board game creator tools that are available on our website. We offer customizable templates that you can fill with your own questions and instructions. Once you have customized your template, you can print it out for your students to play.

What is a board game creator?

A board game creator is a tool that allows you to create your own custom board game from scratch. With a board game creator, you can choose your own game board, pieces, cards, and rules, and then save and print out your finished game for use in the classroom.

Are there free game worksheets available?

Yes. Storyboard That offers a 14-day free trial during which you can access all of their premium features, including their extensive library of customizable worksheets for games and activities. With a free trial, you can create and download worksheets for your classroom without any cost.

Can game worksheets be used for all age groups?

Yes, game worksheets can be used for all age groups, from elementary school to high school and beyond. The key is to choose games and activities that are age-appropriate and engaging for your students, and that help them to develop important skills and knowledge in a fun and interactive way.

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End of Year Project: Create-Your-Own Review Game (with FREE Workbook)

As part of your end-of-the year traditions and projects, consider this Create-Your-Own Review Game project! (We’ve also included a project workbook with FREE RUBRIC + game templates)

I don’t know if you could tell, but over here at Fun in 5th Grade, we love games. We love competition games and collaboration games.

We love games that teach and games that review, and we even like games that are just fun for the sake of being fun!

So, if there is one way that we suggest finishing off the school year in your upper elementary classroom this year, it is with a Create-Your-Own Review Game project!

Yep, we aren’t giving you a game this time, instead, we are encouraging you and your students to make your own games covering skills, topics, and standards that align with your class goals.

Clear and Easy Steps

Now, we want to make this as easy as possible, so we are going to lay out clear steps for setting up this Create-Your-Own Review Game activity with students, AND we are giving you a project workbook to help you and your students get started. This project workbook includes teacher info, game ideas, workbook pages for students, a rubric, and several templates students can use as they create their games!

Are you excited? We definitely are, and we can’t wait to see what your students come up with.

Step #1: Picking Topics, Skills, or Standards

Begin by brainstorming a list of topics, skills, or standards you want to cover at the end of the year. 

At this point in the school year, we aren’t introducing any new information, and we want students to have enough background and knowledge in the topic, skill, or standard to be able to create a game based that can act as a review of that standard or topic.

If you really want to get students involved, do this brainstorming as a class, and let students vote or pick which topics, skills, or standards they are most interested in creating games for.

Step #2: Assign the Topics, Skills, or Standards

Once the topics, skills, or standards are chosen, assign them to students. You can decide if you want several students working on the same topics or if you want to try to have a game created for every idea on the list. This can be an individual project, or students can work in groups or pairs.

When assigning topics, you may consider using one of these methods…

• A random draw
• Assigning based on student strengths or areas students need improvement
• A lottery-style drawing
• Make ‘em play for it. Use some of the task cards from your many decks of task cards and play a game to determine who gets to pick their topic first.

Step #3: Creating Questions

As students begin to create their games, they will start by creating a list of questions that could be used within their game.

As your students brainstorm, consider giving them this list of types of questions for inspiration.

• Fact-based 
• Definitions
• Theme-based 
• Short Questions
• Long Questions
• Nonexamples

Step #4: Planning the Game

Once students have brainstormed questions, they will start developing a game. The game can be a completely new invention, or they can model it off of something they already know. Don’t forget that the project workbook comes with templates students can use to create things such as cards, gameboards, spinners, etc.

Special Note: Now that many students are more familiar with digital products allow students to create digital games if they want, or they can create good ol’ paper, pencil, and poster games.

Step #5: Creating the Game and Instructions

Spend a couple of days creating the games in class. As part of the game, students will need game pieces, questions or cards, a board or way to play, and (most importantly) instructions!

Reminder: In addition to creating questions, students also need to be sure to include answer keys!

Step #6: Testing Games and Providing Feedback

One step students frequently forget when creating a game is creating good instructions. For this reason, taking the time to test games before students are done creating is important. Have one day dedicated to exchanging games with other groups, playing each other’s games, and providing feedback.

Make sure to find some time for students to implement the feedback before playing the games during the last few weeks of school.

Step #7: Playing the Games

Once the games are completed, spend the last few weeks playing the games created by students. You don’t have to play every day but set aside a few days for students to rotate through and try out the games created by their classmates.

Remember, within the project workbook, we have included a FREE RUBRIC for you to use with this Create-Your-Own Review Game project!

Bonuses and Benefits

This activity serves a number of purposes and positives. 

• Students review information they learned throughout the year.
• Students are engaged in the last few weeks of the school year ( even though the weather is nice and the excitement of summer break is looming )
• Students are creating!
• Students are demonstrating knowledge.
• Students are helping others learn and review.
• Students are collaborating.

Bonus Benefit: If any of the games are particularly good, ask students if you can use them in class the following year s, or if their idea or examples are good, but their gameboard is just so-so, ask if you can use their ideas to create additional classroom resources in the future.

Students are awesome creators, and when given the chance, they can really surprise us with their creativity and innovative tendencies. This Create-Your-Own Game Activity is perfect because it graduates students from being consumers and players of games to being creators of games.

Want to add even more options for your students? You could try some of my editable templates for Game Show game s and U-Know games . You could have students making you games that you could use for years to come!

We would love to hear about your students’ games, so if you have any pictures of students’ games you want to share or any really cool ideas from students, please send them our way or post them in the comments below. Find out more about using games in the classroom in this post .

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