Clothespin Games
This post may contain affiliate links.
I have been working on some clothespin games for at least six months now. I wanted to have a board to attach clothespins to, but to have the option to play several different games. I went through a lot of trials and errors before I came up with my current solution. I was trying to have a solution that would be easy for someone to make, and easy to change the game board.
The board is made out of coroplast (corrugated plastic), and is hot glued and duck taped together. The size is just right to fit into a scrapbook storage box
Some games I have made so far are a basic grid to play 4 in a row, a grid for chess or checkers, a game similar to sorry (which was requested by one of my clients), a letters and writing game, a game similar to chutes and ladders, and a color and shape bingo matching. I will put together a post on how to make the board, so look out for that.
I have finished all of the games that I am working on, and they are fun and great for the kids to work with. You can find them at the Therapy Fun Store.
Save
Save
What a great idea! I look forward to seeing more posts about how to create the boards!
Great thinking. I ,too, kept seeing the store bought version of dominoes with clothes pins and figured you must be able to make these somehow. What about using premade clear plastic containers with many small compartments (like a bead sorter for crafty jewelery makers). Then you could velcro the game boards underneath the plastic containers? Just a thought to make it easier and more durable than the cardboard.
I thought of the containers with the small compartments, but could not find one that had the right configuration and that would work. It would definitely be easier to have a pre-made one.
Great idea! And your boards look so professionally done. I had a lot of success with a more basic clothespin game I made using pins of different colors, dice, and paint stir sticks from Lowes and Home Depot. Sometimes I used a numbered die, sometimes one with the colors of the pins, so it could be used for counting or for identifying colors. For example, all the pins are pooled together and whoever has the most pins when they’re all gone wins. There are lots of variations. Or you can use it for teaching patterns. It makes for a quick game. I also like it because it’s a bilateral activity.
Sometimes simplicity is better. Mine are too complex for some kids to do. I do need to do some simpler ones.
I would love to have this for my kids-looks amazing!
Hi Tonya,
I just had to send a note – your games are brilliant! Thank you for sharing them.
You should consider making them professionally.
Carol
Thank you so much. It is really great to get feedback.
Hi Tonya,
I feel sorta silly asking you this, but when you get a chance, could you briefly go over how some of the games are played that you have available (the 12×12 ones that work with the clothespins and you make the frame). I would appreciate it, perhaps you have already addressed this? A couple of the games I know what to do but not all. I did make the frames and they came out great. Thanks, Lissa
I will work on more detailed info on how I use them.