As a professional custom board game manufacturer who loves basketball, I’m always looking for fun DIY projects to work on in my spare time. Recently, I came across the idea of making an NBA basketball board game out of cardboard and was immediately hooked. Not only is it an affordable way to create a one-of-a-kind game, but the entire process allows me to flex my creative design muscles as well.
Why Make a Cardboard Basketball Board Game?
Before jumping into the steps on how to make nba basketball board game using cardboard, let me share why this project appealed to me in the first place.
First and foremost, I love the sustainability factor. As someone who runs an eco-conscious business, using cardboard for crafts is a great way to repurpose materials that would otherwise go to waste. Given how much cardboard gets thrown out each year, finding ways to reuse it is essential.
Additionally, I can’t resist a project that lets me optimize and organize information into helpful, user-friendly content. Walkthroughs, tutorials, blueprints…these are the types of content formats that perform wonderfully from a blog perspective thanks to their high quality, usefulness and relevance.
And when I get to align my passion for basketball with my expertise in board games? Even better. Let’s just say this checks all the boxes when it comes to the perfect weekend activity for me.
How to Make NBA Basketball Board Game Using Cardboard?
Gathering Materials to Make an NBA Basketball Board Game
To start this project, you’ll need to gather some basic craft supplies:
Cardboard
- Corrugated cardboard works best since it’s study and easy to cut
- Gather cardboard boxes, shipping boxes or packaging
Tools
- Utility knife
- Ruler
- Pencil
- Glue gun + glue sticks
Game Pieces
- Small rubber ball, ping pong ball or crumpled aluminum foil for makeshift basketball
- Popsicle sticks, straws or pencils for players
- Cups, boxes or bins to act as baskets
Once you have your materials prepped, it’s time to start constructing your DIY basketball board game.
Creating the Basketball Court Game Board
Let’s start by making the actual game board court. You’ll want a large, flat piece of cardboard.
Step 1: Cut the Base
Use a ruler to measure and outline a 30” x 20” rectangle on your corrugated cardboard. Carefully cut it out with your utility knife. This large rectangle will serve as the base.
Step 2: Add Side Walls
Next, cut two 3” x 20” strips that will make up the shorter side walls. Then cut two 3” x 30” strips to assemble the longer walls of your court.
Step 3: Glue Walls Into Place
Use hot glue to securely fasten the two longer boards along the longer edges of your base rectangle. Do the same with the shorter end pieces.
This will create a 3” border around the entire perimeter of the rectangle, essentially forming a box without a lid. This contains the playground space to keep your ball inside the court during gameplay.
Step 4: Design Your Court
Now it’s time for the fun part – decorating your game! Use markers, paint and other embellishments to design your court. Add basketball hoops, free throw lines or even crowd scenes along the borders.
Crafting Game Tokens and Balls
With your court ready, the next phase is preparing tokens for players as well as constructing makeshift basketballs.
Step 1: Make Tokens
Take popsicle sticks, straws or pencils and cut them down to size. About 3 inches works well. These will serve as player tokens to move around the court.
You can distinguish tokens with paint by making them different colors. Or adhere paper number cutouts onto each one.
Step 2: Craft Basketballs
For simple basketballs, crumple up small sheets of aluminum foil. Smooth them out into ball shapes.
If you want more durable options, use ping pong balls. Or cut spongy rubber balls in half for makeshift basketball shapes.
Building Hoops and Baskets
No basketball game is complete without baskets and hoops to aim for.
Step 1: Make Hoops
Take sturdy cardboard and use a small plate or circular object to trace circular shapes. Cut these out – they will be your hoops.
Consider cutting hoops in different sizes to vary difficulty levels. Mark them with point values as well.
Step 2: Craft Baskets
Underneath each hoop, glue a cup, bin or cardboard box. These will serve as baskets to “catch” successful shots.
Aim to make at least one basket structure per player. But feel free to make more to configure into basketball courses.
Creating Game Rules
Once all your components are constructed, the final step is establishing rules to playtest your DIY basketball board game creation.
Since this is your own unique game, rules can be whatever you want! Try starting simple:
- Each player gets 5 turns to shoot baskets per round
- Collect points for each hoop you swish
- Most points at the end wins
Get creative with adding obstacles, power-ups or ways to sabotage opponents. Crafting custom rules and tweaking them through playtesting is where the fun really is!
And that’s it – enjoy your new DIY basketball board game with friends and family! Let your passion for basketball and mastery of cardboard construction and gaming shine through in this creative hands-on project.
Key Takeaways for Making Basketball Board Games
Creating your own NBA basketball board game is an extremely rewarding craft. Keep these tips in mind:
- Choose sturdy corrugated cardboard with smooth surfaces on one side for easiest decorating
- Decorate game boards with paint, markers and other embellishments to fully customize your court
- Vary hoop sizes and assign point values to adjust gameplay difficulty
- Craft basketballs out of crumpled foil, ping pong balls or spongy rubber
- Playtest rule combinations to find the optimal level of fun and challenge
Let me know in the comments if you decide to take on this project yourself! I’d love to see photos of your finished DIY basketball board games.
