Design Your Own Board Game: Rainy Day Kit for Ages 11+

Download the free printable cards

How do you design a board game for kids?

Start with a theme, then build the board, the movement and the rules in that order. Keep it simple at first and add detail once it plays well.

Theme ideas to choose from

1. A race across a haunted house, room by room
2. A space mission to collect fuel and reach a planet
3. A pizza shop rushing to make five orders
4. An escape from a maze with locked gates
5. A football tournament with knockout rounds
6. A treasure hunt on a pirate island
7. A rescue mission to free trapped animals
8. A city delivery route beating the clock
9. A magic school collecting spells to pass exams

Movement and rule ideas

1. Roll one dice and move that many spaces
2. Add a shortcut square that jumps players ahead
3. Add a trap square that sends players back three
4. Draw a card to gain or lose a turn
5. Move only if you answer a quick question right
6. Collect three tokens before you can finish
7. Land on a star to roll again
8. Swap places with another player on a chance square
9. First to the finish wins, or play for points
10. Write a clear win condition in one sentence

Play-test questions to ask

1. Did everyone understand the rules on the first read?
2. Was the game too long or too short?
3. Did one player win too easily every time?
4. Were any squares boring or never used?
5. Was the start and finish easy to see?
6. Did the dice or cards cause arguments?
7. What was the most fun part?
8. What one rule would make it fairer?
9. Would you want to play it again?

How to design a board game, step by step

1. Print the planner and pick one theme together.
2. Draw a winding board with a clear start and finish.
3. Decide how players move and what the squares do.
4. Write five rules or fewer in plain words.
5. Play-test with family, then change one rule.

Ways to use the board game planner

• Turn a rainy afternoon into a project. Spread out the planner on the kitchen table and work through it in one sitting. The making is half the fun.
• Make it a family play-test night. Once the board is drawn, everyone plays a round and gives one honest note. Then your child picks a change to try.
• Borrow pieces from games you own. Use spare counters and dice from a set like Snakes and Ladders with Ludo so your child can focus on ideas rather than hunting for bits.
• Study a classic for inspiration. Play a round of a simple game first and spot what makes it fair, then copy the best idea into their own board.
• Run it as a group challenge. Split a few children into teams, each designing one section of a bigger board, then join them into one giant game.

Games and gifts for budding game designers

These games show how clear rules, dice and movement work together, which is exactly what a young designer needs to study. They also make lovely rainy day gifts for ages 11 and up.

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Snakes and Ladders with Ludo - Family Board GameShop nowCode Breaking Board Game - Logic GamesShop nowFolding Draughts Set - 12" Board & PiecesShop nowWooden Backgammon Set - 15" Mahogany Backgammon BoardShop nowMancala Game - Luxury Warra SetShop nowFour in a Row - Counting Game for KidsShop nowChinese Checkers - Free Go BangShop nowDominoes Set- Double Six DominoesShop nowLiars Dice GameShop nowBlack Playing Cards - Deluxe Waterproof CardsShop nowScavenger Hunt GameShop nowCompendium - Black Walnut Dice TrayShop nowLuxury Cribbage Set - Cribbage Board & CardsShop nowWooden Family Games SetShop now

Board game design by age and key stage

What children learn from designing a board game

• Planning. Mapping a theme, a board and rules in order builds sequencing and project thinking.
• Writing. Writing clear rules in five lines or fewer teaches precise, plain instructions.
• Problem solving. Fixing an unfair or boring rule after play-testing supports logical reasoning.
• Maths. Working out dice odds, points and distances supports number confidence.
• Resilience. Changing a design that did not work the first time teaches patience and pride in improving.

More free Christmas printables

Every one is free to print, and each has its own guide.

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Make it a Christmas tradition

Designing games can become a lovely household habit, not a one-off. Keep a folder of your child's planners and revisit old designs to tweak them months later. Over time they will spot their own patterns, such as rules that always need fixing, and get quicker at balancing a game. Many families end up with a homemade game they return to again and again, which beats any shop-bought set for memories.

Frequently asked questions

How do you make your own board game?

Choose a theme, draw a board with a start and finish, decide how players move, write five rules or fewer and play-test it with friends or family.

What age is the board game design kit for?

It suits ages 11 and up, including Year 6 and secondary school, and works well as a solo or group project.

How long does it take?

Around 45 minutes to design and draw a first version. Play-testing and improving can stretch the fun over several days.

What do we need to make it?

The printed planner, pens, some card for the board, plus dice and counters from any game you own.

My child is younger than 11, can they still do it?

Yes, with a little help. Keep the rules to two or three and make the win condition simply reaching the finish first.

How many rules should a game have?

Five or fewer works best. Too many rules make a game hard to learn and slow to start.

How do we make the game fair?

Play-test it a few times and watch for a player who always wins. Change one rule, such as adding a catch-up square, then test again.

Where can I find games to study for ideas?

Playing classics is the best research. See the gift ideas above for simple games that show clear rules and movement.

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Jaques of London is Britain's oldest toy and games company, founded in 1795. We have spent over 230 years making games families play together, from chess and croquet to wooden toys for the very young.

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Written by the Jaques of London team. Last updated 1 November 2026.