Fun to make and fun to play, this DIY two player Chinese Checkers game checks all the boxes!
This is one of those games that I love having out on a coffee table or a side table for people to just pick up and play a quick round.
We’ve had one of these at our family cabin forever and I thought it would be fun to have one in our own home, so we can teach our kids one day!
This DIY two-player Chinese checkers game is another woodworking project that will help you get comfortable with your drill skills — it’s a perfect first woodworking project.
Add a few of your favorite colors with craft paint and it’s a game and a cool piece of decor.
Psst — before you get the DIY tutorial, be sure to sign up below for my VIP group. I send these folks more of my very best DIYs, projects, and ideas.
DIY Games to Try
Our home library of DIY games has grown so much that we had to clear out an extra cabinet!
I love all of the projects in Lovely Indeed’s DIY game series because they’re not only fun to make, but colorful statement pieces and fully functional.
These projects can be handed down as family heirlooms, given as gifts, or kept to provide hours and hours of family or friend togetherness.
If you love how this game looks, you should definitely check out our other Chinese Checkers game, along with Jenga and Yahtzee. And the adult Chutes and Ladders is pretty great!
If you’re a Wes Anderson fan, you definitely don’t want to miss this version of Guess Who, and here’s a classic checkers and chess set that’s super fun to make.
Supplies You’ll Need
Materials
How to Make a DIY Two Player Chinese Checkers Game
Make Time: 1 Hour (Plus Drying Time)
- Map out the holes in your board. You should have 7 diagonal rows of 7 holes each, creating a diamond shape. It’s easiest to start with a single hole in the center and work your way out from there.
- Use the drill to drill a hole on each spot you marked. Only drill halfway through the board.
- Choose two paint colors; one for each team. Dip a copper coupling into the paint, just about 1/4″ below the surface. Remove from paint and set down to dry, paint side down. Repeat this until you have 10 couplings in one color and 10 in another.
- Once the excess paint has dripped off the coupling, flip them paint-side-up to dry the rest of the way.
- Paint and decorate the board however you like! We painted a diagonal half one color, then masked the board and painted a darker color on the other half.
How to Play Two Player Chinese Checkers
Once everything is dry, set it up and get playing! To play, use Chinese Checkers rules.
You can move your men forward one by one and jump your self and your opponent.
First player to occupy the spaces on the opposite end of the board wins! xoxo
P.S. If you really want to get your game night on, try out the rest of our DIY games here!
Materials
- 11×14 oval wood plaque
- twenty 3/4″ copper couplings
- craft paint
- pencil
- optional: painters’ tape
Tools
- drill with 3/4″ drill bit
- paintbrush
- ruler
Instructions
- Map out the holes in your board. You should have 7 diagonal rows of 7 holes each, creating a diamond shape. It’s easiest to start with a single hole in the center and work your way out from there.
- Use the drill to drill a hole on each spot you marked. Only drill halfway through the board.
- Choose two paint colors; one for each team. Dip a copper coupling into the paint, just about 1/4″ below the surface. Remove from paint and set down to dry, paint side down. Repeat this until you have 10 couplings in one color and 10 in another.
- Once the excess paint has dripped off the coupling, flip them paint-side-up to dry the rest of the way.
- Paint and decorate the board however you like! We painted a diagonal half one color, then masked the board and painted a darker color on the other half.
Notes
Once everything is dry, set it up and get playing! To play, use Chinese Checkers rules.
You can move your men forward one by one and jump your self and your opponent.
First player to occupy the spaces on the opposite end of the board wins! xoxo
