How to Make a Board Game Spinner

The spinner is an essential component of many board games. In case you have lost one, this post can help you make a board game spinner at home. 

To create a board game spinner, you will need cardboard, paperclips, craft knife and some glue. Print or draw out a spinner template on regular paper. Stick that template to a harder material such as a cardboard or poster board. Next, cut out the shape, poke a hole in the centre, and pass a paperclip through the hole. The center hole will allow the spinner to spin.

There are so many kids’ games that make use of a spinner, as they are alternative to dice. Your child probably has a favorite board game that they can’t play without a spinner. Is the broken spinner part of your usual family game? Or, are your children worrying you because they lost their board game spinner? Here is the good news: you can make one at home.

Making a Board Game Spinner

There are numerous ways you can make a board game spinner at home. Fortunately, they are as good as the game spinners that you get from the market. In fact, some can even prove to be better. However, you can only make a good one if you follow the steps correctly and strictly. You can even up-cycle things that are lying around the house, also making it very sustainable. 

Basic Easy-to-Make Board Game Spinner for Kids

This is a simpler version of a board game spinner that even younger kids can easily make. You will find a spinner to resume playing your favorite board game while also stretching your creative crafting skills. 

All the things you will need

• Drawn or printed out spinner template
• Cardboard
• Glue stick or gun
• Paper knife
• Paper clips

Let’s start

Gather all the required items and place them on a spacious flat surface. Ideally, you should sit on the floor with all the materials and start working. A table can work well too. 

Making a template

Find a spinner template on the internet that best resembles the one you have in mind, and print it out. You can even draw on with a reference in mind. Keep the size and style in mind, and make sure it suits your game. Once you have the template, you can start making it. 

Sticking the template to the cardboard

Grab the cardboard and stick the paper spinner (your template spinner) onto it. Make sure that the size of your cardboard is bigger than the size of the paper spinner during this step. You can also use scrap cardboard from old boxes of corn flakes.

Be careful while you stick the paper and cardboard together. A regular glue stick is the ideal item for the sticking process, but you can also opt for hot glue or tape. To get the best sticking results, it is best to use a sponge or crumpled tissue while sticking. As you stick the paper to the cardboard, run the sponge over to eliminate any air bubbles that may form. 

If you plan on using the spinner for a long time, you will need to make sure that the paper and cardboard stick properly. For this, it is best to let the glue dry overnight under a weight. You can use books as the weight so that the cardboard stays flat. 

Cut it out

Once the glue dries and the paper is nicely stuck to the cardboard, you are ready to use it. Your cardboard is probably in a square or rectangular shape so you will need to trim it down in order to give it the look and shape of a regular spinner. 

You can use a regular pair of paper scissors to cut out a circular shape. However, if you have chosen a template with more detailed edges, you may need to use a craft knife to cut out any ridges. Be careful to not hurt your fingers during this step. 

Poking a hole

This is also a step that requires parental guidance if a child is making the spinner. The child is will be puncturing a hole through the cardboard piece, so they could hurt themselves. They can easily make the hole with the help of a paper clip. However, you can also use other sharper objects like the pointed side of a geometrical compass or craft knife. 

It is not hard to poke a hole though a scrap cardboard. However, it may be a little difficult if you are using thicker cardboard material. In such a case, try bending the cardboard and pressing the tip of craft knife in the center of the cardboard. 

While you’re at it, it is important to ensure that you are poking the hole right in the middle of the spinner. If you accidently puncture the cardboard piece at another point, you may need to start making the spinner from scratch.

To make it even easier for you, here’s an additional tip. If you are using a craft knife to make the hole, be extra careful to prevent injury. Place the template cardboard on top of a cutting mat or another piece of rough cardboard. 

Attaching the paperclip

Once you have punctured a hole in the middle of the cardboard, it is time to insert the paperclip. Take a paperclip and bend it from the outside end. Make sure you do it at a 90 degree angle to the rest of the clip’s body. 

Here is how you will know that you have bent it the right way. Place it on a flat surface with the unbent part of the clip laying flat. You will know that you have done it right if the bent part sticks up straight from the surface. 

Now that you have set the paperclip in the shape needed for the spinner, place it through the hole from the top. Make sure you are inserting the bent part from the top into the spinner such that the flat part rests atop. 

Testing it

Hold your spinner horizontally, making sure not to block the part that the paperclip that sticks out from at the bottom. Your spinner is now ready, so why not try spinning it already? Snap the flat portion of the paperclip and see if your spinner spins.

In case your spinner does not spin, try looking for any mistakes and make adjustments. Now, you have a perfectly smooth-running board game spinner in your hand in less than 30 minutes of working on it.

Ways You Can Improvise 

As we mentioned above, there are several ways of making a game-board spinner at home. You can also choose different items and work with different methods. 

Anyhow, here are a few ways you can make more durable spinners and work more easily.

• Use a bard. It is easier to insert a bard through the hole in the cardboard and secure it with a paperclip. You won’t need to spend time on bending the paperclip perfectly.

Lamination of the spinner template paper. If you want to make your spinner last longer, you can laminate the paper template before sticking it to the cardboard. Your spinner will stay and look new no matter how often you use it.