Today we are going to make a DIY ball and cup games by raiding the recycling bin! Kids of all ages can help make and then play with this simple team or solo sport craft. Playing the ball and cup game is entertaining and helps kids develop gross and fine motor skills.
DIY Ball and Cup Game
Because I always seem to have coffee creamer containers in the recycling bin, I thought making a ball and cup craft would be the perfect solution as a fun way to recycle while keeping the kids busy!
A win-win!
This is a variation on the traditional cup and ball-on-a-string game. What I love is the design of the most coffee creamer bottles make it easy enough for kids to make with a little help.
Supplies Needed To Make This Super Fun DIY Ball and Cup Game
Materials:
- Empty coffee creamer bottle – I like the smaller sized ones for this project
- String
- Small Ball – I used a ping pong ball
- Screw Eye Hook
- Spray paint or something to decorate the bottle
- Knife
Directions to make DIY Ball and Cup Solo Game
Step 1
Start by peeling the label off the International Delight bottle. I love that they are simply wrapped and when the wrapper is removed it is a blank slate for decoration. I then cut off the end of the bottle with a serrated knife. The ID bottles have indented rings in the plastic which make a great guide for cutting.
Step 2
I then spray painted the bottle after removing the cap.
Step 3
To attach the string to the ball, poke a small hole in a ping pong ball with a sharp object. Then screw in the eye hook. If the eye hook doesn’t seem like it is strongly attached, then unscrew it and add a dab of glue to the hole and re-insert. Tie one end of the string onto the eye hook.
Step 4
To attach the string to the bottle, take the cap off the bottle and open the cap. Insert one end of the string through the opening and tie on the side. Close the knotted portion into the bottle cap and put the cap back on the bottle.
Step 5
Play the game! Try and flip the ball into the bottle.
DIY Ball and Cup Game to Play Together
This variation is a ball tossing game that uses two catchers and one ball played with two people. It is even simpler to make!
Supplies Needed To Make A Ball and Cup Game You Can Play With Multiple Players
Materials:
- Empty coffee creamer bottle
- Ball – ping pong sized ball for smaller ID bottles, or tennis ball for larger ID bottles
- Spray paint or something to decorate the bottle
- Knife
Directions to make DIY Ball and Cup Toss Game
Step 1
Start by peeling the label off the coffee creamer bottle. Once the bottle is peeled, it is a blank slate for decoration. I then cut off the end of the bottle with a serrated knife using the indented plastic rings in the bottle as a cutting guide.
Step 2
I then spray painted the bottle after removing the cap. The bottles could be decorated any way by kids or left plain white.
Step 3
If using the solo game bottle made above for one of the catchers, simply untie the string attached to the bottle for this game.
Step 4
Grab another ball, a partner and play!
Older kids can catch and toss from the converted creamer bottle. Younger kids may need to use their hands as assistance for either catching or tossing. We found that if the tossing was too challenging, doing a quick flip of the wrist to throw the ball down to the ground and create a bounce between players worked really well.
Materials
- Empty coffee creamer bottle – I like the smaller sized ones for this project
- String
- Small Ball – I used a ping pong ball
- Screw Eye Hook
- Spray paint or something to decorate the bottle
- Knife
Instructions
- Solo
- Start by peeling the label off the International Delight bottle.
- Cut off the end of the bottle with a serrated knife.
- Then spray painted the bottle after removing the cap.
- To attach the string to the ball, poke a small hole in a ping pong ball with a sharp object.
- Then screw in the eye hook.
- Then unscrew it and add a dab of glue to the hole and re-insert.
- Tie one end of the string onto the eye hook.
- To attach the string to the bottle, take the cap off the bottle and open the cap.
- Insert one end of the string through the opening and tie on the side.
- Close the knotted portion into the bottle cap and put the cap back on the bottle.
- Play the game! Try and flip the ball into the bottle.
- Multiplayer
- Start by peeling the label off the coffee creamer bottle.
- Once the bottle is peeled, it is a blank slate for decoration.
- I then cut off the end of the bottle with a serrated knife using the indented plastic rings in the bottle as a cutting guide.
- I then spray painted the bottle after removing the cap.
- If using the solo game bottle made above for one of the catchers, simply untie the string attached to the bottle for this game.
- Grab another ball, a partner and play!
More DIY Games From Kids Activities Blog
How did you cup and ball game turn out?
