What age is this activity suitable for?

From observation: around age 3. In practice: best from 6 to 8 years old. My kids were 4 and 7 at the time. At 4, cutting neatly can be difficult, but from age 6+, most kids can handle cutting the domino pieces. For the box (cutting, folding, gluing), I recommend doing the first one yourself as a demonstration. Then older kids can try on their own, although it may still be challenging before age 8.

What materials do you need?

You'll find everything listed on the Gumroad page, but here's a quick overview: a printer, A4 paper (preferably 200–210g for durability), regular A4 paper for instructions, scissors or craft cutting tools, glue (stick or double-sided tape), 30 to 60 minutes.

A Simple and Creative Activity to Do at Home with Kids

How I amazed my kids by creating a handmade domino game with my own drawings

One evening after school, no one rushed to grab the TV remote. Instead, my kids grabbed… their scissors.

A simple idea for an at-home activity

One weekend morning, we played a small domino game together. It was a cardboard version, pre-cut, included in a kids' activity kit, with a "polar animals" theme.

While playing, I suggested:

"What if we made our own? You draw the designs, and I'll turn them into something we can cut and use."

Of course, they shouted, "Yes! Let's do it!"

And of course, after two minutes of drawing on a blank sheet of paper, they gave up.

"It's too hard."

Creating a model they could follow

But I didn't give up on the idea.

I wanted to show them that it was possible—to turn a simple idea into a real, achievable project. And as a parent, I also wanted a simple, creative, screen-free activity we could do at home.

So I made small drawings myself. I chose a theme based on local tree leaves, so we could also learn to recognize them together.

After a bit of thinking and some time on the computer, I had a printable domino template ready to use.

The first moment of joy

That same evening, instead of dealing with arguments over TV time, I heard excited voices.

My kids gathered around the first printed sheet, cutting carefully and enthusiastically.

For me, it was just a rough draft to test size and layout.

For them, it was a treasure.

Taking it one step further

Next, I created a small box to store the dominoes.

We looked at the original box from the kit and analyzed its shape together. Then I recreated it as a flat template, showing them how to adjust dimensions based on the actual thickness of our homemade domino stack.

Once the template was ready, I designed a simple pattern using the domino visuals to decorate the box.

We printed everything.

All that was left was cutting, folding, and gluing.

I assembled the first version in front of them, using their glue stick.

And that moment—watching the dominoes fit perfectly into their little box—was pure joy.

Improving and sharing

After that first version (which needed a few adjustments), I created a refined version on thicker paper.

The result turned out so nice that I decided to make extra sets for their friends.

What made this experience special

As a parent, I really enjoyed this project.

It was more than just a game.

It became a family creative challenge, with small problems to solve, moments of suspense, and daily surprises (I showed them progress each evening after school).

And in the end, we had something real—something we could play with and enjoy together.

But most importantly, we shared meaningful time.

Why this activity worked

Clear goal: they knew what we were making—a simple domino game, easy to understand and play
Simple structure: rectangles, basic rules, easy assembly
Quick results: within 15 to 30 minutes, you can already start playing

A ready-to-use version

To make things easier, I cleaned up all the files and added simple instructions.

You can now access a complete printable domino kit, ready to download and use.

Your turn

If you've read this far, you might also be looking for simple, creative ways to keep your kids engaged at home—the kind of activities that make them proudly say:

"I made this!"

So go ahead—try creating your own domino game together.

Don't have the time or motivation to design everything from scratch?

Would you rather jump straight into cutting, assembling, and playing?

If you just want to enjoy the moment without spending time creating templates, I've made my ready-to-print files available, including instructions and classic domino rules.