Make this cardboard tube bowling game to keep the kids entertained!
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My son was recently trying to set up a bowling game using marker pens – I think he’d seen it on YouTube and they were using stubby markers. But ours are quite skinny, so harder to stand up on one end. It occurred to me that there must be a simple of way of making our own bowling game and of course cardboard tubes are perfect!
To make them less cardboardy, I covered them in white Contact paper. The ideal size for each piece of sticky paper is about 5×5½”, which allows a little extra for overlap and to fold over at each end. Wrap each tube in the paper, then cut slits into the overhang at each end and fold inside the tube.
Although the tubes didn’t have the shape of a bowling pin, we decided to make them look a little more authentic by wrapping strips of red tape around each one. The tape I had looked too wide, so I cut it in half lengthways so make it fit the tubes better.
Note: You could always paint the tubes white if you don’t have any white Contact paper, but it will take much longer to make them!
F helped with putting some of the tape on, but otherwise I did the rest. I did ask him to go and find a suitable bowling bowl, and he chose one from our Crazy Fort kit because it “had holes in it like a bowling ball”!
The cardboard tube bowling game worked really well! My son loved that he could set it up on carpet, hardwood, or even outside on our patio!
Since these photos were taken, he’s found a permanent spot to set up the “alley” in the basement, with taped lines on the floor for where to stand, where to set up the pins, and a “ball return”!
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