DIY Cardboard Marble Labyrinth

Have you always admired those labyrinth maze games? Well, here's one you can make out of cardboard, using a simple pattern and a few materials you probably have at home.

• X-acto knife
• Hot glue gun
• Scissors
• Clippers that can cut skewers
• Pen
• Glue stick

CARDBOARD (Double-thick cardboard is not mandatory, but it will make the box stronger.)

MAIN BOX

• Two pieces of 4" by 13" double-thick cardboard.
• Two pieces of 4" by 11 3/4" double-thick cardboard.
• One piece of 11 3/4" by 13 3/4" single-thick cardboard.

MAZE BOARD

• One piece of 9" by 11" single-thick cardboard.

LARGE SWIVELING BOX

• Two pieces of 10 1//2" by 1" double-thick cardboard.
• Two pieces of 12" by 1" double-thick cardboard.

SMALL SWIVELING BOX

• Two pieces of 9 1/2" by 1" double-thick cardboard.
• Two pieces of 11" by 1" double-thick cardboard.

KNOBS

• Six 2" dia. discs of double-thick cardboard.

MARBLE TRAY

• One 2" by 1" rectangle with 1/4" by 1" flaps on three sides.

SPACERS

• Four 1 1/2" dia. discs of single-thick cardboard.
• Four pieces of 1" by 1" double-thick cardboard.
• Two pieces of 1" by 1" single-thick cardboard, cut on the diagonal to make triangles.

NON-CARDBOARD

• Two 1/4" dowels 16 1/4" long, and 14 1/2" long.
• String.
• One 1/2" marble.
• A bunch of 1/8" diameter skewers.

Hot glue the 4" x 13", and the 4" x 11 3/4" pieces together to make the walls for the main box. Next, glue the 11 3/4" x 13 3/4" base onto the box you just made.

Hot glue the 12" x 1" pieces and the 10 1/2" x 1" pieces together to make the large swiveling box. Then, glue the 11" x 1" pieces and the 9 1/2" x 1" pieces together to make the small swiveling box. Now, glue the four 1" triangles to the bottom corners of the small swiveling box.

First, cut a 1" by 3/4" hole in one of the four bottom corners of the main box. Then glue the three flaps on the marble tray up like sides of a box. Glue the marble tray to the bottom of the box so that it is aligned with the hole you just cut.

Using a sharp pencil, or X-acto knife, poke a 1/4" hole through the center of all the circular pieces of cardboard. Next, poke a 1/4" hole through both the long sides of the main box 1" from the bottom and 6 1/2" from each side. Now, poke a 1/4" hole through both the short sides of the main box 1 1/2" from the bottom and 5 7/8" from each side.

Using a skewer, poke a hole in the center of each side of the large swiveling box and on the two short sides of the small swiveling box. Also poke a hole in the center of each 1" by 1" square. Then poke a hole on the long sides of the main box 1/2" from the top and 6 1/2" from each side.

Cut a skewer into four 1" pieces. Thread one of the 1" skewers through one of the holes on the short sides of the large swiveling box. Then add a 1" spacer square to the skewer and then thread the skewer through the short side of the small swiveling box. Repeat this on the opposite side. Now using the same process, attach the long side of the large swiveling box to the long side of the main box.

Glue three of the 2" discs into a stack. Then do the same to the other three. thread one of the 1 1/2" discs onto the shorter dowel, and glue it in place 2" from the end. Then repeat this with the other dowel and another 1 1/2" disc. Then, glue the stacks onto the ends of the dowels closer to the 1 1/2" discs. Next, thread the shorter dowel through the holes on the long sides of the main box. Now, glue one of the remaining 1 1/2" discs onto the opposite end of the dowel to hold it in place. Repeat this process with the longer dowel threading through the short sides of the main box.

Glue the end of the string to the middle of the long side of the small swiveling box. Then wrap the string twice around the middle of the long dowel. Now pull the string taught and glue it to the other side of the small swiveling box.(Trim off any access string). Glue the end of the string to the middle of the short side of the large swiveling box, wrap it twice around the shorter dowel, and glue it to the opposite side of the large swiveling box.

Print out the full pattern on a 17" by 11" sheet of paper. Or print out the half patterns on two 8 1/2" by 11" sheets, then, using the match line, position the pieces together.

Glue the pattern onto the 9" by 11"piece of cardboard. Then using the X-acto knife cut out all the marked circles. Then mark and cut a skewer to fit one of the little rectangular walls on the pattern. Now glue this piece of skewer to its place on the pattern. Repeat this until all of the walls are glued in place.

Carefully place the maze board inside the small swiveling box, so that it rests on the 1" triangles.

Now you can draw a line from start to finish, to show the path that you should follow. You can also number each hole.

To play, place the 1/2" marble at Start, and using the knobs to tilt the board, make your way to the Finish!

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