Put together a homemade toy bowling set using this simple idea, and you and your little ones will be bowling in no time. This game will keep all of you laughing and having fun for hours. Be sure to take pictures.
Purchase a lightweight, 12″ rubber ball. These can be found in any toy store, dollar store, super center, and even in many grocery stores, for about $1.00.
Next, you’ll need to decide how large you want your bowling pins to be. The decision might be based on the type of plastic bottles you have handy. You can use juice bottles, drinking water bottles, or soda bottles. Any type will work, but you might want to choose larger bottles, such as two-liter soda bottles to give smaller children a better target.
You can paint the bottles in an assortment of colors or paint them white with red stripes like traditional bowling balls. You can also remove the labels, leave the bottles clear, and attach a red stripe made from construction paper with a little tape. Another idea is to make a bowling set for each child, in his or her favorite color, with a matching ball.
Set the bottles up the way bowling pins are set. There should be four in the back row, then three in the next row, two in the next, and then one in the center. Decide how far children should stand back and mark off a line with tape or simply lie down a strip of paper, cardboard, or a piece of string to mark the starting point. Mark off a foul line as well.
This game is perfect for many different ages and can be played indoors or outdoors. As your children get bigger, teach them how to keep score. Teach them about strikes, spares, and splits as well. When they get bigger, they might just be good bowlers!