How to make a custom DIY Twister mat and game

INSIDE : Learn how to make a custom homemade DIY Twister mat and board game for your next birthday party.  Plan to have loads of good ole’ fashioned family fun with your kids!

homemade DIY Twister mat

This post may contain affiliate links.  See full disclosure here.

This post has been updated since it’s original January 2015 publish date.

My big girl just celebrated her 4th birthday!  We went with a Sprinkle Party theme and I am excited to kick off a ‘Monday mini series’ of Sprinkle Birthday Party DIYs. Today I am sharing how to make a homemade DIY Twister game : a Twister mat and DIY Twister Spinner!

I adore celebrating my babies on their birthdays and making them feel special.  However, birthday parties can quickly get out of control and you can spend hundreds of dollars on decor, favors, cake, activities, etc.   I went the DIY route this year and without spending much at all, I think this was one of my favorite kid’s parties to date!

This Twister Game was such an easy project and took only a quick afternoon to complete.  Even though the “Sprinkle” party turned out to be more “polka dots” creating this DIY Twister game added a lot of fun to the party.  And I loved that it was in the same colors as all the other decor.   Looking for how to DIY your own games?

You might also be interested in my Modern Twister DIY game post.

What supplies do you need to make a DIY Twister Game?

And if you want to get extra fancy!!
Simple Laminator
Laminating Pouches

How to make a DIY Twister mat

To make a twister game board or mat, I went the easy route. I grabbed eight paper plates to create the outer grid. Then, I traced them onto the canvas with a pencil.  

Then, I drew big “T”s or crosses on each plate to register the center lines for making the other lines and traced the remaining circles onto the canvas.

If you prefer, you could certainly use a ruler or tape measure and mark out the centerline for each of your Twister polka dot spaces.

Adding paint to your Twister mat

I then added some paint medium to a cup with my acrylic paint. It’s important to use four different colors to play the game correctly. The paint medium helps the paint not crack when the canvas is folded or bent.

NOTE: We have kept this painted canvas for 5+ years now and it looks just as great as the day I made it!!  I think a huge reason is the paint medium.

DIY Twister mat and board game yellow paint

How to make a DIY Twister Game Board

I designed a Birthday Twister board in Illustrator per the colors of my daughter’s party (pinks, oranges and yellows).  I also saved a black and white version that you can fill in with your own color preferences.  Keep reading below on how to download my two versions.

It was so simple to make this fun homemade DIY twister game board.  I simply printed out a color version of the game board and cut it down to fit on a piece of cardstock (spare cardboard would also work). Once cut down to size, I used a gluestick to secure the printed board to my cardstock.

PRO TIP –
I wish I would have known about this simple laminator and laminating pouches when I made mine because our painted canvas has lasted so long and it would have been nice to still have the original spinner I made to go with it.  For such a reasonable price, this laminator would have really extended the lifespan of our spinner.

DIY Twister board
Download this board graphic below

How to make a DIY Twister Spinner

To make my Twister board spinner, I went easy and punched a hole through the center of the cardstock and inserted a brad.  

Then, I hot glued a colorful straw to the top of the brad and you have yourself a DIY twister spinner.  

PRO TIP –
I’ve since found these amazing game spinners that make it so much easier and give the game a more polished look!

Non slip Twister game

I was so happy with how this DIY Twister game turned out.  And for my younger kids using a canvas mat is the perfect non-slip game because I remember playing when I was little, the plastic mat NEVER stayed where it was supposed to – ha!

This game is a fun pop of color and loads of fun!

Learn how to make a custom homemade DIY Twister mat and board game for your next birthday party.  Plan to have loads of good ole' fashioned family fun with your kids! Delineate Your Dwelling #DIYTwister #DIYTwisterMat #DIYTwisterboard

Colorful Painted Polka Dots

Another bonus of making this game is that you can pick any colors for your painted polka dots. It really adds a lot to your party to have a color theme throughout and painting the polka dots really was such a simple project.

I think my son just liked doing downward dog, ha.

Learn how to make a custom homemade DIY Twister mat and board game for your next birthday party.  Plan to have loads of good ole' fashioned family fun with your kids! Delineate Your Dwelling #DIYTwister #DIYTwisterMat #DIYTwisterboard

This was such a memorable party game and we’ve loved continuing to play with it for years afterward. A definite win in my mind!

DIY Twister mat and board game spinner


IT’S DOWNLOAD TIME:
Sign up for my DYD Insider newsletter to receive access to my ENTIRE DYD Printable Library + this DIY ‘Twister Spinner’ printable!!!

Already a DYD Newsletter Insider? Click on over here to access the printables library using the password found at the bottom of any email I’ve sent you.

Games similar to Twister

Twister is a classic party game that is known for its fun and physical challenges. Players take turns spinning a spinner and placing their hands or feet on the corresponding color and body part. The first player to fall off the mat loses the game.

If you are looking for games that have a similar look or style that Twister has, these might be games for you!

  • Hula Twist: This game is similar to Twister, but with a hula hoop. Players take turns spinning the hula hoop and passing it over their body.
  • Yoga Spinner This game is a mix of yoga and Twister. Players take turns spinning a spinner and following the yoga poses on the mat.
  • Duck Duck Dance This is a musical game where players dance until the music stops. When the music stops, the player who is standing on the designated spot is out.
  • Throw Throw Burrito This is a fast-paced game where players try to hit each other with foam burritos.
  • KerPlunk This game is all about hand-eye coordination. Players take turns removing sticks from a tube without letting the marbles fall out.
Sprinkle Bday Party twister

How to make a custom DIY Twister mat and game

Yield: 1 Game
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Active Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Learn how to make a custom homemade DIY Twister mat and board game for your next birthday party. Plan to have loads of good ole’ fashioned family fun with your kids!

Instructions

  1. Take a few paper plates to create the outer grid placement and trace them onto the canvas with a pencil.
  2. Draw crosses on each plate to register the center lines and trace the remaining circles onto the canvas.
  3. Add in some paint medium to help with paint cracking and begin to fill in each circle with your different shades of paint.
  4. Download and print out my color or black + white version of the Twister Spinner board. You can laminate the board if you would like to make it last longer.
  5. Next, adhere it to a piece of cardstock or spare cardboard piece.
  6. Punch a hole through the center of the board and insert a brad and a colorful paper straw. You can also use these pre-made plastic game spinners that make it even easier!

Notes

We have kept this painted canvas for 3+ years now and it looks just as great as the day I made it! I think a huge reason is the paint medium.

Did you make this project?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

Head over to the Sprinkle, 4th Birthday Party DIY post for details on
the party hats, Sprinkle Cake tips and the final reveal!

Sprinkle 4th Birthday Party

And if you are just looking for more fun party ideas, I’ve got you covered!

Camping themed Birthday Party

Camping themed bday party

Modern Woodland themed Baby Shower

Modern-Woodland-Baby-Shower

SaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSave

20 Comments

  1. Hi! Thank you so much for sharing this! I am wanting to try this but to make the mat bigger, as there are 7 people who would be playing. I am wondering if I made more circles on a bigger drop cloth if that would work in your opinion?
    Love your idea! Thank you!

    1. Hi, great question! Yes, I think adding more circles to a bigger cloth would be the perfect solution. Have fun!

  2. Tim Slater says:

    Hi, I really like the concept here, especially getting to custom color combos. The first purchase link takes me to a two-pack of canvas drop cloths costing $15. The original version of the game only costs $10. Not really a money-saver project.

  3. I made a simple online spinner for the game, if you feel fit, it’s a good (and free) alternative. Thanks for your tutorial!

  4. I made an Alice in Wonderland version

    1. delineateyourdwelling says:

      I saw your pictures and that looks so fun! THANK YOU for sharing them with me!!

  5. Did you have any trouble with the paint coming off or getting on the clothing? Adorable project.

    1. delineateyourdwelling says:

      We’ve now had this game for a full year and not a single spec of paint has come off! It’s held up remarkably well!

  6. Great colors and awesome job! How did you do the spinner? What did you attach it with? It looks like maybe a pencil or a paper straw? Love this idea!

    1. delineateyourdwelling says:

      Thanks so much, Olivia! For the spinner, I simply hot.glued a paper straw (with a colored tip) to a metal brad. Then I made a small hole in the twister board and inserted the brad. Done and done!

  7. So freaking adorable! We love twister, but not once did I think to make my own and to make it match my themes. Than you so much for this idea. Pinning and sharing with my mommy friends.

    1. delineateyourdwelling says:

      Oh thank you, Natasha! It was so easy and really made a big difference for party decor!

  8. So fun and pretty, too! Later down the line I could see it working as some sort of rug or curtain even (I made drop cloth curtains before and they worked great!).

    1. delineateyourdwelling says:

      Thanks, Jennifer! It would be so adorable as a rug, great idea!!

    1. delineateyourdwelling says:

      Thanks, Christine! It was so fun to make, too.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *