When you think of Thanksgiving, what pops to mind? Visiting family? Watching the parade on Woodward? Waiting, sometimes not-so-patiently, for that turkey? What about board or card games? For many families, some friendly competition helps the dinner delay seem shorter. And making your own version of the classic “Memory” matching game is as easy as pumpkin pie! Wooden discs replace cards, while favorite stickers – like the colorful choices at Paper Source in Birmingham – help personalize things. It packs up conveniently in a plastic sandwich bag, making it great to have on hand for traveling to grandma’s house, too.
And, if you want to make your DIY memory game personalized for your child’s favorite colors, hobbies or even cartoon hero, read on for ways you can make your own stickers right at home. From putting your computer printer to work to trying one of my favorite sticker-making machines, you’ve got a lot of options when it comes to creating endless piles of fun-to-stick stickers for your child, too!
Matching Coin Memory Game
Materials
- 5 packs Darice 1.5-inch wooden discs
- 30 plain, round 1.25-inch stickers
- 15 pairs of graphic stickers
- Gloss-finish Mod Podge
- Foam brush
- Freezer paper
- Sand paper (optional)
Instructions
- Inspect all of your discs. If you find any rough sides or spots, use sand paper to smooth things out.
- Take the plain labels and apply to one side of all of the discs. Make sure the stickers are secured completely.
- Now, divide the discs into 15 pairs. Working pair by pair, apply a different set of graphic stickers to each set. Again, make sure the stickers are fully stuck.
- Prep a work surface by placing a large sheet of freezer paper on a table, glossy side up. (This side helps keep the discs from sticking to the paper as they dry.) Lay the discs out with the plain sticker facing up.
- Apply a small amount of Mod Podge to each plain-sticker side. Make sure all edges of the sticker are covered. Let the discs dry for at least an hour before flipping and applying Mod Podge to the graphic-sticker side. Wrap up your project by making sure the sides of the discs are sealed.
- You can make the game bigger by adding more pairs of discs; it’s up to you!
DIY Sticker Ideas
Office Supply Store Labels
Digital Cutting Machines
| Maybe you have a Silhouette or a Cricut machine? If you do, you can put them to work making stickers for you. Check out this post from Silhouette’s blog to see how to make your own layered stickers. While I don’t recommend layered stickers for your DIY Memory game, they are fun for making cards and other paper-crafting projects. |
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Xyron’s Create-a-Sticker
| In addition to the smaller Create-a-Sticker unit I have in my craft room, I have a Xyron Creative Station. Not only does it make stickers, but it can also make magnets and even laminate smaller works of art. Again, it doesn’t use power and works with minimal effort. |
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| To make your own stickers with the Creative Station, start by creating a variety of shapes that will fit on your wooden discs for your DIY memory game. I used a trusty hole paper punch from Martha Stewart Crafts; try one of Fiskars Squeeze Punches for smaller hands helping with the project.
Place your paper into the front opening of the machine. You can line several pieces up at once to make the most of the sticker medium. Turn the crank a few times and your new stickers will come out of the back. Cut off using the attached slicer. |
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| Using a Popsicle stick or bone folder, lightly rub the top of the sticker before peeling back the plastic covering and removing from the backing. Place onto your wooden disc and then apply Mod Podge to seal both the sticker and the wood. |
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