Dime Store Games: Ball-in-the-Hole

These little boxed universes can be lined with scenes cut out of old or new Christmas cards. It takes less patience to make the games than it does to play them. The trick is to get a bead to roll into a hole. Your scene determines whether the beads are stars, bells, or bright holly berries.

Martha Stewart Living, December 2000 http://www.marthastewart.com/270457/dime-store-games-ball-in-the-hole

The toys here were made with old boxes for wooden matches. You can find them at flea markets, or just buy new ones and cover them with colored paper, gift wrap, or children's drawings if you don't like the label. Then proceed as shown below.

A ball-in-the-hole party game doesn't necessarily have to depict a scene: Patterned papers, old and new, also make good backgrounds. The more beads you add, the more difficult the challenge.

Ball-in-the-hole party games in plastic cases can be bought at most party stores. To redesign them, open the lids and replace backgrounds with scraps of gift wrap, art paper, or children's drawings.

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Dime Store Games: Ball-in-the-Hole

These little boxed universes can be lined with scenes cut out of old or new Christmas cards. It takes less patience to make the games than it does to play them. The trick is to get a bead to roll into a hole. Your scene determines whether the beads are stars, bells, or bright holly berries.