Shrink Plastic Game Pieces

 

You can do a Google image search of your board game to find pictures of the game pieces you need. Resize the pictures to double the size of the original pieces.

Print the images; it doesn’t matter which side of the film you print on. Cut out the image closely.

You could get creative and make original piece designs. I decided to make some playing pieces using family photos. I want these pieces to stand up, so I’m leaving a wide base at bottom. Cut a slit in the base about ¼ inch wide and a ½ inch deep.

Then use the shrink film scraps for the other half of the base. Cut a half-circle about the same width as the bottom of the playing piece, and cut a coordinating slit in the rounded top. You can see how the pieces will fit together.

Now we can bake the pieces. Preheat the oven to between 325 and 350 degrees. (Remember, only an adult should use the oven.)

Lay out the pieces on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a piece of medium weight cardboard. Layer another piece of parchment paper or cardboard on top to keep the pieces from curling in on themselves as they bake.

Bake the pieces for 2-5 minutes. The pieces will curl up as they bake. They’re finished baking when they’ve shrunk to about half their original size and have flattened out completely.

Allow the pieces to cool before handling. Stand your playing pieces up by connecting the two base pieces. You can hot glue these together if you want them permanently attached, or you can just assemble them each time you play a game.

My kids love playing with game pieces that look just like them!