DIY Toys: Bow and Arrow (Archery)

It was surprisingly easy to make and it provided hours of fun. The hardest part was finding a long, bendy stick. We tried balloon sticks but they broke. In the end, we went to a provision shop at an HDB void deck, or what they call the "mama shop" in Singapore. The shopkeeper gave my husband a weird look when he asked for 5 canes but, figuring this was some kind of weird sadistic psycho, chose not to ask any questions. :P


What you need:

1. 1 long, bendy stick
2. 1 piece of string (about 3/4 the length of the stick)
3. 3 rubber bands
4. Straws (thick smoothie straws work well)

How to Make the Bow:

1. Tie one end of the string to the stick, using a rubber band. Check that it is secure and won't come loose when you pull the string. 
2.  Bend the stick. Making sure the string is taut, tie the other end of the string to the opposite end of the stick. Secure firmly. Voila!
3. Tie some tassels or wool to one end as decoration, and to differentiate the bows.

How to make the Arrows:

1. To make the Arrowhead - flatten the straw and cut out two triangles to make a pointed tip.
   OR, if using a chalk dart board, tie a small piece of chalk to the tip of the straw using a rubber band
2. To make the Arrow Nock - flatten the tail end of the straw and cut out a V-shaped notch. This notch at the tail end of the arrow is for the bowstring to fit in. 

DIY Chalk Dartboard

We created our own dart board by drawing on our IKEA black board easel. Then we affixed a small piece of chalk on the front end of the arrow using a rubber band, so that when shot, the chalk would leave a mark on the board and we could keep score. 

Shooting bottles

We lined up a few empty mineral water bottles and used them for target practice!

Ground Rules

Before playing any games, be sure to lay out the ground rules first, like: 

1. No aiming at people

2. Make sure that the coast is clear before shooting

3. Only aim at designated targets

I know that 1 and 3 overlap, but I wanted to be extra safe. So far, they have worked well and we haven't had any casualties. Have fun!