Introduction: Holiday Dinner Dash Game

This is the how-to for my original game, "Holiday Dinner Dash"

Supplies

  1. Shoe box
  2. Paint
  3. Paper
  4. Tape
  5. Scissors
  6. Pencils
  7. Pens
  8. Markers
  9. Modeling Clay
  10. Index Cards
  11. Ruler
  12. Dice

Step 1: Creating the Game Board

I used an old shoe box for a large pair of boots.

  1. Open the box completely and flatten it out
  2. Grab your favorite color of acrylic paint, I chose blue
  3. Make sure you coat the entire surface

Step 2: Create the Shopping List's

Each player gets a list of groceries they have to collect on their way around the board. Each list is based on dishes served on different holidays. Here's how I created mine.

  1. I used already colored index cards, but you can also paint your own
  2. Each holiday is a different color
  3. I chose my favorite 7 holidays and drew a picture for each one on the front of the card
  4. On the back, I divided the card into 5 equal column's, one for each section of a grocery store (produce, deli, bakery, dry goods, and dairy)
  5. Next I chose 10 different ingredients for each holiday and wrote them on the back of each card in their respective column.

Step 3: The 5 Store Sections

Next I created the 5 sections to coincide with the 5 columns on the back of the lists cards. These are used as checkpoints as you go around the board collecting your ingredients.

  1. Cut index cards in half
  2. Write the name of one of the 5 sections on each one

Step 4: Designing the Route

Next I had to design the layout, path, and decide how many spaces to have. You can do this in any way you want, I prefer a more interesting and squiggly path.

Step 5: Placing the Checkpoints on the Board

  1. This was easy, as long as you leave enough room on your path. Make sure you spread them out to keep the game interesting as you go.
  2. On some of the squares I wrote helpful squares. Example: Go forward 5 squares
  3. On some of the squares i wrote un-helpful squares. Example: Go back 5 squares
  4. Next to the checkpoints I also wrote indicators telling the players when they can collect there ingredients

Step 6: Creating the Pieces

For this I just used modeling clay and made small, simple shopping cart's comprised of a square and 4 small balls for wheels.

Step 7: The Last Step: the Rules!

SET UP:

  • The game should include: 7 shopping list's, 6 shopping cart pieces, 1 board, 1 6-sided die
  • Place all Carts in the "Start" location

HOW TO PLAY:

  • Each player rolls the die, whoever rolls the highest # goes first, play then passes to the right
  • Using the die, move your pieces around the board following the instructions on the board as you go
  • If you land on a space with arrows, collect your ingredients from the corresponding section
  • When you reach checkout, if you haven't collected all your ingredients, on your next turn go back 5 spaces before the first checkpoint you missed and try to collect the remaining ingredients
  • Repeat this process until you collect all your ingredients

HOW TO WIN:

  • Be the first shopper to collect all your ingredients and make it to the finish!