Tower of Hanoi Puzzle With Cardboard

This is a fun puzzle called the Tower of Hanoi that you can build with basic materials: cardboard, scissors, skewers and a hot glue gun. The goal of the Tower of Hanoi is to move the tower of cardboard discs to another post. Rules: you may not place a bigger disc on top of a smaller disc and you can only move one disc at a time. Are you up to the challenge?

Supplies

Cardboard, scissors, skewers, hot glue gun

Step 1: Build the Base

Cut out a 5.5 inch by 12 inch cardboard rectangle from a cardboard box.

Cut out 18 cardboard squares measuring 2 inches by 2 inches (the base for your skewer posts).

Using hot glue, glue 6 squares together on top of each other to create a block. Repeat 3 times.

Use scissors to punch a hole through the middle of each square block.

Glue each block to the rectangular base, spaced equally apart.

Step 2: Build the Towers

Cut off the points of three skewers (wood or bamboo) so that they are equal length.

Fill one hole of the cardboard block part way with hot glue. Stick the skewer into the hole in the block, making sure it is straight, then add more hot glue around the edge of the skewer where it meets the block to secure it in place. Repeat with the other two skewers and blocks.

You will have a rectangular base with three skewer towers.

Step 3: Make the Rings

Cut out one cardboard circle that is the same width as the distance between two skewers. Trace that circle two times on cardboard and cut out. Hot glue all three circles together to form a circular disc with 3 layers.

Repeat 9 times, making each successive circular disc about 1/4 inch smaller than the last. This will create your Tower of discs.

Use scissors to punch a hole completely through each of the circular 3 layer rings, making sure that the skewer can easily fit through the hole. (Or a drill can make this step faster.)

Step 4: Finish the Tower

Stack the circular discs in a tower formation as shown in the title photo.

Trim each skewer to a length slightly higher than the tower.

Your Tower of Hanoi game is finished!