Wood

Get creative with these wooden craft ideas! With so much to see and do, take a peek at these activities to get you started!

DIY Chess Tray

Do you or does someone special to you love to play chess? Why not make your very own Chess Tray! Perfect for Mother’s or Father’s Day gifting so you can spend some time playing a game with your special someone!
  • Step 1Assemble the 3D Wooden Tray following the instructions provided with the tray. Allow to dry. Decorate using cut pieces of bright coloured stripping roll and a permanent marker; we have chosen to use purple and turquoise stripping roll. Adult supervision is recommended when using scissors. Add a coat of PVA glue over the top of the stripping roll and allow to dry fully for a glossy finish.
  • Step 2Now to make the chessboard! Cut eight pieces of white and eight pieces of black stripping roll, each measuring 20cm long. Join the ends of a black and white strip at 90 degrees to each other with the black on top, as shown in the top left image. Glue in place. Glue the remaining seven white strips down the length of the black strip, alternating the white each time so it is either under or on top of the black. Make sure they are placed directly next to each other without overlap. Take a second black strip and glue the end only on top of the bottom white strip, so it is positioned directly next to the first black strip. Weave this strip under and over the white strips to create the checkerboard. Glue the end under the white strip at the top before starting with the third black strip, this time gluing on top of the white strip at the top.
  • Step 3Continue to glue and weave the black strips (remembering to alternate each time) until they are all in place and you have a complete chessboard. Allow to dry.
  • Step 4Glue the chessboard into the middle of the tray. Allow to dry.
  • Step 5Use spools to create your chess pieces. The pawns can be represented by the small spools while the other chess pieces can be created by gluing combinations of all the different sized spools. Use our image as a guide or come up with your own. Create two sets of pieces and allow to dry. Colour one set black using a permanent marker and leave the other natural.
  • You may like to create a game of checkers as well! Take 24 spools of the same size. Colour in half of the spools using a permanent marker to create your two sets of checkers.
  • Step 6Your DIY Chess Tray is ready to gift or play! Set up the pieces and challenge your friends and family.

Materials used in this activity

CleverPatch Junior PVA Glue - 250ml
Optional
Product Code: 10364
EACH $5.49 (inc GST) $4.99 (ex GST)
36 or more $3.84 (inc GST) $3.49 (ex GST)          
Increase value Decrease value
Wooden Spools - Natural - Pack of 72
Optional
Product Code: 12149
EACH $21.99 (inc GST) $19.99 (ex GST)
4 or more $16.49 (inc GST) $14.99 (ex GST)          
Increase value Decrease value
Product Code: 15518
EACH $3.84 (inc GST) $3.49 (ex GST)
Increase value Decrease value
Product Code: 16531
EACH $16.49 (inc GST) $14.99 (ex GST)
6 or more $10.71 (inc GST) $9.74 (ex GST)          
Increase value Decrease value
3D Wooden Tray - Each
Optional
Product Code: 18380
EACH $8.24 (inc GST) $7.49 (ex GST)
30 to 89 $7.14 (inc GST) $6.49 (ex GST) 90 or more $5.35 (inc GST) $4.86 (ex GST)
Increase value Decrease value
Rainbow Stripping Roll - Set of 11 Colours
Optional
Product Code: 18422
EACH $92.39 (inc GST) $83.99 (ex GST)
Increase value Decrease value