Summer time with a 5 year old means it is time for board games. And as much as I like to play Candy Land, there are only so many times I can play before I get completely bored. So I’ve been getting back to the board games I played over and over again as a child, and at the top of that list is mancala.

I was getting ready to compost this egg carton when the idea struck me that it would make the perfect mancala board, so I started to it immediately. It’s a simple project requiring a paper egg carton, newspaper, mod podge and some beans.

Start by separating the top and bottom of the carton, and removing the tab closure from the bottom.

Break the top of the carton in half and put the halves under the carton bottom, making two wide sections at both ends of the board.

Using small strips of paper and mod podge, paper mache the board layers together. Be careful to make the wide sections cup shaped when paper macheing. It makes it easier to scoop out the beans for the game.

After it is all dried, you can decorate it. And use beans to play the game. Be careful…. Mancala is addictive!