How to Build a Plinko Board
Originally appearing on "The Price is Right," Plinko is a game where players drop an object down a board. The object bounces around as it falls, finally landing in a spot at the bottom that can win the contestant big prizes or sometimes nothing at all. The game can be created for home and classroom use by following the instructions provided here.
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Things You'll Need
- 3/16-inch thick or higher pegboard
- Sheet of wood or cork board
- 200 1/4-inch x 1 1/4-inch grooved dowel pegs
- Rubber bands
- Poker chips or ping pong balls
- Spray paint
- Craft glue
- Hammer
- Nails
Instructions
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1
Prepare the pegboard, backing board and dowel pins by painting them any desired color. It is best to use a coat of spray paint as it will cover the materials quickly and lessen the likelihood that the width of the dowels is increased beyond the width of holes in the pegboard. If you wish to have the entire Plinko board one color, you may way to paint until the end.
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2
Mount the pegboard onto the wood or cork board. Hammer the pieces together so the pegboard lies on top of the backing board with several inches of space above and below the pegboard. This extra spacing will be used to apply labels for the top and bottom entry and exit points.
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3
Place pegs at the top of the board, skip one hole between each placement. This is where you will drop your chips or balls into the board. Use a bit of glue on the end of each peg to hold them in place.
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4
Add additional pegs down the board. Always keep at least one empty hole surrounding any placed peg. This will ensure the objects that fall through will not get stuck. Continue to add pegs, alternating placement until you reach six holes from the bottom of the board.
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5
Create the ending rows by repeating what you created for the top rows. Place the pegs one hole apart going horizontally across the board. Then place pegs directly above and below one another traveling down the remaining six holes of the board. You will be left with several columns where the placed objects will end up.
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6
Apply rubber bands to the board in triangular shapes. Use your own creativity when applying these as their purpose is to prevent the object from falling straight down.
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7
Apply labels to the top and bottom of the backing board. The top row should be listed alphabetically or numerically, starting at "A" or "1" and progressing in sequence. The bottom row can be labeled using colors, dollar amounts, names or anything that corresponds to the use of the board.
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8
Mount the board on the wall or place up against a vertical object and begin playing.
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Tips & Warnings
You can add a hard sheet of plastic over the board to help prevent pieces from falling out during play, though an easier solution is to slightly angle the board.
