Our kids go to a small private school and one of the requirements of this school is to have a parent volunteer. My wife chose to teach a small woodshop class on how to build a DIY Pucket Game. We prepared and pre-cut all the plywood pieces, bungee cords, and pucks. The kids needed to assemble the pieces using a hammer and finish nails. Then tie the knots on the bungee cord and sand the pucks to make them smooth.
The kids enjoyed building the Pucket Game as well as playing it after class with their peers. Now, my wife is one of their favorite volunteers, and kids can’t wait for the next project.
You also might be interested in the previous game projects that I’ve built: Mancala Boards Game, Triangle Peg Game, and Cornhole Boards.
Pucket, or the tabletop puck game, is a classic game that has been around for a very long time, and with good reason! It’s fun, fast-paced, and anyone can play it. The tabletop puck game is a game of strategy, dexterity, and speed, and other variations of the game can make it even more challenging. Keep reading for more about the history and rules of this game, and how to make one of your very own, or to give as a gift.
The table puck game, or pucket, is based on an old, traditional French game. The original version was made of wood, just like this version, but instead of bungee cords, the original creators of this game used catgut, which would then have to be moistened regularly so it wouldn’t end up limp. Bungee cord is much easier! In fact, the original name for what we know as the table puck game was table à l’élastique. It is still played in France but has made its way all over the world, to be enjoyed by players of all ages and skill levels.
The table puck game is meant to be played by two players, each seated at opposite sides of the game board. In the center of the board, there’s a barrier with a small slot cut into the center of it; this is where each player will aim their puck, trying to shoot it through to the opponent’s side of the board.
Each player begins with eight small disks or pucks. One of them says “go” (with or without a countdown before it — that part is up to you!) and then you begin using the bungee cord on your side of the board to aim your pucks toward the center hole, which is also called the gate. The objective of the game is to clear your side, meaning getting your own pucks to the opponent’s side, as well as returning any of your opponent’s pucks should they get them through. The first player to completely clear their side wins.
There are a few other rules. For example, players aren’t allowed to push the pucks through the gate with their fingertips or pick them up unless they end up off of the board. If a puck flies off of the board, the person who flicked it off of the board has to go get it. Players can slide pucks out of the way on their own side of the board, but can’t touch any of the pucks on their opponent’s side.
