Paper Battleship Game
This is one of our family’s favorite games to play! It’s easy to learn and makes a great, inexpensive gift for others who love games!
I’ve talked about this paper battleship game quite a bit on Instagram, and it has garnered a lot of questions and curiosity, so I thought it might be helpful to put together a post with all the details and free printables!
This game is a paper version of the classic 2-person battleship board game.
The reason this paper version is so fun is because it allows up to six players to play at the same time. AND, you don’t have to mess with pesky little playing pieces that easily get scattered and lost.
The object is still the same: take out your opponent’s ships before they take out yours!
Here’s a quick Instagram reel showing how to package the game (in VERY simple ways!) to gift to others).
Below are the free printables to use for this paper battleship game. Feel free to download and print for your own personal use or to gift to others!
I would love for you to do a YouTube of a game of this actually being played. It sounds so fun, but I cannot wrap my head around it.
This game was an instant hit for our family! Thank you so much!
Yay!
My family is OBSESSED with this game! We even gave copies away to the neighbors for Christmas. Thank you!!!
That made me so happy to read. Yay!
Do you print out new copies each time you play? I’m thinking about laminating some and using fine-tip dry or wet erase markers…
Yes, we do print them out, but that’s a good idea on dry erase option!
We played our first rounds with sheet protectors and wet erase markers and it worked great, but I just laminated a batch at my library for a longer term solution. We love this game!
Oh Mel, you’re my favorite! Thanks for sharing. I got the family to play tonight when I’m sure the kids would have rather been on a screen and it did not disappoint! If it seems a bit complicated read over the rules a few times and do a round or two, you’ll get it!
I’m glad it was fun – thank you, Ginny!!
Thanks! I think my family will get a kick out of this!
We played last night with my 11 and 9 year olds and my husband and we all loved it (minus the few moments of overwhelm that came because of tired kids missing a few of the calls; it was definitely us, not the game!). I just laminated some game boards at my library for a longer-term solution to use with fine tip wet erase markers. A winner!
Thanks for the sweet comments, Kimma! Really happy you loved this game with your family! I think that’s a great idea to laminate some sheets. I’m going to do that, too!
Also my kids were so impressed that you have amazing recipes and fun games! (And my crocheting daughter is so impressed with your temperature blankets!) A woman of many talents and gifts! 💗
Thank you for sharing this fun game – I am sure my family will love it! I do have a question, it is probably clear to most people, but how do you know what numbers to write down below in each Player’s grid?
Hi Amanda, the numbers that go below in the players’ grids are when their ship is hit by a number called out in that round. For instance, let’s say it is round #4 and the person calling out the coordinates and numbers for that round has just called out all of the numbers (and everyone wrote them on the main grid above). At that point if any of the players indicate that one of their ships was hit by a #4, everyone marks it below on that player’s grid. So, if player #1 says “my battleship was hit with a #4” everyone would write a #4 in the first square of that players battleship row. Does that make sense?
Yes, thank you!!!