Rainy afternoon in Yorkshire, three kids bouncing off the sofa, and me staring at a pile of empties like they are precious artefacts. That is the moment Upcycled Funny Face Bowling was born. It is bowling, but the pins have ridiculous personalities, and every time one gets knocked over it reveals a surprise joke underneath. It is chaos. It is art. It is also a sneaky way to use up those plastic bottles you were guiltily hoarding.

A parent and two children setting up painted plastic bottle bowling pins with funny faces on a living room floor, with a soft ball nearby

Why this game is a party winner

  • It is two activities in one: a craft first, then a proper energetic game.
  • Every knockdown gets a laugh: the joke reveal keeps even non-bowlers invested.
  • It scales for any age: toddlers can roll from two feet away, older kids can add trick shots.
  • It uses what you already have: bottles, tape, paper, pens, and a ball.

If your house is anything like mine, the kids will name each pin, argue about who is the grumpiest, and then immediately try to bowl with a banana. That is the spirit.

What you need

Supplies

  • 6 to 10 empty plastic bottles (500ml works great, 1L works even better for tiny bowlers)
  • Warm soapy water and a cloth (for de-stickering and de-stinkifying)
  • White paint or primer (optional, but it makes faces pop)
  • Acrylic paint or poster paint, plus brushes or sponges
  • Permanent marker (for eyes, eyelashes, eyebrows, and suspicious moustaches)
  • Coloured paper or masking tape (for hair, hats, bow ties)
  • Glue stick or PVA glue
  • A soft ball (foam, sponge, or a rolled-up pair of socks taped into a ball)
  • Paper and pen for jokes
  • Clear tape

Optional but brilliant

  • Googly eyes (the official fuel of my household)
  • Rice, lentils, or sand to weigh the bottles
  • Felt tips for quick colouring
  • Old gift wrap for fancy outfits

Prep the bottles (the non-glam bit)

  1. Wash and dry the bottles properly. Any sticky residue will make paint slide around like an ice rink.
  2. Remove labels. A soak in warm water helps. If the glue fights back, a dab of cooking oil can loosen it.
  3. Decide on stability: for indoor parties, I like adding 1 to 2 tablespoons of rice to each bottle so they topple satisfyingly but do not fly into the cat.
  4. Cap on or cap off? Keep the cap on if you added weight, or if you want them sturdy.

Quick safety note: if you have very little ones around, keep the rice or small bits sealed inside, and skip loose googly eyes.

Paint your silly-faced pins

Step 1: Give them a base coat

If your bottles are see-through and you want bold colours, paint a quick white base coat first. It is not essential, but it turns “washed out ghost clown” into “confident party goblin”. Let it dry.

Step 2: Pick personalities

This is my favourite part. Do not aim for perfect. Aim for expression. Here are some easy character ideas:

  • The Shocked One: huge eyes, O-shaped mouth.
  • The Sleepy One: droopy lids, tiny yawn.
  • The Fancy One: painted bow tie, monocle, dramatic eyebrows.
  • The Grumpy One: angry brows, crossed arms drawn on the body.
  • The Rockstar: lightning bolt on the cheek, spiky paper hair.
  • The Grandma Pin: curly “perm” made from paper spirals and a sweet smile.
A row of plastic bottles painted as bowling pins with different funny faces, drying on newspaper on a kitchen table

The best bit: joke reveals under the base

Now for the magic trick. When a pin falls over, everyone can see the underside, and that is where the joke lives.

How to add the joke

  1. Turn the bottle upside down and trace around the base onto paper.
  2. Cut out the circle.
  3. Write a joke clearly in marker. Keep it short. Big letters win.
  4. Tape the joke circle to the underside of the bottle base with clear tape. Make it smooth so it does not peel.

Pro tip from the trenches: match jokes to faces. The grumpy pin can have a grumpy joke. The fancy pin can have a “posh” joke. The kids will absolutely notice and will absolutely judge you if it does not match.

10 kid-friendly joke ideas for your pin bottoms

  • What do you call cheese that is not yours? Nacho cheese!
  • Why did the banana go to the doctor? Because it was not peeling well!
  • What do you call a bear with no teeth? A gummy bear!
  • What has ears but cannot hear? A cornfield!
  • Why did the cookie go to the hospital? Because it felt crummy!
  • What do you call a sleeping bull? A bulldozer!
  • Why do bees have sticky hair? Because they use honeycombs!
  • What did one wall say to the other wall? I will meet you at the corner!
  • Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because it was outstanding in its field!
  • What do you call a fish wearing a bowtie? Sofishticated!

If you want more joke ammo, our kids jokes guide is basically my emergency cupboard for giggles.

Set up your bowling lane

Indoor setup (recommended for living rooms and halls)

  • Lane: a strip of masking tape on the floor, or a line of cushions as bumpers.
  • Pin triangle: classic bowling shape, or just clump them together if you are short on space.
  • Throw line: another tape line. Toddlers stand closer. Big kids stand further back. Grown-ups stand wherever their knees allow.
  • Ball: foam ball is ideal. A sock ball is surprisingly effective.

Outdoor setup

On grass, the ball will slow down fast, so either use a slightly heavier ball or set the pins closer. If it is windy, add a little more weight to the bottles.

Children taking turns rolling a soft ball toward plastic bottle bowling pins set up on a living room floor

How to play (with maximum laughs)

The basic rules

  1. Each player gets 2 rolls per turn.
  2. After each roll, read out the jokes from any pins that were knocked down.
  3. Reset the pins and pass the ball.

Make it funnier with these variations

  • Joke Chain Round: the next player must tell a new joke before they roll. If they cannot think of one, they do a “silly walk” to the throw line.
  • Pin Personalities: if you knock down “The Rockstar”, you have to strike a rockstar pose while reading the joke.
  • Whisper Bowl: everyone has to whisper until someone gets a strike, then you all cheer like it is the World Cup.
  • Reverse Bowling: roll the ball backwards between your legs. Expect nonsense. Embrace it.

If your group likes games that mix movement and punchlines, you will also get on well with Pin the Punchline. Same silly energy, less bottle-wrangling.

Party hosting tips from a dad who has cleaned up too much paint

Keep the craft station calm

  • Cover the table with old newspaper.
  • Put one brush and two colours per child to start. Add more once they are rolling.
  • Have baby wipes ready, and accept that at least one child will paint their own nose “by accident”.

Drying hack

Stand bottles on a tray or a big piece of cardboard. If you are short on time, do faces with permanent marker on clean bottles and skip paint altogether.

Reduce arguments

Let kids choose their own pin to decorate, but keep the playing pins communal. Otherwise you will hear, “You knocked over my beautiful gentleman pin!” like it is a personal betrayal.

Safety notes

  • Use a soft ball indoors to avoid broken toes, lamps, and family legends.
  • If adding weight, keep the caps tight and check them occasionally.
  • For young children, avoid small loose parts like unglued googly eyes.
  • Supervise painting and keep paint away from mouths, noses, and the dog, who will absolutely wander in at the worst moment.

FAQs

How many pins do I need?

Six is plenty for small spaces and younger kids. Ten feels like “real bowling” and works well for parties.

What if I do not have paint?

Markers and coloured paper work fine. Draw faces directly on the bottle, then add hair and accessories with tape and scrap paper.

How do I store them?

Once dry, pop them in a big bag or a box. If you used tape-on accessories, store them upright so they do not squash.

Can I make it into a bigger party activity?

Absolutely. Start with decorating, then play, then finish with a quick photo moment holding favourite pins. If you want extra silliness, pair it with funny photo booth props.

The dad-approved ending

These pins are not going to look like they came from a shop. They are going to look like they came from a kitchen table during a sugar-fuelled party, and that is exactly the point. If the faces are lopsided and the jokes are groan-worthy, you have done it correctly.

Now go roll that ball, knock down a suspiciously fancy bottle, and enjoy the very best sound in the world: kids laughing so hard they forget to argue for a minute.

For more ideas like this, have a wander through our party games guide.