Download the Shut the Box printables
Five free Shut the Box PDFs are ready to print:
- Shut the Box rules: the rules and scoring on one page.
- Paper board, 9 numbers: the classic game, one large board to a page.
- Paper board, 10 numbers: one large board to a page.
- Paper board, 12 numbers: one large board to a page.
- Score sheet: up to six players and ten rounds.
They are free to print and copy for use at home, in clubs and in schools. Please do not sell them.
How to play Shut the Box on paper
To play Shut the Box on paper, print a board and use coins, counters or buttons as the tiles:
- Lay the board flat with every number showing.
- Roll two dice and add them up.
- Cover numbers that add up to your roll with coins.
- Keep rolling until no uncovered numbers add up to your roll.
- Add up the numbers still showing. That is your score, and lowest wins.
If you have no coins, write the numbers in a row and cross them out instead, using a new row for each turn. The full Shut the Box rules explain the one-die rule and how to win.
The printable Shut the Box rules
The printable Shut the Box rules sheet fits on one page. It covers what you need, how a turn works, which tiles you can shut, when you may roll one die, and how to score and win, with a worked example. It is written in plain words so children can read it too.
Printable boards for 9, 10 and 12 numbers
Each printable Shut the Box board shows the numbers in two rows of squares big enough for a coin, one board to a page. For two players, print a board each. The 9-number board is the classic game. The 10 and 12-number boards follow the same rules but are harder to shut; see 10 numbers and 12 numbers for their odds.
The printable score sheet
The printable Shut the Box score sheet has space for six players and ten rounds, with a total for each player at the bottom. Use it for a single game, or to keep a running total and drop out at 45 points, as in the tournament version on the Shut the Box scoring page.
Playing on paper with a class or group
The paper version of Shut the Box works well with a whole group, because each player only needs a board, some counters and a pair of dice to share. Children practise adding as they choose which numbers to cover, and older players can use the 12-number board for a longer game.