[For First Graders] A Collection of Science Project Ideas Using Everyday Materials

A whistle you can blow with a straw

[Instrument Craft] Let's Make a Straw Flute You Can Play Tunes With (Handmade Toy / Upcycled Craft) [Easy Craft / Playable Craft] A Handmade Instrument You Can Make Music With

Here’s how to make a whistle out of a straw.

Cut two slits at one end of a straw and trim it so the width forms a rectangle.

Cut the other end of the straw and fit it over the rectangular end, then secure it with cellophane tape.

Adjust the tape so the width becomes a square.

Cut another straw to about 5 centimeters and flatten one end.

Place the flattened end over the side where you can see the square gap, and secure it with cellophane tape.

The key is to test-blow it and check the sound before taping everything down firmly.

Change the lengths of the straws to create different pitches, fix them in place, and you’re done.

Kids are sure to get excited about a whistle made from everyday materials!

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Nakajima Junko

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Make a bow and arrow with straws!

Make a Bow and Arrow from Straws! Recycled Craft! (For 1st–2nd Grade Elementary Students, About 20 Minutes) #craft #handmade_toy

A piece you worked hard to make yourself becomes twice as fun if you can play with it afterward, right? So this time, we’re introducing a bow and arrow you can make with straws.

You can use either thick boba straws or regular straws.

Besides the straws, you’ll just need common household items like a toilet paper roll and rubber bands, so it’s easy to prepare.

The projectile that the bow shoots is made from the toilet paper roll and rubber bands.

Make the bow using a straw and a spherical Styrofoam ball.

Once it’s finished, just aim and shoot at targets made from paper plates or balloons.

Kids will enjoy crafting it with the excitement of being able to play with it after it’s done.

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straw wrapper

Let's make a straw wrapper and paper whistle!

Kids will be thrilled to work on making sound-producing instruments.

Here’s how to make a trumpet using a straw and construction paper.

Prepare a half-circle of construction paper about 25 to 30 centimeters across.

Roll the paper into a cone shape.

Cut both sides of the tip of the straw to create a pointed edge, then insert that pointed tip into the cut end of the paper cone.

Secure the construction paper and the straw with cellophane tape, and you’re done.

When playing, pinch the tip of the straw flat and blow.

It’s a simple craft, but it can produce a unique sound.

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Plastic bottle drum

[Anywhere Art] [Summer Vacation Crafts] Plastic Bottle Drum [Handmade Instrument]

Simple yet loud! Here’s how to make a plastic-bottle drum.

First, cut off the bottom of an empty plastic bottle and wrap the cut edge with vinyl tape.

Next, stretch a balloon over the opening and secure it firmly with tape so it doesn’t come off.

Decorate the bottle with pens or stickers as you like! Finally, tape a 10 cm square piece of aluminum foil to the tip of a chopstick, crumple the foil into a ball to make a beater, and you’re done! It could be fun for everyone to make their own and enjoy a group performance.

Give it a try!

Authentic handmade guitar

[Summer Vacation Craft] Authentic! How to Make a Cool Guitar (Toilet Paper Rolls, Rubber Bands, Paper Cups) [Handmade Instrument, Playable Toy, Playable Craft] Upcycled Fun • Lower and Middle Elementary Grades • Independent Study

Here’s an introduction to a genuine-sounding guitar you can make using items like toilet paper rolls and paper cups.

You’ll also use a sample-size paper cup; the key is to choose one whose bottom fits the toilet paper roll.

Cut slits in the paper cup, hook rubber bands onto both the cup and the toilet paper roll, and stack the two pieces together.

By adjusting the position of the toilet paper roll, you can improve the sound when you pluck the rubber bands.

If you attach the sample cup and make a pick, you can create an even more authentic guitar—give it a try!

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Let’s make a train out of a milk carton

[Handmade Toy] Let's Make a Train with a Milk Carton!

A must for train lovers! Let’s make a train using a milk carton.

First, cut off the bottom 5 cm of the carton.

Open up the remaining part and cut it into four large panels.

Accordion-fold each of the four panels and pack them into the bottom section.

Secure them firmly with tape so nothing comes out.

Next, tape magnets to both sides so the trains can couple together.

Finally, decorate the train with construction paper and seal it with packing tape to finish.

Try making trains in various colors and designs and connect them freely as you play!

Boomerang made from paper cups

Throw and catch! A boomerang with paper cups? A fun toy for 1st and 2nd graders. “Paper Cup Boomerang” (takes about 10 minutes to make) #craft #handmadetoy #papercup

Let me introduce a unique boomerang that might boost kids’ reflexes.

This boomerang is made from paper cups, but it’s apparently hard to catch when it returns—so it could help train reflexes.

Fix and connect the bottoms of two paper cups with cellophane tape.

Insert a bent paper clip into the joined section.

Set the paper-cup boomerang onto a launcher made from a chopstick with a rubber band fixed to it, and then just launch it.

It takes some technique to throw and catch, but mastering it might be part of the fun.

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