[For First Graders] A Collection of Science Project Ideas Using Everyday Materials
Many first graders struggle with their summer vacation projects and crafts.
It’s completely understandable to feel unsure—“It seems hard,” “What should we make?” In this article, we introduce experiment and craft ideas that kids can enjoy.
From a fascinating experiment with floating vegetables, to postcards made from milk cartons, to colorful aroma stones—there are plenty of fun projects using familiar materials.
Enjoy them together as a parent and child, and make great summer memories!
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[For First-Grade Elementary Students] A Collection of Independent Research Ideas Using Familiar Materials (51–60)
Sea memo stand

Some families may go swimming at the beach during summer vacation, right? When we think of the hot summer, many children surely picture the sea.
So why not make a memo stand using resin with an ocean theme? Prepare parts to embed in the resin, such as seashells, sea creatures, and clear or blue stones.
Of course, it’s also nice to include shells you picked up at the beach.
Place your favorite parts and the memo stand into a container, then pour in the resin.
After that, leave it undisturbed for the specified time.
At this stage, the key is to prevent dust and debris from getting in—for example, by placing the piece in a box.
If you include seashells you collected at the beach, you can create a lovely piece that captures your summer memories.
Creeper made from a milk carton

Minecraft is a hugely popular game among kids.
Creepers are characters that appear in Minecraft and explode when they get close to the player.
Let’s make a craft that captures that feature using an empty milk carton.
Besides a milk carton, prepare green plastic bottle caps, bamboo skewers, and oil-based clay as well.
Cut the milk carton and wrap it with green vinyl tape to make the Creeper’s body.
Then cut the body section further and attach parts.
Use another milk carton for the head along with vinyl string or rubber bands to create a mechanism that “explodes.” Because kids use fine motor skills to build it, it helps improve their concentration.
Once it’s finished and displayed at school, you can almost hear friends saying, “Wow, that’s awesome!”
Eyeball Tile Coaster

Here’s an idea where you use cork coasters sold at 100-yen shops as a base and decorate them with stickers and more.
Lately, tile stickers that were popular in the Heisei era have been making a comeback, and you can find a variety of patterns at 100-yen shops as well.
Decorations using remake sheets—those you stick on furniture or walls—are also recommended.
With a bit of creativity, the possibilities are endless, so go ahead and make coasters full of originality!
stone art

Let’s make stone art using materials close at hand, like those from rivers and parks.
Start by collecting stones and twigs.
Choosing stones without sharp edges will help you create cute pieces.
Also, selecting twigs with branches is a key tip for making a lovely work.
Arrange the stones and twigs you found on a frame or cork board, which you can also buy at a 100-yen shop.
As children think, design, and create on their own, it boosts their imagination.
You can paint the pieces, and it’s also nice to add pinecones, leaves, and other items besides stones and twigs.
[For 1st Graders] A Collection of Independent Research Ideas Using Everyday Materials (61–70)
Animal clay

This craft involves dividing paper clay into parts, then assembling them, painting them, and finishing them in the shape of an animal.
First, check what combination of shapes makes up the animal you want to create, and make parts that match the appropriate sizes and shapes.
After that, attach the parts, refine the overall form, and add colors and patterns to complete it.
If you use a paper plate as a base and attach the pieces onto it, it will look like a three-dimensional picture—highly recommended, too.
Tyrannosaurus made of paper clay

When it comes to cool dinosaurs that boys love, the Tyrannosaurus is number one! So this time, let’s make a Tyrannosaurus out of paper clay.
First, create the dinosaur’s base using aluminum wire and cardboard.
Once the base is ready, add volume with paper clay.
After the clay dries, paint it and add patterns and facial details.
When the paint dries, it’s finished! If you want your Tyrannosaurus to stand on its own, be sure to fix the wire in the legs to the base before adding the clay.
Cute lantern made with disposable chopsticks
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Looping Through the Night – Chiahi Sato
Let me introduce a cute lantern you can make with disposable chopsticks—fun to display and enjoy.
Prepare chopsticks, glue, and washi paper.
Cut the chopsticks and build the lantern’s frame.
The key is to keep an eye on the balance so the frame doesn’t shift out of place.
Attach washi paper from the back to create the lantern’s window sections.
Finally, glue the frames together to finish.
It’s also recommended to use your favorite colors for the window sections.
The light that leaks through the gaps between the chopsticks looks absolutely beautiful.



