Recommended for elementary school students! A fun collection of craft ideas for first graders

Let’s make paper from various ingredients

[Research] Making paper from various ingredients [Experiment]

Paper is something we’re always surrounded by—whether it’s notebooks or toilet paper, there are many types of paper closely tied to our daily lives.

This is a free research project that shines a spotlight on paper: let’s try making paper from food and other materials! First, use a blender or similar tool to grind the food into a fine paste.

If it’s hard to blend, try adding a little water.

Use a tofu container and a mesh net like those for sink strainers to press out the moisture, then let it dry for at least a day in a memo-pad size sheet.

Put together your results with photos: which foods turned into something paper-like, and which ones didn’t?

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utatane

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Let’s make a mysterious postcard with grape juice

Color-changing!? Let's make a magical postcard with grape juice [Anthocyanin pigment/indicator/acidic and alkaline]

Introducing a grape-juice postcard you can enjoy not only while making it but also afterward.

Let’s start with the craft part.

Pour grape juice into a tray and soak a sheet of drawing paper in it.

Just like that, a mysterious postcard is complete.

Next, prepare a plastic cup with lemon juice, another with soapy water, and a paintbrush.

Dip the brush tip into either one and have fun drawing illustrations.

You can enjoy the magical feeling of the paper changing color as you draw.

It’s also a good idea to look up the reason behind the color change later.

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yamamoto

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Colorful Koropika Mud Dumpling

We had fun making colorful mud dumplings (dorodango) :)

Mud dumplings are something everyone got hooked on as a kid.

You’d gather the best-looking sand, try to make them as round and shiny as possible, and keep polishing even when it was time to go home—great memories, right? Since they’re made from soil and sand, they don’t naturally turn colorful, but with the kit introduced here, you can make bright red, blue, and yellow mud dumplings.

The tools are different, but the making process is the same as regular mud dumplings, so parents and kids can enjoy it together while reminiscing about childhood.

As long as you have the kit, you can work on top of newspaper indoors, so even children worried about heatstroke or virus infections can have fun!

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Yoimachi Jēn

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galaxy jar

How to Make a Galaxy Jar [Parent-Child Craft]: How to Make a “Bottled Universe.”

It’s a craft that compresses outer space into a tight little bottle—full of romance and wonder! It’s perfect for time at home, and not only kids but their caregivers will likely find themselves totally absorbed.

Since children will be handling it, use a plastic bottle instead of a glass one for safety.

Pack as much craft cotton as you can into the bottle, then pour in water.

Next, load the tip of a brush with your favorite watercolor paint and, as if poking into the gaps in the cotton, move the brush side to side to add color.

If you mix too many colors it can get muddy, so we recommend blending about two colors.

Adding glitter or star-shaped sequins makes it look even more magical!

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miyabi

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Let’s make a kokedama terrarium.

Make a Kokerium in 5 Minutes! How to Create One

A great recommendation for grade-schoolers with refined tastes is “kokerium.” Like an aquarium, a kokerium is an interior decoration made using moss.

Recently, more and more people are making their own as stylish accessories for their rooms.

If an elementary school student makes one, there are many possible approaches—such as researching different types of moss for an independent study project or creating one as a fashionable craft.

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Saitō Ayumu

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