DIY science projects that elementary school boys will love: ideas you can make with everyday materials

Lots of soap bubbles with DIY

@sachimama_asobi

How about going all out with bubble play this summer? 🫧 Regular bubbles are fun, but since it’s summer, if you’re thinking, “I want to play with a huge amount of bubbles!” give this a try—it's super easy to make! You’ll need: 8–9 straws, a 500 ml plastic bottle, double-sided tape, chopsticks, and bubble solution. You’ll also use a utility knife, scissors, and glue, so if small children are helping, please work together with an adult. How to make it: 1) Cut the straws into pieces about 1.5 cm wide. 2) Line up the cut straw pieces on double-sided tape to make a strip about 50 cm long. (I used 8–9 straws to reach 50 cm.) 3) Stick another layer of double-sided tape on top of the lined-up straws. 4) Roll the straws into a circle. 5) Slice the plastic bottle into a ring. (Personally, I recommend the “I LOHAS” bottle—it’s soft and easy to cut.) 6) Insert the rolled straws into the bottle ring. (If there are gaps, add more straw pieces to adjust. If the double-sided tape around the straws holds them in place, that’s fine; if it’s loose, secure with glue.) 7) Use a utility knife or awl to make a hole in the edge of the bottle ring, insert a chopstick there, and secure it with glue. 8) Pour bubble solution into a shallow dish, dip, and blow! You’ll get way more bubbles than usual, and it’s super fun! 🥰 It’s really easy, so save this and give it a try! +———————————————+ I’m Sachi, a mom of three rambunctious boys (ages 7, 5, and 1). I share play ideas and simple crafts with kids using 100-yen items, natural materials, and recyclables. Feel free to like, follow, or DM! +———————————————+#AtHomePlay　#AtHomePlaywork　#Summer Craft　Summer activitiesPlay with children#I love crafts　Handmade　 Childcare　sea　Summer　Straw　Straw craftOrigamiSummer Flowers　#Summer Seaplaying outside　origami　 #origamiSoap bubbles　Soap bubble#bubble#SoapbubbleSoap bubble play　Summer activitiesPlastic bottle　Plastic bottle crafts

♬ Utopia – imase

Let’s have fun making soap bubbles using short-cut straws! First, cut a long strip of double-sided tape and line up the straws, sticking them onto it.

Apply double-sided tape to the other side as well, then roll the straws up tightly from the edge into a spiral and secure it.

Glue on a ring cut from a plastic bottle to serve as a frame, and attach a stick as a handle to finish.

Dip it in bubble solution and blow.

Bubbles will come out from each straw, creating a beautiful effect, and lots come out at once, so even small children can enjoy it.

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sasashina

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Craft ideas made with origami and a shredder

@n.annlee321

The shredder was a fun crafting tool ☺️🙌 This is a piece my son made 😁 More details in the comments →#tiktok classroomLife with children#StayHomeTime

♬ Nerd Strut (Instrumental) – Gen Hoshino

Let’s use the shredding function that cuts paper into fine strips to create various shapes.

We’ll use a hand-crank shredder, and by controlling where you stop shredding and other small tricks, you can make different parts and combine them.

Food motifs are an easy example: if you insert long, thin strips sideways and shred them even finer, they can look like a coating or breading; roll up long, thin strips and they’ll resemble shredded cabbage.

By layering parts and experimenting with how you bend them, you can also add a sense of three-dimensionality.

Think carefully about how to reproduce what you want to make.

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kappamaki

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Paper cup Tyrannosaurus

[Summer Vacation Craft] Using Only Paper Cups! Easier T. rex (Tyrannosaurus) Project [Independent Study] Make It in One Day! Upcycled Craft [A Must-See for Moms and Dads]

This activity involves combining paper cups to create a three-dimensional, dynamic Tyrannosaurus.

The key is how you connect the cups: by trimming the edges and adding slits, you can set firm angles.

Build it by linking the cups from the head to the tail, then attach separately made legs and arms at the end to finish.

Try different variations, such as using cups of the same color for a cohesive look or mixing different colors for a colorful effect.

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kappamaki

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Making a marble run with an ice box

Summer is the season that makes you crave ice cream, and as you eat it, you might find the boxes piling up.

This idea uses those leftover ice cream boxes to make a marble run.

Use a large box, like a milk carton, as the base, and attach slopes made by cutting the ice cream boxes around it.

Adjust the angles and heights carefully, keeping in mind the strength needed so it won’t break when the marbles hit.

Using ice cream sticks to reinforce it is also recommended—they’ll make the whole thing sturdier and give it a cohesive look.

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kappamaki

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Let’s make music with plastic bottles

[Summer Vacation Independent Research] 07: Let's Make Music with Plastic Bottles!

This is a science project where you make music using plastic bottles that every household has.

If you prepare about seven bottles of the same size, you can start the experiment.

Adjust the amount of water and write on each bottle with a permanent marker which water level produces which pitch; that way, you can take them to school and perform in front of everyone.

This project is suitable for elementary school students in general.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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wooden clock

DIY Craft Recipe: How to Make a Wooden Mini Clock

Here’s a practical craft idea you can keep using even after summer vacation ends! How about making a wooden clock with a warm, soothing look? You can use a kit that includes all the materials, or just buy the clock mechanism and create your own original face and design.

Depending on your ideas, you can make anything from a masterpiece to something that will make people laugh.

A desktop-sized clock might be especially handy—you could put it on your study desk and get plenty of use out of it.

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Araki Jakkan

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Making a periscope

[No pranks] How to make a periscope / How to make a periscope!

Let’s try making a periscope that lets you see objects in high places by installing two mirrors.

You will need thick paper or cardboard, a printed template, and two mirrors.

Since we want it to be sturdy, this might be a good independent research project for upper-grade students.

Including explanations such as why you can see distant objects would likely raise the quality of the project.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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