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

Let’s try making musical instruments from around the world

[Latin America & Education] Try it at Home: Let’s Make Musical Instruments from Around the World! [Rainstick]

Let’s make a rainstick, a musical instrument from around the world that sounds like falling rain.

Prepare toothpicks, an empty plastic wrap tube, rubber bands, beads, fabric scraps, nail clippers, a hole punch or awl, and glue.

Start by making spiral-shaped holes along the tube.

It can be slippery, so be careful while punching the holes.

Insert toothpicks into the holes.

Use the nail clippers to trim any parts of the toothpicks that stick out, then apply glue over them to secure.

Cover one end of the tube with fabric and fasten it with a rubber band.

Pour beads in from the other end, then cover that end with fabric and fasten it with a rubber band in the same way.

Decorate the tube, and you’re done.

It’s a rainstick that produces the sound of rain or waves—give it a try!

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My own handmade instrument

[Summer Vacation Craft] Stand out from the crowd with your very own original instrument! Trombone Edition

Let me show you how to make a trombone with a pleasing tone.

Prepare one thin PVC pipe, one thick PVC pipe, a funnel, vinyl tape, and aluminum tape, and let’s build it.

Slide the thin PVC pipe inside the thick PVC pipe to assemble it.

Insert a cut-off mouthpiece into the thin end and secure it with vinyl tape.

On the opposite end of the thin PVC pipe, wrap aluminum tape to slightly thicken the tip.

The key is to have a small gap when the PVC pipes are nested.

Attach the funnel to the end of the thick PVC pipe, and you’re done.

Blow into it and—surprise! You’ll hear the sound of a trombone.

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Three-dimensional sculpture made with wire and aluminum foil

Art project idea for upper elementary grades: 3D sculptures made with wire and aluminum foil

Let’s make the most of pliers! Here are some ideas for creating three-dimensional artworks using wire and aluminum foil.

By the upper grades, you can use a variety of materials and tools properly and safely, right? This time, let’s try a 3D sculpture by arranging wire and aluminum foil with pliers.

It’s recommended to decide on a theme before you start, but it can also be fun to expand your ideas by comparing accidental shapes with the images in your mind.

If you insert the pieces into styrofoam, they’ll be easier to display!

Cardboard guitar that makes sound

Let's Make a Sound-Making Guitar! [Cardboard Craft]

Let’s introduce a fun-to-make cardboard guitar.

Prepare one cardboard box, five rubber bands, a food tray, packing tape, glue, scissors, and a cutting mat, then let’s get started.

Draw a rough outline of a guitar on the opened cardboard and cut out each part along the lines.

Make slits along the long side of the food tray; the depth of the slits will change the sound it produces.

Thread the rubber bands through the slit area.

Attach the food tray to the hole in the guitar body part using packing tape.

Glue the neck and head together.

Then glue the neck and head onto the guitar body to complete it.

Paint it and add decorations to finish your own original guitar!

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A piggy bank with a wagging tail

How to Make a Tail-Wagging Piggy Bank [Paper Clay, Swan, Creative Piggy Bank]

When it comes to classic summer independent projects, a “piggy bank” is a staple.

The “Yucho Idea Piggy Bank Contest” held by Japan Post Bank is also well-known.

You might think, “Have all the ideas been used up by now?” but every year a lot of creative piggy banks appear.

So, here’s one to introduce: the “wagging-tail piggy bank.” The simple mechanism is that the weight of the coin you drop in makes the tail sway gently.

If you expand on this mechanism, you could adapt the idea to things like a fishing game or a dinosaur’s neck.

We recommend using air-dry paper clay, which you can paint once it dries!

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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Nakajima Junko

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