DIY science projects that elementary school boys will love: ideas you can make with everyday materials
For a summer vacation independent research craft project, you’ll want ideas that really grab boys’ interest.
In this article, we introduce craft ideas that boys can get absorbed in—like making a capsule toy (gachapon) machine out of cardboard, creating genuine fishing gear with a reel, and handcrafting air hockey or a basketball game.
They all look impressive yet can be made with everyday materials.
How about creating fun summer memories by playing with your favorite project together with friends?
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DIY science projects that elementary school boys will love! Ideas you can make with everyday materials (21–30)
Goggles that let you see behind you
You’re supposed to be facing forward, yet the scene you see is behind you! This is a science project idea that lets you experience something strange: goggles that let you see backward.
Arrange two mirrors in a V-shape inside a cardboard frame.
By mounting two mirrors diagonally relative to your line of sight, you can see the scenery behind you reflected in them.
The build is simple and doesn’t take much time, but the result is genuinely fun.
The angle at which you attach the mirrors and the distance between them are important, so it’s best to measure everything carefully.
handheld fan
In summer, you often see people carrying handheld fans.
Simply put, they’re small electric fans, but they’re very convenient because you can take them with you.
Here, we’re introducing a DIY idea for a handheld fan.
Use a toilet paper roll for the handle, popsicle sticks for the blades, and a bamboo skewer for the axle.
The coolest part of this craft is that when you pull the string, the blades actually spin! It doesn’t produce much breeze, but as the blades turn, the string winds up automatically, letting you spin it over and over—such a fun idea.
You can get all the materials at a 100-yen shop, so why not give it a try?
Hands-on science and craft projects that elementary school boys will love! Ideas you can make with everyday materials (31–40)
Let’s make a tornado bottle
Have you ever really watched how water swirls? You might have seen whirlpools in the ocean, but that’s probably only from above.
With this tornado bottle, you can see a vortex from the side.
Just put a few drops of dish soap into a plastic bottle of water and you’re ready.
Put the cap on and spin it quickly—the tiny bubbles created by the soap make the swirling motion of the water easy to see.
Try making a summary of patterns like: “This method makes it spin longer,” or “This kind of shaking also creates a vortex.”
tensegrity structure
“Objects are floating with no support…!?” The sight is so astonishing it feels like magic—that’s a tensegrity structure.
It refers to a form that maintains balance using tension rather than directly attaching parts to each other.
It might sound difficult, but you can make one with materials like cardboard, wooden chopsticks, and thread.
If you search on YouTube, you’ll find many different tensegrity designs, so pick one you like and give it a try.
Making bephosphamite
They’re like sparkling gemstones! Why not try creating them with your own hands? Here’s how to make crystals at home: biphosphammite.
Biphosphammite is crystallized monoammonium phosphate.
The materials are easy to obtain, and once you’re set up, you can make it in about a day.
You can either challenge yourself to grow a large crystal, or grow crystals as decorative accents on a base object.
As you work on it, you’ll grow more and more attached to it—and by the end of summer vacation, it might just become a treasure for life.
Powerful! Chopstick Gun
Prepare seven pairs of disposable chopsticks and plenty of rubber bands as materials.
First, use five pairs of chopsticks to make the main body.
Stack the chopsticks for the body alternately left and right so that about two-thirds overlap.
Secure them firmly at two points with rubber bands, then cut a notch at the front end to hook a rubber band.
Attach a short, cut chopstick to the rear of the body as the trigger, and glue another chopstick fixed in a V-shape behind that as the grip.
Your powerful chopstick gun is complete!
Cute lantern made with disposable chopsticks
https://www.tiktok.com/@mami_toys/video/7141827992879172866Let 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.
