Simple yet amazing crafts made with milk cartons! A collection of ideas that will captivate elementary school children and toddlers.
Don’t you think it’s a waste to throw away those milk cartons you always use? In fact, just by making use of their boxy shape, they become perfect materials to make kids’ summer craft projects more fun.
What’s more, the things you can make with milk cartons are simple yet impressive—sure to make people say “Wow!” Here, we’ll introduce idea-packed crafts like a capsule toy machine, pixel art, and a motorcycle that even young children can enjoy.
Because the materials are so familiar, the sense of accomplishment is all the greater when you’re done.
Be sure to use this as a reference and enjoy making some wonderful crafts!
Easy but Awesome Crafts Made from Milk Cartons! A Collection of Ideas (1–10) That Will Fascinate Elementary School Kids and Preschoolers
gachapon
Gachapon machines that captivate kids and adults alike! How about making your own using everyday materials like milk cartons? It looks adorable and is perfect for summer vacation projects or crafts.
All you need are two milk cartons, a toilet paper roll, and other easy-to-find items.
Plus, you can learn how a gachapon mechanism works—two birds with one stone! If you prepare your own original design and capsule prizes, children will enjoy it even more.
The result will be so impressive, no one will believe it’s made from milk cartons!
Infinity Cube made from a milk carton
The endlessly flippable infinity cube is so much fun, isn’t it? Let’s make one using milk cartons.
First, wash and dry the cartons, then prepare two cartons with the top and bottom cut off.
Cut each one into eight vertical strips to make 16 long, narrow pieces.
Next, use two pieces to make one cube.
There’s a trick to how the cubes are connected, so be careful not to connect them the wrong way.
Once you’ve connected them correctly, stick origami paper on top, and you’re done.
kaleidocycle
Perfect for a summer vacation science project, let’s make a kaleidocycle using milk cartons! A kaleidocycle is a fascinating toy where four faces rotate and change continuously.
Prepare two milk cartons opened flat and tape them together; cut off the spout sections.
Next, lightly draw diagonals and slanted lines on the inside of the cartons, and valley-fold all the slanted lines.
After adding fold creases along the vertical lines as well, tape the two ends together, then fold along the creases to close it up—and you’re done! You can draw your favorite pictures on each face, or even create a storybook-like sequence for extra fun.
slider
This is a slider made from milk cartons, perfect as a toy for small children.
All you need are a few milk cartons to make it, so it’s a very eco-friendly craft.
Combine opened milk cartons with cartons used as pillars! By adding a slope, kids can roll marbles or acorns down it.
Connect two or three levels to make it more advanced.
It doesn’t have to be perfectly shaped—if it’s connected, it’s fine! It’s also great as a summer vacation project, so try making it together as a parent-child activity.
House-shaped storage shelf
Don’t milk cartons look like little houses? Let’s make a house-shaped storage shelf inspired by that shape! It’s a fun summer break craft to do with your kids while thinking about recycling.
The basic method is to cut the milk carton and decorate it with things like craft bands.
When making the shelf section, you’ll be cutting right along the edge of the carton, so be careful when using a utility knife.
Feel free to decorate the walls, roof, and windows however you like! You can display it in your room as a miniature house or use it to store your favorite items.
Conveyor Piggy Bank
The piggy bank that’s a staple of summer vacation crafts.
If you want to make something a bit quirky and fun, how about a conveyor-belt piggy bank? It’s a very unique piggy bank where coins are carried along on a belt conveyor! The conveyor mechanism might be a little tricky to build, but once that’s done, all you have to do is set it into a cut milk carton.
It could be cute to design it so that your original character ends up “eating” the coin at the end.
chair
Let’s collect the milk cartons you drink every day and make a chair! It’s a great parent–child project to try during a long vacation like summer break, steadily drinking milk each day.
First, cut open the milk cartons.
On the bottom side, cut diagonally with scissors to create a zigzag edge.
Do the same on the opposite side, then assemble the carton into a triangular prism and stuff it with newspaper.
Make 24 of these.
Combine them into parts—one part using 5 prisms and another using 7—and put the parts together to form a hexagonal chair base.
Reinforce the seat with cardboard, attach your favorite fabric, and you’re done! You can create various chair shapes depending on how you combine the parts, so give it a try!
vending machine
Believe it or not, you can hand-make a vending machine that dispenses properly with the push of a button! It’s a great craft for summer vacation projects, using milk cartons.
Since it doesn’t use rubber bands or springs, kids can try it easily.
Use a tissue box to make the internal mechanism and a milk carton for the vending machine body.
For the canned drinks, roll up milk cartons cut into strips.
You can even design your own can labels! Your friends will definitely be amazed and ask, “How did you make this?”—it’s a surefire crowd-pleaser.
Milk carton server
If you want your child to enjoy drinking milk, why not make a milk carton server together? Even kids who don’t like milk might be happy to drink it! It’s also great for summer break projects and crafts.
The steps are simple, making it perfect for children to try.
Just poke a hole in the bottom of a small plastic bottle and set it on top of a milk carton.
Because the hole is small, opening and closing the bottle cap lets the milk start and stop flowing due to air pressure.
Have fun decorating the carton, adding a little door, and customizing it however you like!
Camera craft
Let’s try making a camera using a milk carton.
A camera is handy for taking photos and preserving memories.
It’s a simple version, but you can make it yourself.
You’ll use a milk carton, a plastic bag, a magnifying glass to act as a lens, and black construction paper.
First, cut off the top and bottom of the milk carton.
On one end, fold the edges inward about 1 cm on all four sides, then cover it with a cut piece of plastic bag and secure it.
Next, make a tube out of black construction paper that’s just a little larger than the milk carton, and fold in the edges on one end in the same way.
Fix the magnifying glass there, and then insert the milk carton you prepared earlier into the inside of the tube to finish.
Take it outside and experiment to see how it looks!
