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Simple yet amazing crafts: craft ideas that elementary school students will want to make

“I don’t have much time for crafts…” “But I want to make something that will amaze everyone when it’s done!” If that sounds like you, you’re not alone.

In this article, we’re sharing craft ideas with simple steps that still make you say “Wow!” when they’re finished—featuring clever mechanisms and magical effects.

From moving toys to piggy banks where coins disappear, these are fun, play-with-after-you-make-it projects.

They’re easy to try with everyday materials, so go find your favorite and give it a go!

Moving! Playable and Fun Toy Craft Ideas (81–90)

Let’s play with paper blocks!

Anywhere Art Summer Vacation Craft: Let’s Play with Paper Blocks!
Let's play with paper blocks!

Prepare some construction paper and try playing with paper blocks.

Using long, narrow strips of construction paper, make triangles, circles, and squares, then assemble them into artworks.

By folding or curling the narrow strips, you can express a variety of shapes.

Attaching the parts you’ve made with glue or clear tape and combining them will broaden the range of your creations even more.

As children think about shapes and combine them to make pieces, they can expand their imaginations.

You can also mount the combined works on construction paper for display.

For pieces with movement, hanging them with thread is also recommended.

A one-of-a-kind toy clock in the world

Summer vacation craft project: Want to make a one-of-a-kind toy clock?
A one-of-a-kind toy clock in the world

The idea is to make a clock using a clock movement and a board, then attach various toys to it.

You can get a clock movement at a 100-yen shop or a handmade goods store, and you can buy the board for the clock face at a home improvement store.

First, draw diagonal lines on the board to find the center point, and mark where to drill the hole for the movement.

Next, use a protractor to decide where to place the numbers on the clock.

After drilling the hole and painting if you like, it’s time to decorate the face.

Use a hot glue gun to attach the toys however you like.

Finally, secure the clock movement in the hole, and you’re done.

Arrange your favorite toys with style and create a wonderful clock!

disposable chopstick coaster

Easy craft with disposable chopstick coasters — great for camping DIY and summer vacation homework too!
disposable chopstick coaster

Introducing a chopstick coaster that lets you feel the warmth of wood.

Gather disposable chopsticks, glue, sanding sealer, varnish, and a brush, and let’s get started.

Glue chopsticks around the base board.

If you score the chopsticks with a utility knife before splitting them, they’ll break cleanly.

Lightly sand the tips to round them off.

Continue gluing the chopsticks from the outside toward the inside.

Adjust the size of the chopsticks as you go, fitting them while slightly changing the angle.

Brush on varnish and let it dry, and you’re done.

Give it a try!

Sea memo stand

Summer vacation craft! Make an ocean-themed memo stand with your child ♪ Easy, hassle-free resin ♪ Let’s pack in your memories, too!
Sea memo stand

Some families may go swimming at the beach during summer vacation, right? When we think of the hot summer, many children surely picture the sea.

So why not make a memo stand using resin with an ocean theme? Prepare parts to embed in the resin, such as seashells, sea creatures, and clear or blue stones.

Of course, it’s also nice to include shells you picked up at the beach.

Place your favorite parts and the memo stand into a container, then pour in the resin.

After that, leave it undisturbed for the specified time.

At this stage, the key is to prevent dust and debris from getting in—for example, by placing the piece in a box.

If you include seashells you collected at the beach, you can create a lovely piece that captures your summer memories.

Eyeball Tile Coaster

[100-Yen Shop DIY] Summer Vacation Craft Accessory: Simple and Stylish Googly-Eye Tile Coaster
Eyeball Tile Coaster

Here’s an idea where you use cork coasters sold at 100-yen shops as a base and decorate them with stickers and more.

Lately, tile stickers that were popular in the Heisei era have been making a comeback, and you can find a variety of patterns at 100-yen shops as well.

Decorations using remake sheets—those you stick on furniture or walls—are also recommended.

With a bit of creativity, the possibilities are endless, so go ahead and make coasters full of originality!