[For Seniors] A Collection of Craft Ideas Using Paper Cups

hat

[100-Yen Store DIY] A Hat Made from Paper Cups

Fingerwork can be great brain training, but what matters is what you do, right? So this time, here’s a stylish hat idea you can make with an easy-to-find paper cup.

All you need is, of course, a paper cup.

First, cut off the rim with scissors, then mark two points on the cup.

Cut a long, thin slit up to the back mark, and crease diagonally starting from the front mark.

Fold the paper as if weaving it alternately, and you’ll get a pattern like a straw hat.

Wrap a ribbon around it and secure it with glue, and you’re done.

It looks lovely as a decoration or perched on a doll.

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kojifumi

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Moving fan

Summer Vacation Free Craft: A Working Fan You Can Make with Paper Cups! Great for Upper-Grade Students Too

Hands are said to be a “second brain” because they are equipped with various sensors.

Stimuli gained by using the fingertips are transmitted to the brain, and research suggests that increased blood flow and activation in the brain can help prevent cognitive decline.

With that in mind, here is a craft idea that uses the fingers: a “moving fan.” First, cut part of a paper cup to make the propeller and the body.

Poke a hole in a plastic bottle cap, and fasten it using a toothpick, a rubber band, and some beads.

Attach it to the body, then twist the toothpick connected to the rubber band—the elasticity will make the propeller spin, completing your fan.

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Paper cup kendama

How to make a paper cup kendama! The hole is big and easy to land in, so even preschoolers can have fun playing with it!

If you make a paper-cup kendama, it can be a gift for your grandchild and a way to exercise your arms.

All you need are paper cups, string, and aluminum foil, so it’s easy to try.

The structure is simple: glue two paper cups together bottom-to-bottom, thread a string through, and hang a ball made by crumpling aluminum foil.

The way you play is slightly different from a traditional kendama—you toss the ball into the top and bottom cups.

It’s lightweight, so there’s no worry about injury if you drop it.

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yamamoto

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Fluffy shaved ice

Looks just like the real thing!? Perfect for summer! Fluffy shaved ice 🍧☁️ #preschoolcrafts #nurseryteacher #teachingideas #traineenurseryteacher #teacherlife #cotton #paint #easycraft #shavedice #summer

Known as a classic symbol of summer, fluffy shaved ice is an easy craft that’s also recommended for seniors and helps everyone feel cooler.

Use crayons to freely draw letters and patterns—like ice or a shop name—on a paper cup.

Then gently place cotton on top of the cup to form an ice-like shape.

Finish by painting the surface of the cotton with your favorite colors—red, green, blue, and more—to create a piece that looks just like real shaved ice.

Adjusting the amount of water in the paint and how the colors blend is part of the fun, as it lets you express different “flavors.” The fine finger movements provide stimulating brain activity, allowing you to enjoy a creative time that reflects the season.

It’s also visually striking and can instantly add a cool, refreshing touch just by displaying it.

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mutō

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Rocket

[Early Childhood Education] Fun for ages 3 and up! How to make a paper cup rocket 🚀

We’ll show you how to make a fun rocket that soars into the air just by stacking paper cups.

All you need are two paper cups, some rubber bands, and construction paper.

First, mark four evenly spaced points on the bottom of one cup and cut slits at those marks.

Next, make rocket parts out of construction paper and decorate them with the hope that your rocket will fly high.

Link the rubber bands together and hook them into the slits on the paper cup—now you’re ready.

Stack the other paper cup over it and press it firmly down.

When you let go, the rocket will shoot out with amazing force.

It’s also fun to play a game to see whose rocket travels the farthest!

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string telephone

[Craft Play 063] How to Make a Paper Cup String Telephone – Includes a Way for Three People to Play

In today’s world, where portable electronic devices like smartphones are the norm, it feels like opportunities to play with analog tools have greatly decreased.

So this time, I’d like to introduce an idea for a string telephone made with paper cups.

All you need are paper cups, twine, and beads.

Make a small hole in the bottom of each paper cup, thread the twine through, and secure it with a bead.

Do the same on the other cup; then hold the cups so the string is taut, and try speaking into one of them.

You’ll experience the curious phenomenon of your voice turning into vibrations that travel along the string and can be heard from the cup on the other end.

It’s easy to make, so your grandchildren might be delighted if you give it to them as a gift.

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kojifumi

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Make it for recreation! Paper cup crane

[Easy Craft] How to Make a Paper Cup “Claw Machine”

Let’s try making a paper-cup version of the ever-popular crane game from arcades.

The crane game market has been growing year by year, and it’s said that more than half of total sales at amusement facilities come from crane games.

Now, once you’ve prepared two paper cups, use one to make the crane body and the other to create the arm.

It nicely recreates that unreliable, hard-to-grab feeling of the arm.

The real machines move up, down, left, and right with control buttons, but for this crane, you’ll have to operate even the opening and closing of the arm by hand.