Amazing discoveries with everyday materials! Fun summer vacation independent research ideas
Many children probably still haven’t decided on their summer vacation independent research project yet, right? For those of you thinking, “I want to do something interesting!” but wondering, “What theme should I choose?”, here are experiment and observation ideas that will make you think, “I want to try this!” From fun experiments you can do with everyday materials to studies where you can observe the fascinating behavior of living creatures—these are all activities anyone can enjoy.
Through your independent research, new discoveries and excitement are waiting for you!
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Amazing discoveries with everyday materials! Fun summer vacation independent research ideas (61–70)
Making a piggy bank
When it comes to classic kids’ crafts, making a piggy bank is a favorite! There are many ways to do it, but an easy method is to cover a plastic bottle with paper clay and paint it with colors.
As long as there’s a slot for the money, the shape and colors are up to you.
Let your imagination run free and create your own original piggy bank.
Entering it in a piggy bank contest would make for a great memory, too!
Cooler made with 100-yen shop items
Air conditioners make rooms nice and cool, but installing one is expensive and maintaining it—like cleaning—can be a hassle.
So this time, we’re introducing a portable DIY cooler! Cut a hole in the lid of a cooler box and attach a small fan.
After creating an air outlet on the side of the cooler, add dividers inside to keep ice packs standing upright.
Attach a box on the outside of the cooler to hold a battery, and you’re done.
If you use a mobile battery, it’ll be a great item for camping and other outdoor activities, too.
Butterfly flower hair clip
Let’s make adorable butterfly and flower clips.
In the video, the butterfly part uses store-bought pieces, but you can also cut your own from sturdy materials like construction paper.
First, decorate the butterfly freely with colored pencils or beads.
Then simply use a hot glue gun to attach the butterfly to a clip, and you’re done! You can make the flowers the same way: punch out lots of flower shapes from origami or construction paper, layer them, and glue them to a clip.
They’re perfect not only for holding books and notebooks, but also as cute interior decorations.
These bright, cheerful accessories will liven up your mood—give them a try!
I tried making a Super Ball.
Super balls are attractive for their colorful appearance and exceptional bounciness.
Because they absorb impact and rebound strongly, many of you probably remember bouncing them high when you were kids.
How about making your own super ball by hand? This time, we’ll use a store-bought kit, so there’s no need to gather materials individually—you can easily make one by following the included instructions.
Since the process involves using hot water and fine metallic powder, be sure to work together with an adult.
Create a one-of-a-kind original ball and have fun playing with it over summer vacation!
A truly usable cooler made from cardboard
Here’s a DIY cooler idea using cardboard, plastic bottles, a battery pack, and a motor.
First, cut three circular holes in the side of the cardboard box, each the same size as the bottom of a plastic bottle.
Insert and secure plastic bottles cut to one-third length into the holes, using the bottle neck ends.
On the inside of the cardboard, attach a propeller to the side opposite the bottles, and make small holes on both sides.
Mount the motor’s switch on the lid, place ice packs inside, and close the box to finish.
Decorate as you like with vinyl tape or similar materials.
Research brimming with love for Dragon Ball
I think it would be fun to choose Dragon Ball, an anime that’s extremely popular with kids, as the theme for an independent research project! Dragon Ball is loved by a wide range of generations, from children to adults.
You could count the sound effects that appear in the manga, present them with graphs and numbers, and note how many times the same sounds are used.
It might also be enjoyable to think about how powerful the Kamehameha is, or to research how nutritious senzu beans are.
Over the long summer vacation, incorporating something you’re interested in into your independent research could help deepen your knowledge.
The relationship between bread and sugar
Let’s explore how different amounts of sugar change bread by conducting a free research project on the relationship between bread and sugar.
Prepare several bowls, each containing the same amounts of cake flour, dry yeast, salt, butter, and water.
Vary only the amount of sugar in each bowl, then knead the doughs.
Carefully observe how the dough feels while kneading: what texture appears in doughs with more sugar, and what texture appears in doughs with less sugar? It might be helpful to record each stage—first proof, second proof, and baking—with photos to see how the dough responds at each point.
Enjoy this hands-on research project using everyday bread!