Make it with everyday materials! A collection of fun summer vacation craft ideas
Summer vacation crafts are exciting even just to think up ideas, aren’t they? Still, lots of kids probably find themselves wondering, “What should I make?” The truth is, there are plenty of fun, easy projects anyone can make using everyday materials.
With things like plastic bottles, popsicle sticks, and milk cartons, you can create pieces that will make your friends say, “Wow!” So this time, we’re sharing craft ideas that are perfect for summer vacation homework.
Take a look and get inspired by these playful projects that are fun just to browse!
Fun Summer Vacation Crafts You Can Make with Everyday Materials! Ideas Collection (1–10)
Torokira Keychain
Do you know those cute accessories with a little doll floating in a tiny plastic bag? You often see them as prizes at festival raffles, but actually, you can make them yourself.
You only need items mostly from a 100-yen shop—like a soft card holder, beads and glitter, liquid laundry starch, and masking tape—so it’s a budget-friendly craft project.
Add cutouts of your favorite character or idol to the decorations, and it instantly becomes merch for your fave! You’ll want to make them for everyone!
Transparent cute coaster
Summer is supposed to be hot, but don’t you feel like the summers lately are getting hotter every year? When it’s hot, we crave cold drinks—so why not make coasters to brighten up your drink time and turn it into a summer science project? You’ll be using two-part resin and other chemicals, so be sure to have an adult or an older sibling help you when handling them.
Aside from working with the chemicals, it’s basically just decorating coasters, so even small children can join in! We’re looking forward to seeing your cool, refreshing coasters!
A toy that uses a lid
https://www.tiktok.com/@n.annlee321/video/7477871280075607303Haagen-Dazs is hugely popular for its ice cream.
How about turning the lid—something you’d usually throw away—into a cute science project? In this video, they put sequins inside to make a shaker-style lid, and they also poke in pipe-cleaner flowers to create a little trinket box.
With a bit of creativity, you can use lids from other ice creams to make all kinds of toys.
For example, how about making menko (slap-battle cards)? The weight and thickness seem just right.
With bottle-milk caps, you could make character medals.
If you coat them with gold or silver paper, you’ll get super cool-looking medals.
Cute herbarium
Why not try making a herbarium, a popular interior decoration? Prepare a container, your favorite flowers and beads, and baby oil.
First, place the flowers and beads into the container, being careful not to overfill it.
Also, if anything tends to float when put in liquid, soak it in the liquid beforehand.
Once you’ve added all the parts, slowly pour in the baby oil, close the container lid, and it’s done.
You can also focus on choosing a stylish container and decorate it with stickers or washi tape to make it extra cute.
Handmade toy from a cheese box
https://www.tiktok.com/@n.annlee321/video/7503846465555401992Here’s how to make a banana tart toy that can be used both as a trinket box and for pretend play.
All you need is a round empty cheese box and some felt.
First, use a hot glue gun to apply evenly spaced vertical lines around the side of the box lid.
Once dry, attach brown felt with double-sided tape to create the distinctive tart base.
Cover the top’s packaging surface with white felt, then prepare three long, thin strips of white felt and braid them; glue the braid along the edge.
Arrange felt bananas on top, paint the bottom part of the box brown, and you’re done.
10 Musical Instruments You Can Make with Plastic Bottles
https://www.tiktok.com/@kajiijapn/video/6986956918719859970Plastic bottles are often used as materials for crafts.
So this time, how about making musical instruments with plastic bottles? Empty bottles can become drums, flutes, or maracas… With a bit of creativity, they can transform into instruments you can actually play! Bottle caps can also be turned into instruments by combining them with other materials, so don’t throw them away—save them.
It’s also a great idea to keep notes on how the sound changes depending on where you make holes and what you put inside.
Handmade chenille keychain
https://www.tiktok.com/@n.annlee321/video/7365437076654886160Let’s make a cute bee keychain.
First, stick double-sided tape all over a chenille stem and shape it into a rectangle.
Wrap a yellow chenille stem around it, then wrap a brown one to create the stripes.
Make wings from a clear file sheet, attach them to the body with the brown chenille stem, and add eyes.
Finally, attach the keychain hardware and you’re done! With a bit of creativity, you can make all kinds of insects and animals, so try making your own original keychains.
Handmade Happy Noodles
https://www.tiktok.com/@n.annlee321/video/7317570138859900162Looks just like the real thing! Let’s handcraft some happy noodles.
Flatten a cotton ball made from yellow embroidery thread to form a lump of noodles.
Also, wrap another embroidery thread around chopsticks and soak it in water mixed with liquid starch.
Once it dries and you remove it, it will turn into curly noodles, so make some of those too.
Use a small paper cup as the container and attach a package label you designed with a design app.
Put in the noodles and a packet of toppings, then stick on the lid to finish! You might even be able to use it as a keychain if you add some parts.
Cute mysterious bottle
A mysterious bottle where two liquids won’t mix even when tilted.
It’s a fun idea that works great as interior decor or a small gift.
First, fill the bottle about halfway with baby oil.
Next, add colored water tinted with food coloring.
Put in glitter or holograms as you like, cap it, and decorate the bottle to make it cute—and you’re done! The method is very simple, so even younger elementary school children can enjoy making it.
Along with the craft, try summarizing both your own ideas and the correct explanation for why baby oil and water don’t mix.
Cute goldfish scooping
When you think of summer, you think of festivals—and goldfish scooping, right? Let’s make a cute, handmade goldfish scooping game and have some fun! Prepare a cardboard box as the base and cut several slits into the sides.
Thread a thick blue string across the slits to represent water and create an aquarium.
Next, cut a paper cup to make a ring from the rim.
Attach a popsicle stick as the handle, and glue tissue paper to the inside of the ring to complete the poi (scooper).
Finally, tie individually wrapped candies with rubber bands, add eyes to make goldfish, and you’re done.
Arrange the goldfish in the aquarium and try scooping them up with the poi!