[Summer Vacation Crafts for Lower Grades] Make It with Everyday Materials! Simple Yet Awesome Craft Ideas
Have you ever had the experience of working hard on a summer vacation craft project, only to have someone say it looks “simple”? In fact, with a little creativity, you can make projects that really impress people, even using basic materials.
Here, we’ll introduce craft ideas that even lower elementary school children can enjoy.
Using familiar items, you can create lots of projects that are more fun and interesting than they look.
Be sure to use these ideas to find a favorite craft that you’ll be proud to show off to your friends once it’s finished!
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[Elementary Lower Grades Summer Crafts] Made with everyday materials! Simple yet amazing craft ideas (191–200)
A soccer game you can make with straws
How about making a simple toy out of straws so you can enjoy soccer at home? It’s a fun, engaging game you can play together with friends or family! Another great point is that you can make it using familiar materials like an empty box and some straws.
Use the empty box to create the field and the straws to build the goals.
Attach straws to the player pieces you cut out from the box, and control them as you play.
It could be even more exciting to model the players after your favorite stars! This toy is sure to help kids develop dexterity and concentration.
We’ve shared detailed instructions in a video, so check it out and give it a try!
A whistle you can blow with a straw
Here’s how to make a whistle out of a straw.
Cut two slits at one end of a straw and trim it so the width forms a rectangle.
Cut the other end of the straw and fit it over the rectangular end, then secure it with cellophane tape.
Adjust the tape so the width becomes a square.
Cut another straw to about 5 centimeters and flatten one end.
Place the flattened end over the side where you can see the square gap, and secure it with cellophane tape.
The key is to test-blow it and check the sound before taping everything down firmly.
Change the lengths of the straws to create different pitches, fix them in place, and you’re done.
Kids are sure to get excited about a whistle made from everyday materials!
straw wrapper
Kids will be thrilled to work on making sound-producing instruments.
Here’s how to make a trumpet using a straw and construction paper.
Prepare a half-circle of construction paper about 25 to 30 centimeters across.
Roll the paper into a cone shape.
Cut both sides of the tip of the straw to create a pointed edge, then insert that pointed tip into the cut end of the paper cone.
Secure the construction paper and the straw with cellophane tape, and you’re done.
When playing, pinch the tip of the straw flat and blow.
It’s a simple craft, but it can produce a unique sound.
Plastic bottle drum
Simple yet loud! Here’s how to make a plastic-bottle drum.
First, cut off the bottom of an empty plastic bottle and wrap the cut edge with vinyl tape.
Next, stretch a balloon over the opening and secure it firmly with tape so it doesn’t come off.
Decorate the bottle with pens or stickers as you like! Finally, tape a 10 cm square piece of aluminum foil to the tip of a chopstick, crumple the foil into a ball to make a beater, and you’re done! It could be fun for everyone to make their own and enjoy a group performance.
Give it a try!
[Summer Vacation Crafts for Lower Grades] Made with Everyday Materials! Simple but Awesome Craft Ideas (201–210)
PET bottle air cannon
Recommended for kids who are bored with ordinary toys! Let’s make a plastic-bottle air cannon and play.
First, cut off the bottom of an empty plastic bottle, cover the cut edge with a balloon, and secure it firmly with tape.
Tie the end of the balloon so you can pull it.
Next, cut a few slits in one end of a toilet paper tube, wrap it with vinyl tape to reinforce it, then attach it to the bottle to make a handle.
Finally, make a few targets and you’re done! It’s a science toy that lets you have fun learning how air can knock down targets.
It’s easy to make, so give it a try and play with it!
Authentic handmade guitar
Here’s an introduction to a genuine-sounding guitar you can make using items like toilet paper rolls and paper cups.
You’ll also use a sample-size paper cup; the key is to choose one whose bottom fits the toilet paper roll.
Cut slits in the paper cup, hook rubber bands onto both the cup and the toilet paper roll, and stack the two pieces together.
By adjusting the position of the toilet paper roll, you can improve the sound when you pluck the rubber bands.
If you attach the sample cup and make a pick, you can create an even more authentic guitar—give it a try!
Crafts you can play with
In this Reiwa era, where digital devices have surrounded us since the day we were born, it’s nice to enjoy some analog play from time to time.
So here’s a summer craft you can make and play with right away: the “Wobbly Tree.” Glue a branching tree onto half of a toy capsule.
Hang rubber bands from the branches one by one, and the person who knocks the tree over loses.
If you substitute the toy capsule base with something else, you can make an even bigger tree.
There are also videos introducing other playable crafts, so if you’re interested, be sure to check them out.