[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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[Summer Vacation Crafts for Lower Grades] Make it with familiar materials! Simple but amazing craft ideas (21–30)
5 Easy DIY Crafts You Can Try
Kids love crafts, but as first graders it can be hard to stay focused for a long time.
So here are some quick craft ideas you can finish in a short time.
You can make five things: a moving boat, a guitar, a fortune slip (omikuji), a ghost that pops out of a box, and a spinning top.
The materials are mostly recyclables—things you likely have at home—such as milk cartons, plastic bottles, wooden chopsticks, straws, ice cream sticks, and plastic bags.
You can play with each item after you make it, so once you’re done, decorate it however you like and put it to use as a fun at-home activity.
One-Handed Spinning Top
Speaking of bunbun-goma (whirligigs), the usual kind is a paper disc with a string threaded through it that you spin by pulling with both hands.
But this bunbun-goma can be played with one hand.
You can make it with common household items: two wooden chopsticks, cardstock, a straw, kite string, and rubber bands.
Cut the chopsticks, then firmly fasten the piece that the spinner passes through and the base piece together with rubber bands.
Cut two circles from the cardstock, glue them together to make the spinner, and thread the string and straw through the center.
Thread the straw onto the chopstick, and it’s done.
If the straw moves around, insert a toothpick to adjust it so it stays in place.
[Summer Break Crafts for Lower Grades] Make it with everyday materials! Simple but amazing craft ideas (31–40)
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!
stone art
Let’s make stone art using materials close at hand, like those from rivers and parks.
Start by collecting stones and twigs.
Choosing stones without sharp edges will help you create cute pieces.
Also, selecting twigs with branches is a key tip for making a lovely work.
Arrange the stones and twigs you found on a frame or cork board, which you can also buy at a 100-yen shop.
As children think, design, and create on their own, it boosts their imagination.
You can paint the pieces, and it’s also nice to add pinecones, leaves, and other items besides stones and twigs.
Crayon Shin-chan chewing bubble gum
This is a toy where a water balloon goes in and out of Shin-chan’s mouth, the main character of the popular elementary school anime Crayon Shin-chan.
Draw Shin-chan’s face on paper and cut it out along the outline.
Prepare another piece of white paper in the same shape.
Reinforce the paper with vinyl tape so it won’t tear, then cut out Shin-chan’s mouth with scissors.
With the top edge left open, tape the two pieces of paper together.
Finally, insert a slightly inflated water balloon through the open top and position it at the mouth to finish.
Try making it with your favorite character, too!
Cute mini-sized craft
Mini crafts made with easily available materials from 100-yen shops, such as origami paper, straws, and stickers.
You can whip up small items like keychains, mini bags, paper flowers, and wind chimes in no time.
They’re perfect for decorating your room or for small gifts to friends.
With a little creativity and ingenuity, you can make all kinds of accessories, so why not use the ideas introduced here as inspiration to create your own original pieces? Turning your own ideas into tangible form can be a very rewarding experience.
Funny Hundred Faces
This “Funny Hundred Faces” activity is perfect for people who love drawing and have time to take it slow.
It’s a foldable where you open up a square-folded paper and the expression changes bit by bit.
Draw several different faces—smiling, crying, angry, and more.
You can use your teacher’s or friends’ faces as models, or your favorite animals like rabbits or cats.
If you make it with a big sheet of paper, it could even work as a simple mask.
Since the main focus is on drawing illustrations, have fun while you create it!