[For Elementary School Students] A Fun Collection of Paper Clay Craft Ideas

A piggy bank with a wagging tail

How to Make a Tail-Wagging Piggy Bank [Paper Clay, Swan, Creative Piggy Bank]

When it comes to classic summer independent projects, a “piggy bank” is a staple.

The “Yucho Idea Piggy Bank Contest” held by Japan Post Bank is also well-known.

You might think, “Have all the ideas been used up by now?” but every year a lot of creative piggy banks appear.

So, here’s one to introduce: the “wagging-tail piggy bank.” The simple mechanism is that the weight of the coin you drop in makes the tail sway gently.

If you expand on this mechanism, you could adapt the idea to things like a fishing game or a dinosaur’s neck.

We recommend using air-dry paper clay, which you can paint once it dries!

Swaying mobile

Let’s easily make a mobile using a hanger and lightweight paper clay!

Swaying gently and so cute! Here’s how to make a wobbly mobile.

You’ll need lightweight paper clay, nylon thread (fishing line), paint, a wire hanger, bamboo skewers, a craft knife, needle-nose pliers, and water.

First, knead the paint into the paper clay to add color.

Next, shape it into stars, hearts, or any designs you like, and let them dry.

Once fully dry, tie a small knot at the end of the nylon thread to form a bead-like stopper and insert it into the paper clay.

Use needle-nose pliers to take apart the wire hanger and twist it into a spiral.

Thread the nylon line with the clay pieces through the wire hanger, and you’re done! Kids are sure to be captivated by the mobile spinning round and round.

Baskin-Robbins-style ice cream

[100-yen store clay] Baskin-Robbins-style ice cream

Baskin-Robbins ice cream is said to be appealing for its wide variety of flavors, and its colorful appearance makes it look delicious, too.

This is about recreating that colorful ice cream using clay.

The process is simple: mix paint into the clay to color it, then cut the colored clay and combine the pieces to match the flavor you want to make.

Once you’ve shaped it into a ball, use a toothbrush or a toothpick to create a bumpy texture to make it look more like real ice cream.

Finally, put the ice cream pieces into a cup and you’re done—using a real cup is also recommended.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

kappamaki

Report a problem

Ocean diorama

[Elementary School Grade 2 Summer Craft] All 100-Yen Shop Materials! Palm-Sized ♪ How to Make an Ocean Diorama

A diorama that can capture your summer beach memories.

You can easily make it with items from the dollar store, and it doesn’t take up much space, which is great.

First, mix ocher-colored paint into paper clay and attach it at a slight angle to the bottom of a jar with glue.

Add more glue on top, sprinkle sand, then mix blue pastel shavings (made with a tea strainer) with clear resin.

Create waves using clear resin and white paint, and brush them on to complete the sea.

After that, customize it to match your own memories with items like watermelon, swim rings, shells, and fish.

Since making people is hard, representing yourselves as animals—like rabbits or bears—results in a unique and cute piece!

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

hiyori

Report a problem

3 simple coasters

[For Summer Vacation Crafts 🍉] 3 Easy Coasters ✨❣️ #easy #summerVacationCrafts #summerHomework

How about making coasters as a summer vacation craft? Here, we’ll introduce three methods.

The first is a coaster made by arranging tiles on top of paper clay.

The second is a coaster made by lining up beads and melting them in the microwave.

The third is a summery coaster that expresses a seasonal scene by placing shells, sequins, and stickers in resin.

They’re all easy to make, so give them a try.

You can buy most of the materials at 100-yen shops.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

sasashina

Report a problem

A puppet made of cotton work gloves and paper clay

Let's make a handmade hand puppet using work gloves and paper clay!

Unique puppets! Here are some ideas for puppets made with work gloves and paper clay.

When you hear “puppet,” many people probably picture something made of fabric, right? This time, let’s make a work-glove puppet using paper clay.

You’ll need lightweight paper clay, work gloves, a sculpting spatula, scissors, cardboard, duct tape, and paint.

Compared to puppets made only from fabric, these have more three-dimensionality and impact, so they’re likely to shine in puppet shows and events.

It’s the perfect idea for anyone looking to create a unique puppet!

Making a bento (Japanese lunchbox)

Making a bento with paper clay!

Enjoy a picnic vibe even indoors! Here’s how to make a bento lunch.

You’ll need a lunch box, paint, plastic grass dividers, side dish cups, and paper clay.

First, use paint and paper clay to make the colors for the side dishes you want to include in your bento.

It’s exciting to create your favorites like rice balls, rolled omelets, sausages, and tomatoes.

You can also expand the play by brainstorming together and adding more dishes using materials you have at home or at school, such as yarn and construction paper.

Grab your handmade bento and let’s go on a picnic!