Let's play with paper cups! Crafts and indoor play
Did you know that paper cups, which are handy as simple drinking cups, are also great for crafts and indoor play?
When it comes to paper cup crafts, string telephones are the classic example, but they’re also used for a variety of make-and-play projects like kendama and bamboo-copters.
This time, we’ll introduce some activities that use paper cups you likely have at home.
There are plenty of games that use paper cups as-is, so it’s perfect for anyone who wants to start playing right now.
If you’re looking for safe toys or games for children or the elderly, be sure to take a look for ideas.
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Let's Play with Paper Cups! Crafts and Indoor Activities (11–20)
[Craft Play] Ton-Ton Sumo (Paper Sumo)
![[Craft Play] Ton-Ton Sumo (Paper Sumo)](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/uoshgFw2Ohk/sddefault.jpg)
Let’s try making a Ton-Ton Sumo game using paper cups! Cut two slits on each side of a paper cup and push them slightly outward—these will be the wrestler’s hands.
Draw a mawashi and the wrestler’s face on the cup to create your own powerful-looking rikishi! For the base, use an empty snack box or similar, draw a circle, and make a dohyo (sumo ring).
It’ll be even more exciting if you make things like a ranking list (like the official banzuke) or a tournament bracket.
Giving your wrestlers ring names (shikona) is a great idea too!
[Craft Play] Pinwheel
![[Craft Play] Pinwheel](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/sjAsehvoEuc/sddefault.jpg)
Let’s make and play with a pinwheel using household items like paper cups, straws, and disposable chopsticks! Cut slits into a paper cup and fold each section at an angle.
Be careful—if you don’t angle them, the blades won’t catch the wind.
Poke a hole in the bottom of the paper cup and insert a toothpick, then fit that into a straw, and thread a disposable chopstick through the straw from the bottom—done! You can also decorate the cup’s blade sections with washi tape or draw on them with pens to make it colorful and cute.
[Craft Play] Bamboo-Copter (Taketonbo)
![[Craft Play] Bamboo-Copter (Taketonbo)](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/9ktd2kn6_pI/sddefault.jpg)
This is a taketombo (bamboo-copter) you can make with a paper cup and a straw.
Didn’t you play with real bamboo taketombo when you were a child? Since this paper-cup version is light and won’t hurt even if it hits you, you can play with it indoors.
To make it, cut slits in the paper cup, bend them at an angle to form the blades, poke a hole in the center, insert a straw through it, and secure it with cellophane tape—that’s it! It’s very easy to make.
You might also draw pictures on the blades so you don’t mix it up with someone else’s taketombo.
[Craft Play] Kendama
![[Craft Play] Kendama](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/xMhKWTh6zKc/sddefault.jpg)
When you think of kendama, you picture one made of wood with lots of tricks, and it seems like a difficult toy for little kids, right? But this kendama is a very simple one made from paper cups.
The materials and steps are very easy: just stick the bottoms of two paper cups together, thread a string through, and attach a ball made by crumpling newspaper to the end of the string.
The way to play is to get the ball into both cups.
It’s very simple, making it perfect for small children.
It doesn’t hurt even if it hits you, so it’s safe and highly recommended!
[Craft Play] Basketball Board Game
![[Craft Play] Basketball Board Game](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Bo-Kua5swa0/sddefault.jpg)
How about making a basketball board game using cardboard, ping-pong balls, and paper cups? It uses a lot of cardboard and includes some small gimmicks, so there are quite a few steps involved, but you can create a surprisingly authentic board game out of cardboard.
The orange ping-pong balls look just like basketballs and are really cute.
It would also be exciting to assign points to the paper cup goals lined up in the front and back and compete for the highest total score.
[Craft Play] Bowling
![[Craft Play] Bowling](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/U9qJ5HHcDp8/sddefault.jpg)
We’ll play by treating paper cups like bowling pins.
You’ll make a pin by attaching two paper cups together, but if you leave them as is, they’re so light that they’ll topple over right away.
Before taping the cups together, put a few marbles inside.
They’ll act as weights, and the pins will wobble unpredictably—almost falling over but not quite—which should make the game more exciting.
For the ball, crumple up some newspaper and wrap it all around with tape to hold it together.
It’s light and safe, so you can play to your heart’s content indoors.
[Craft Play] Dog Marionette
![[Craft Play] Dog Marionette](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/mxY_dBml2Qo/sddefault.jpg)
Let’s make a dog marionette using paper cups! It’s very easy to make: punch holes in the paper cups and thread strings through them, then attach two cups together—one for the head and one for the body.
Attach a chopstick to the tip of the head cup.
Tie four strings to the body cup and add round pieces of paper at the ends to make the feet.
Paint the cups any colors you like.
Add ears and draw the eyes, and it’s done.
Hold the chopstick and try moving the dog.
Its gently swaying motion makes for a very cute marionette.
[Craft Play] Flying Cup
![[Craft Play] Flying Cup](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/35A-6EnY490/sddefault.jpg)
If you throw a regular paper cup, it just plops to the ground, but this one is a mysterious, flying paper cup.
It’s very easy to make: attach the bottoms of two paper cups together, then use a paper clip to create a hook point in the center for a string or rubber band.
That’s it—but it will float and glide through the air with a curious motion.
This is due to the Magnus effect: as the spinning cup moves forward, air resistance creates an airflow in the direction of the spin, producing its strange flight.
[Craft Play] Fishing Game
![[Craft Play] Fishing Game](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/6qy7YfhTIas/sddefault.jpg)
It’s a fishing game that uses paper cups.
In many fishing games, you hook fish-shaped paper cutouts and compete to see how many you can catch, but this one has “win” and “lose” results, so kids are sure to love it.
The fishing rod is also made from a paper cup with a magnet inside.
The items you catch are paper cups as well, and each one contains a winning or losing token that you can’t see until you reel it in.
Decorate the tokens with seasonal themes and enjoy playing.
[Craft Play] String Telephone
![[Craft Play] String Telephone](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Tsctf3eHWkE/sddefault.jpg)
When it comes to classic paper cup games, this is the one: the string telephone.
I bet everyone played with it as a child.
As a kid, I’d stretch the string as far as I could, really curious to see how far the sound would travel (lol).
It’s very easy to make: poke a hole in the bottom of a paper cup, thread some twine through it, wrap it around a toothpick, and tape it to the bottom of the cup with cellophane tape.
When the string is pulled tight and straight, your voice travels through the vibrations.