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 play (21–30)
Paper Cup Christmas Lights
@chooobo2 This time, I’m introducing how to make the “Original Light from a Paper Cup 💡” that we’ll create in the workshop on November 16 ✨ The picture you draw will glow in the dark 😳! Since Christmas is coming, I drew a tree! Depending on age, just coloring and adding stickers is enough—the pen colors and sticker shadows glow and look so cute 🩷 This time I drew on a clear file, but drawing directly on plastic wrap is also OK 🙆♀️◎ (Use a transparent clear file.) Using a clear file makes it easier to draw than on plastic wrap, and the finished piece is less likely to break! Workshop details are posted in the Instagram Highlights!Made in DecemberChristmas craftsChristmas partyTranslation#HandmadeToysPaper cup craft
♬ All I Want for Christmas Is You – Mariah Carey
The glowing paper cup lights that shine in complete darkness are a big hit at Christmas parties, too.
Prepare a clear file, colored pens, paper cups, a craft knife, rubber bands, plastic wrap, and a light, and let’s make them.
Cut the clear file into a circle and draw an illustration.
Flip it over, color it in, then use the craft knife to cut out the bottom of the paper cup.
Place the circle on the cup, cover it with plastic wrap, and secure it with a rubber band so it doesn’t shift.
Add stickers around the outside, and you’re done.
If you point the light from the cut-out side toward a wall, the illustration will be projected.
It’s also fun to change the designs and make several different paper cups.
Easy and fun! Paper Cup Race
@houkagoday_yawara Paper Cup Race 🦑 Draw your favorite picture on a paper cup and let’s compete! Time trials or big group races are super fun too 😀 Materials: paper cups, vinyl tape, raffia ribbon (Suzuran tape), ball Goal: Think about how much force to use, pull so the ball doesn’t fall and doesn’t leave the course, and build your thinking skills ✊ Let’s try it! 🇯🇵child# developmental support (ryōiku)#AtHomePlayAfter-school day serviceNagasakiEducational#NeurodevelopmentalDisordersworkTranslationHandmade
♬ Pokopoko cute game style BGM(1527385) – sanusagi
Here’s a fun paper cup race you can make with everyday materials.
Get some paper cups, raffia tape (plastic ribbon), and vinyl tape ready.
Poke holes in the paper cups, thread the raffia tape through, and tie a single knot to assemble it.
It might be nice to draw faces on the cups with a felt-tip pen, too.
Once it’s finished, place a ball on the cup, pull the string, and start the race.
Move slowly and carefully so the ball doesn’t fall off.
Try timing your runs or competing to see who can reach the finish line the fastest and have fun!
How to Make an Easy Guitar
A simple guitar you can make with paper cups lets you easily live out the dream of strumming a ringing guitar.
First, glue the bottoms of two paper cups together.
Then stack another paper cup on each side with slits cut into them, and attach rubber bands into those slits—done.
The key here is the length of the rubber bands.
By choosing which slit to anchor them in and lining up rubber bands of different lengths, you can create differences in sound just like a real guitar.
Think about what kind of sound will make it feel cool, and fine-tune it into your ideal guitar.
Kids and adults alike will get hooked! Paper cup claw machine
A crane game you can make with paper cups that fascinates both kids and adults.
Punch small holes in the bottoms of two paper cups, fold them into eight equal sections, and alternate the folds back and forth.
Leave four of the sections as slits to create movable parts.
Next, insert a straw with cuts in it to act as the arms and provide movement.
Connect that straw section to the other paper cup, and you’ve completed a mechanism that can be operated like a crane.
By adjusting how you move it, you can enjoy grabbing prizes.
It’s relatively easy even for beginners at crafting, and the materials are simple to prepare.
It’s a fun idea that you can get excited about making together with kids—and have a great time playing with afterward.
Cute crafts for the kitchen
This is a craft project where you use everyday materials like paper cups, paper napkins, and water balloons to make small, play-kitchen-style items.
The book features recipe-style crafts focused on cute sweets such as ice cream, cupcakes, and pudding, making it feel as fun as flipping through a cookbook.
One especially noteworthy method is making a dome-shaped cup by pasting paper napkins onto a water balloon, letting it dry, and then popping the balloon.
Add toppings made from felt or origami to finish it off so it looks like a real dessert.
You can also customize paper plates and drink cups to create displays that look like a charming little shop.
It’s a visually delightful craft that sparks creativity.
Halloween paper cup gacha
Gachapon capsule toys are popular with everyone from kids to adults because it’s exciting to see what comes out.
This time, let’s handcraft a candy gachapon perfect for Halloween.
You can easily prepare it since the materials are all easy to find.
Cut holes and slits in a paper cup to create a pathway for the candy.
Make a handle and a tray to catch the candy using colored paper, then assemble the pieces.
Finally, add your favorite treats like hard candies, chocolate, or jelly beans, and you’re done.
Change the decorations for each type of candy, or draw ghost illustrations to create an even more festive atmosphere.
A moving ghost toy
This is a handmade, cute ghost toy that you can move around freely.
It’s very easy to make.
First, decorate a paper cup to create the stage where the ghost will move.
Color it, draw illustrations, and finish it off with stickers if you like.
Next, cut out a ghost from construction paper.
Attach magnets to both a wooden spatula and the ghost.
Make sure to check the orientation of the magnets’ north and south poles so they don’t repel each other.
Once the ghost and the spatula stick together with the paper cup in between, your ghost is ready to fly freely around the world of the paper cup.
It’s also safe to make since it doesn’t involve any cutting with blades.
A UFO catcher made with two paper cups
This is a paper-cup craft that lets you enjoy an arcade-like experience using only everyday materials.
Cut slits into the first paper cup, spread them open, and fix a straw in place to create an arm-like mechanism.
Punch a hole in the second paper cup and thread the straw through it to complete a movable arm.
Set lightweight toys or paper-made prizes in place, and kids can enjoy the excitement of aiming and catching them.
Playing with a device they made themselves boosts their sense of accomplishment and helps develop observation and problem-solving skills.
It’s a unique idea that’s both fun and educational, guaranteed to get everyone engaged.
How to make a croaking frog
This is a cute craft where a frog hidden inside a paper cup peeks out while croaking.
You make a hole in the bottom of the cup and insert a bendy straw; by using this straw, you can move the frog up and down.
The key is the bendable part of the straw—when it rubs against the hole in the paper cup, it makes a sound like a frog’s croak.
You can add originality by choosing the frog’s expression and decorating the paper cup however you like.
“Wankoppu,” which sounds like a dog’s bark
This is a craft project: a dog mascot made from a paper cup that emits a sound like a real dog when you pull a chopstick attached to its tail.
The key is how to attach the pipe cleaner tail.
Attach a clip to the end of the pipe cleaner, thread it through a hole made in the paper cup, and secure it so that impacts resonate through the cup.
Once this part is complete, decorate the rest using a small paper cup, origami paper, and so on to create the dog’s appearance.
Then, by pinching the pipe cleaner in the gap between the chopsticks and pulling, the pipe cleaner’s vibrations are transmitted to the paper cup, producing a sound that resembles a dog’s bark.