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 make toys with milk cartons! Easy and fun DIY crafts!
- Let's Make and Play! A Collection of Homemade Kendama Ideas
- Crafts parents and kids can enjoy together. Recommended craft ideas to keep children entertained.
Let's Play with Paper Cups! Craft Activities & Indoor Games (61–70)
A toothbrushing doll to make with children
Fun from infancy! Here are ideas for making toothbrushing puppets with your children.
You’ll need a milk carton, colored construction paper, and white round stickers.
Cut the milk carton and transform it into your favorite animal! For the final touch, stick the white round stickers—pretending they’re teeth—inside the mouth.
Infants can enjoy this step too, so it’s great to work on together with parents or teachers.
How about practicing scrubbing teeth with the milk-carton toothbrushing puppet you made as a team?
Anpanman Cup
@yumiy381 I tried making a cute Anpanman cup using a paper cup! It’s also adorable to fill it with your favorite things and give it as a gift! This one is easy too—just cut and paste and you’re done, so please give it a try!#cuteTranslationpaper cupFeltFunAnpanmanHandmadePresentRecommended for giftsNursery teacher / Childcare worker#Kindergarten
♬ San San Taisou – Kaori Inoue
Make it with felt! Here are some ideas for Anpanman-themed cups.
You’ll need paper cups, felt, a clear file folder, double-sided tape, scissors, and a pencil.
This idea is great for gifts and events.
Cut the felt to fit the size of the paper cup and stick it on with double-sided tape.
Cut out parts like the Anpanman belt and attach them to the cup to finish! It’s fun to decide what to put inside the cup—candy or stationery are great options.
Give it a try!
Cooperation-Required Cup Game
@.vs9086 This time it’s a “cooperation-required cup game”! Materials: • 4 strings • 1 rubber band • Paper or plastic cups How to play: • Attach the 4 strings to the rubber band. • Line up the paper cups. • Tug the rubber band from four directions to grip the cup and stack them into a pyramid. This game builds fine hand control and concentration. Plus, one person can take the lead by giving instructions, and the other listens and responds. You can’t do it unless the two of you work together. My second son isn’t very cooperative and hasn’t really had experiences of accomplishing something together with friends, so I hope that, even through play, he can gradually gain experiences of achieving something with someone else. If you have paper cups, you can also branch out into other games like: • Sport stacking • Bowling ————— We share fun brain-boosting activities that elementary schoolers will get more absorbed in than a Switch—and that help grow their talents! Check out the other posts, too! —————Elementary school kids' playBrain-boosting playSTEAM education
♬ Cheap and cute athletic meet classic song(1085557) – Kids Sound
It’s hard to reach goals alone! Here’s a cup game that requires teamwork.
It’s a game idea where you and your friends coordinate your timing to grab and move cups.
Once you tie four strings to a rubber band, you’re ready to go! Two people work in sync to grip a cup.
Try building a pyramid or stacking them high—get creative with different arrangements.
The subtle balance of force and tiny timing mismatches that make the cups not move as you want can be surprisingly addictive!
Chomping Toothbrushing Made with a Paper Cup
Make toothbrushing feel more familiar with pretend play! Here’s a fun idea for a chompy toothbrushing craft made from a paper cup.
You’ll need a paper cup, colored construction paper, a sponge, a popsicle stick, white round stickers, and glue or double-sided tape.
Since the main material is a paper cup, it’s easy to prepare—how nice! Adjust the steps to suit the children’s ages, and consider making a paper-cup toothbrushing puppet as a crafting activity.
Make it and have fun playing with it!
Paper Cup Catcher
@ranmaru_shien Paper Cup Catcher#HandmadeToysworkChildcareEducational# developmental support (ryōiku)#AtHomePlay
♬ The Peak – SEKAI NO OWARI
Introducing the Paper Cup Catcher, a cooperative game for two players! Prepare several paper cups of the same size.
Tie four strands of raffia string (or similar ribbon) to a single rubber band, and you’re ready to go.
Each player holds two strands, and together you use the rubber band to grab a paper cup from a row and stack it onto another cup placed beside it.
Adjust the pulling tension and coordinate your strength to clear the game as a team! It’s also fun to prepare lots of cups and compete to see which pair can stack the most within a time limit.
[Shooting Game] Safe Shooting with Paper Cups
![[Shooting Game] Safe Shooting with Paper Cups](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Hmn5pPjITR8/sddefault.jpg)
Many adults probably felt excited by shooting gallery games, too.
Let’s make a safe version for kids using paper cups.
An adult should handle cutting out the bottom of a paper cup with a utility knife.
After trimming a second paper cup to make it shallow, cut a slit in its base and secure a rubber band by hooking it onto a stick.
Then stack the cups, pull the rubber band, and release—that’s it! Since the cups are paper, it won’t hurt much even if someone gets hit, but make sure you have plenty of space before playing.
puppet
Introducing a marionette made with paper cups! This craft is perfect for parents and kids to make together, and you can play with it after you’re done.
First, use paper cups to create the puppet’s head and body.
Next, make the arms and legs by attaching plastic bottle caps to the ends of long, thin strips of construction paper, then stick them onto the body.
To finish, prepare some string such as packing twine: fix one end to the puppet’s head and the other end to a pair of disposable chopsticks to complete the mechanism that moves the puppet! If you have time, try adding more puppets or control strings to create a more authentic puppet show.
Give it a try!
roly-poly toy
With a roly-poly toy, you can finish the look to match the season or your preferences.
Let’s start by explaining how to make it.
The steps are simple, and the only materials you need are a paper cup, a gacha capsule, and a marble.
First, remove one half of the capsule and tape the marble inside it with cellophane tape.
Next, turn the paper cup upside down and attach the capsule to the rim—then it’s done.
From there, you can turn it into any motif you like by decorating the cup.
Try coming up with seasonal characters or figures.
Beanbag Treasure Hunt
This is a game where you hide a beanbag under one of several overturned paper cups and guess which one it’s in.
Since you only need a tabletop and minimal preparation, it’s enjoyable for a wide range of ages, from children to seniors.
You can play head-to-head by taking turns lifting cups, or compete to see who can find the beanbag hidden under the cups placed in front of each player first.
It’s nice that the simple rules allow for many variations.
By increasing the difficulty—such as by re-covering cups after they’ve been opened—it also becomes a memory-training activity.
It’s an easy-to-play treasure-hunt game.
Tokotoko doll
This is an adorable toddling toy made by combining a paper cup and a battery, and the way it scampers along is irresistibly cute.
Make small slits at two spots on the rim of the paper cup and at the two spots directly opposite them, then fold the slits outward.
Prepare a part by attaching a rubber band to a battery and securing it with cellophane tape.
Hook the rubber band into the slits so it sits inside the cup, and tape it in place.
After adding animal ears or legs to the cup, or drawing your favorite character on it, twist the battery and set the cup upside down.
You’ll be delighted to see it move faster and cuter than you imagined!
