Paper cup crafts that elementary school kids will love! A collection of fun project ideas
By using familiar materials like paper cups, you can easily create projects that make people say “Wow!” There are lots of fun crafts that also let you learn about the wonders of science, such as beads that bounce with sound, pinwheels that spin, and planes that float gently through the air.
They’re perfect for summer vacation research projects, too! Even kids who aren’t good at crafts can make wonderful creations by following the steps.
Here, we introduce a variety of fun and mysterious crafts made with paper cups.
Be sure to read to the end!
- Let's play with paper cups! Crafts and indoor play
- Let's make toys with paper cups! Simple and fun handmade toys
- [Craft] How to Make a Paper Cup Rocket: Ideas to Make It Fly Far
- A simple yet amazing craft using paper cups! An idea that’s also great for independent research projects.
- Fun crafts using straws
- For summer vacation homework! Simple and amazing crafts for elementary school students that you’ll want to make after seeing them
- Simple yet amazing crafts: craft ideas that elementary school students will want to make
- Craft ideas using plastic bottle caps [for boys]
- [Nursery/Kindergarten] Crafts you can play with after making them
- [For Adults] Simple yet Impressive Crafts: A Stylish, Eye-Catching Collection
- Crafts parents and kids can enjoy together. Recommended craft ideas to keep children entertained.
- [Milk Carton Crafts] Fun ideas for elementary school kids. Perfect for summer vacation homework!
- [For toddlers] Simple but amazing craft ideas — including toys they can play with
Paper Cup Crafts That Elementary School Kids Will Love! A Fun Collection of Project Ideas (41–50)
cute hat
If you like miniature-style creations, I recommend making cute little hats.
This project shows how to make a straw hat using a paper cup.
You’ll cut fine slits, fold them, and build up the shape.
Once it’s finished, try tying on a ribbon or decorating it with stickers.
Using patterned paper cups is a great option, too.
Make lots while studying different designs.
The size is just right, so it’s perfect for dolls and figures.
Tokotoko Ghost
You can make a cute little “toko-toko” ghost that walks in a slightly clumsy way using a pudding cup, a paper cup, an AA battery, a rubber band, and twine.
First, cut slits in the pudding cup.
Next, wrap the rubber band and twine around the battery and attach it to the pudding cup to create the moving mechanism.
Finally, cover it with the decorated paper cup—add a ghost or jack-o’-lantern design—and you’re done! Pull the twine and let go, and the rubber band’s power makes it start toddling along.
It’s a fun craft idea that you can play with over and over after making it.
Magic hand
Why not make a magic grabber with irresistibly unique movements? First, prepare two paper cups.
On one cup, cut slits to match the shape of a hand; once you’ve formed five fingers, fold them back to the opposite side.
Next, make a roughly 2 cm slit at the tip of a straw, and staple it to the center of the paper cup you cut into a hand shape.
Finally, poke a hole in the center of the bottom of the other paper cup and thread the straw through—your grabber is ready.
When you move the straw up and down, the paper-cup hand opens and closes so you can grab things like paper scraps.
It’s fun to use when tidying up, and it could work as a crane game, too!
boat
You can make a boat that really moves using a paper cup! Make two holes in the side of a paper cup and attach it to a tray like the ones used for meat.
Make two holes in the tray as well, and thread a straw through them so it also passes through the holes in the paper cup—then you’re done! You can even add a flag if you like.
Now you have a propulsion-style boat that moves forward by squirting water from the straw!
Ogre puppet made from a paper cup
@hoikushisatomi [Easy to Make] Oni (Demon) Puppet CraftNursery teacher / Childcare worker#100-yen shop DIY#NurseryTeacherDailyLifeSetsubunOni of SetsubunPuppet
♬ Find you in the dark feat. Nenashi – Ovall
The “Oni puppet” made from a paper cup is a unique handmade craft idea that can be enjoyed year-round.
By simply attaching horns and a face designed from origami or construction paper to a paper cup, you can create an oni with lots of expression.
Both the materials and tools are simple, making it appealing for children to work at their own pace.
During the process, imagination is nurtured through experimenting with colors and shapes, and it naturally encourages interaction with caregivers and teachers.
The finished piece is fun to display and is a highly satisfying craft made from familiar materials.
