Paper cup crafts that elementary school kids will love! A collection of fun project ideas

A UFO catcher made with two paper cups

UFO catcher made with 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.

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mutō

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Halloween Jack-in-the-box

[Halloween Craft] [Pop-up Pumpkin Man 🎃!] A Halloween jack-in-the-box made with a paper cup and rubber bands!

It sounds so fun and exciting that you can make a jack-in-the-box using a paper cup! This jack-in-the-box consists of three parts: an outer cover made by decorating a paper cup, a pop-up pumpkin toy, and a paper cup with a mechanism that makes the pumpkin pop out.

The mechanism part, in particular, has quite a few steps, so it’s best for an adult to help with that section.

Once it’s finished, have an adult demonstrate the pop-up, and then let the children make the pumpkin pop out and play with it themselves.

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Hane Keisuke

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Cake-shaped accessory case

Here’s an idea for a cake-themed trinket holder made with paper cups.

First, take one paper cup and cut straight from the rim down to the base, then cut out the base as well.

Use this as the template base, and decorate it by attaching felt or construction paper to make it look like a cake.

Once you’ve finished decorating the base, attach it to another paper cup, and you’re done.

It’s easy and cute, and you can customize the decoration however you like—highly recommended! With a bit more effort, you can even add a lid to the trinket holder, so give that a try if you have the time.

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Hane Keisuke

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paper cup light

Let’s make an exciting item using a paper cup! First, cut a piece of a clear file (plastic folder) to match the size of the paper cup’s rim.

Use a permanent marker to draw any picture you like.

Next, cut out the bottom of the paper cup and decorate the sides with stickers, etc.

Finally, place the drawing you made on the rim side of the paper cup, cover it with plastic wrap from above, and secure it with a rubber band—that’s it! If you shine a light through the hole where you cut out the bottom and aim it at a wall, your picture will be projected on the wall.

It looks perfect for Halloween or Christmas too.

Try playing with it in a dark room!

How to Make an Easy Guitar

[Instrument Craft] How to Make a Simple Guitar (Rubber Bands, Paper Cups) [Handmade Instrument, Playable Toy, Playable Craft] Upcycling Play – For Preschoolers and Lower Elementary Students

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.

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kappamaki

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How to make a croaking frog

[Preschool Teacher] Make and Play Right Away! How to Make a Croaking Frog ✨ [Daycare & Kindergarten]

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.

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kappamaki

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Handmade maracas

Handmade maracas! You can easily make an instrument with paper cups and straws♪

This craft is inspired by maracas made with paper cups that produce a cheerful rattling sound when lightly shaken.

The steps are simple: put beads or finely cut pieces of straw into a paper cup, then cover it with another paper cup as a lid.

What you put inside is important—consider how different fillings change the sound as you make it.

Decorating the outside is also a key point; aim for fun decorations that match the light, lively sound of the maracas.

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kappamaki

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