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!
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- For summer vacation homework! Simple and amazing crafts for elementary school students that you’ll want to make after seeing them
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- 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! Fun Project Ideas (21–30)
paper-cup wind chime
Let’s make wind chimes using paper cups.
Because the materials are familiar, children will be interested and eager to participate.
Patterned paper cups are, of course, cute, but it’s also great to have the kids draw on white construction paper and then stick it onto the cups! Once the body is ready, make a hole in the paper cup and thread twine through to attach a bell and a strip of paper.
Since this involves fine work, the teacher should handle it.
If you choose construction paper for the strip as well, the children can create their own original designs.
Displaying the wind chimes in the classroom will bring a cool, refreshing atmosphere.
How to make a paper-cup kendama
This is a paper-cup kendama made with a paper cup and plastic bottle caps.
First, poke a hole in the center of the bottom of the paper cup and thread a 60 cm piece of yarn through it.
Be careful not to hurt yourself when making the hole.
Tie a knot at the end of the yarn so it won’t slip out, and secure it to the outside bottom with cloth tape.
Tie a knot in the other end of the yarn as well, place it between two plastic bottle caps facing each other, and fasten them together with cloth tape.
That’s all it takes to complete the main body! After that, customize it with stickers or markers in any design you like.
It’s great because even kids who struggle with a real kendama can have fun and play together!
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.
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.
“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.
