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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- 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)
A turtle that runs on rubber power!
Moving toys are appealing no matter how old you are, and they’re especially popular with lower-grade elementary school kids.
This is a paper cup turtle craft that zooms forward using rubber-band power hidden in its shell.
First, cut slits halfway down a paper cup and fold them in to make the legs.
The remaining part becomes the body.
For the face, stick round stickers on as eyes to make it cute.
Take a used AA battery, wrap a rubber band around it, attach kite string with cellophane tape, and set the mechanism inside the turtle’s shell.
Even though it’s a turtle, it moves surprisingly fast and with big motions—so much fun!
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.
Sunflower easily made with paper cups
Here’s how to make a sunflower using everyday materials like paper cups.
The best part is you can make it anytime if you have spare paper cups! It’s also great to include in activities at home or in day service recreation.
Cut around the rim of the paper cup and make several slits.
Open up the cup and cut it into petal shapes.
When adding color to the flower, you can stick on origami paper or washi tape.
If you prepare about three sets of petals made from paper cups, you’ll get a nice, full sunflower! Finally, glue everything together and attach a circular piece of construction paper in the center to finish.
Add a string and it becomes a hanging decoration—give it a try!
Paper Cup Merry-Go-Round
This is a project to make a merry-go-round that spins when you twist a bar sticking out from the side! Make holes in the side and bottom of a paper cup large enough for a straw to pass through, then insert a bendable straw from the side and out through the bottom.
Cut the protruding end into four equal sections, spread them open, and attach a circular piece of paper—now you’ve created the spinning mechanism.
Make the roof and pillar parts from construction paper, hang drawings of characters the children made from the roof, and assemble.
Twist the straw to spin your handmade merry-go-round!
Mysterious Microphone
Let’s make a mysterious microphone out of a paper cup that makes your voice sound funny! First, make a hole in the bottom of the paper cup that’s a little smaller than the bottom itself.
Next, attach aluminum foil to the rim (the drinking side) of the cup, and your microphone is done! After that, decorate the outside however you like.
If you speak from the bottom side, your voice will sound weird! It’s super easy and you can play with it right away!
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.
Snug Little Caterpillar
Let me introduce the Peekaboo Caterpillar that pops out when it sticks with a magnet.
Have the children help by threading pipe cleaners through the holes you make in the decorative balls with an awl.
They can create an original look by choosing the color order of the decorative balls, too.
Cut a plastic wrap tube into different lengths to make cylinders, then cover the outside with construction paper.
Stand the tubes upright on the construction paper, arrange them, and use glue to attach and secure them so they won’t fall over.
Put a magnet into a “Pita” pen (a magnetic pen) to finish—and you’re done! Give it a try!
