Craft ideas using plastic bottle caps [for boys]
Did you know you can make crafts using everyday plastic bottle caps? With just a little creativity, those simple caps can turn into fun, moving toys like spinning tops, roly-polies, and target-throwing games.
Boys in particular are sure to get hooked on making toys they can build and play with themselves! In this article, we’ll introduce bottle-cap crafts that even elementary school children can easily make—projects that move, fly, and spin—so the play continues after the crafting.
Why not give it a try?
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Practical Handmade Items (1–10)
calculator
This craft lets you enjoy the spring-back feel when you press PET bottle caps used as calculator buttons.
Arrange the caps on cardboard as the calculator base, and add cushioning inside to create the rebound mechanism.
It’s important not only that the buttons can be pressed, but that they reliably return to their original position, so pay attention to the thickness of the body and the firmness of the cushion as you build.
Because it’s a simple project focused on the act of pressing buttons, it’s also a great idea to get creative with the decorations around it.
perpetual calendar
How about making a practical calendar—specifically, a perpetual calendar you can use forever? Stick seven pushpins across and six rows down on a board you like, write the days of the week from Sunday to Saturday at the top, and then place numbered bottle caps according to the calendar.
When the month changes, just rearrange the bottle caps, and you can keep using it indefinitely.
You can make use of chalkboard sheets sold at 100-yen shops, and instead of writing the days of the week, you could also stick on labels.
Tsum Tsum Magnet
Tsum Tsum is a popular game featuring round and cute Disney characters.
They’re also sold as plush toys, mascots, and stationery, and are especially popular with girls.
Here’s an idea to turn Tsum Tsum characters into magnets using plastic bottle caps.
Pack air-dry clay into the inside of a bottle cap and embed a magnet in it.
Wrap felt around the rim of the cap, then make the character’s face out of felt as well and attach it to the cap with a glue gun—that’s it! The round shape of the bottle cap is just right, and you might find yourself wanting to make a whole bunch.
paper lantern
Handmake lanterns like the ones you see at festivals using plastic bottle caps! Use an awl to make a hole in the center of a plastic bottle cap, then thread a thin hair elastic through the hole.
After threading eight caps in the same orientation, arrange them into a ring, tie the elastic securely, and trim any excess.
Make two of these rings, then connect them with cotton twine.
Attach black caps to the top and bottom, and glue the parts so they don’t come apart.
Finally, tie the twine to a chopstick topped with a yellow pom-pom and secure it with tape to finish.
When drilling holes with an awl, be sure to prioritize safety—for example, keep the cap on the table while you work.
coaster
These are coasters made from plastic bottle caps that you place under cups or other drink containers.
The method is simple: arrange the caps sandwiched between sheets of baking paper, then press with an iron and slowly melt them.
As you melt, be mindful of the direction you press with the iron and how much you flatten the caps so the coaster stays stable when a cup is placed on it.
Choosing caps that look more vibrant and experimenting with melting so each pattern remains visible are also key points.
Mosaic Art Box
Have you ever seen mosaic art made with plastic bottle caps? Some people create large pieces and display them as artworks, but how about making mosaic art on a cardboard box? All you have to do is glue on colorful bottle caps.
Just keep in mind you’ll need more caps than you might expect, so this is for those who have a huge, like really huge, stash of bottle caps (haha).
After you make it, you can use it as a storage box or a trash bin, so it’s practical too.
wind chime
A practical craft that’s perfect for summer: a “wind chime” made from plastic bottle caps.
Make holes in the center and side of the cap, remove the bottle’s ring, melt it, and use it as a decoration.
This time, let’s brighten up the look with yellow masking tape.
Thread a string through the center of the cap, coil it into a loop, and fit a brown cap in the middle to create a cheerful sunflower shape.
It’s a refreshing, original wind chime that lifts your spirits every time it sways in the breeze.
The steps are easy to follow, making it a highly recommended project for elementary school students.
