Elementary School Students: Simple One-Day Science Project and Craft Ideas
For elementary school summer break projects and crafts, we recommend starting with something your child is already interested in.
When it’s something they like, they can enjoy working on it.
Here, we introduce simple ideas for elementary school students! These are experiments and crafts you can do in a single day.
The materials are things you already have at home or can get quickly, so even if you’re short on time, no worries.
Perfect for those who are “stuck on a theme” or “looking for an easy and fun project”! Find your favorite and give it a try.
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[Elementary School] Easy One-Day Independent Study & Craft Ideas (101–110)
Snowflakes made of yarn
@hoikushisatomi [From around age 4] Snowflakes with yarnNursery teacher / Childcare workerKids will love it#NurseryTeacherDailyLifeHand gamesworkTranslation#NurseryTeacherThingsKnitting yarn#YarnPlay
♬ Stylish cafe-style BGM – Hiro Hattori
After cutting three disposable chopsticks short, use two of them to make an X shape, then place it over the remaining stick set vertically and secure them with yarn.
Next, wrap more yarn around them to create a snowflake.
When wrapping, go one stick at a time: loop the yarn once around a stick, then move on to the next chopstick.
The yarn doesn’t have to be the same color—switching to a different yarn partway through creates a pretty pattern.
You’ll get a variety of snowflakes depending on how many wraps you make and the types of yarn you use, so try making several kinds.
How to Make an Easy Guitar
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.
For demon-slaying only! Bean-throwing rubber band gun
Oni-busting only! Here’s how to make a bean-throwing rubber band popper.
Prepare chopsticks, roasted soybeans (fukumame), construction paper, tape, scissors, and rubber bands.
Roll the construction paper into a tube, then secure the tube with rubber bands by clamping it between a pair of chopsticks folded in half.
The key is to wrap the rubber bands tightly so they don’t loosen.
Be careful not to cut your hand on the ends of the chopsticks.
When launching, dent the tip of the paper tube, hook on a rubber band, set it, and play.
When playing, don’t aim at people and make sure to play safely.
How to make a croaking frog
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.
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!
[Elementary School Students] Simple One-Day Ideas for Independent Research and Crafts (111–120)
A beanbag-toss game using ping-pong balls
Here’s a fun and engaging game using ping-pong balls: a ball-toss challenge.
Gather chopsticks, clothespins, tape, and paper cups to make it.
When building the launcher, be mindful of the angle as you fix the chopsticks in place with tape.
Secure them firmly with tape and test to make sure it works properly as you build.
Attach a pair of plastic bottle caps to the back end of the chopsticks, and it’s complete.
You can decorate it however you like.
Stick paper cups on the wall to create goals, then try shooting from the launcher and have fun playing!
Paper yo-yo made from disposable chopsticks and wrapping paper
Let me introduce a paper yo-yo made from chopsticks and wrapping paper that’s fun to stretch and snap back.
Prepare some chopsticks and wrapping paper, and let’s get started.
Measure the length and cut the wrapping paper into a rectangle, then join the pieces with glue or tape.
Secure a chopstick with tape and roll the paper around it.
The key is to roll it tightly so there are no gaps.
Finish with decorations, and it’s done.
Try different wrapping papers to make your own original paper yo-yo and have fun! Be safe and don’t aim it at people.