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 Free Research / Craft Ideas (231–240)
Cute crafts in the kitchen
Do you know the book “Cute Crafts in the Kitchen for Elementary School Students,” published by Gakken? It’s packed with fun craft ideas, including many that would be perfect for summer vacation projects and crafts.
Let me introduce one from the book: the “Paper Dome Cup.” The simple process is to coat a water balloon with glue, wrap it with Japanese paper or tissue paper, and once it’s dry, pop the balloon.
It doesn’t take much time, so it’s recommended even for those who are short on time.
A coin disappears!? A mysterious piggy bank
The charm of a piggy bank is that your money accumulates little by little—seeing it pile up and feeling it get heavier brings joy.
This is a curious piggy bank that deliberately takes away that charm: the coins you put in seem to disappear.
The piggy bank you’ll make is a simple one with a window so you can see inside, and it’s structured so that you can also see a decorative pattern within.
Before closing the lid with a coin slot, you install a mirror to divide the interior into two blocks, and that’s how you create the illusion of the coins vanishing.
It’s important to assemble it while carefully considering the placement of the interior patterns and the angle of the mirror so that nothing feels out of place.
Magic hand
A magic hand is a device where you use a mechanism to move a hand motif that’s larger than a real hand.
The unique mechanism gives it a slightly awkward motion, which is fun to watch on its own.
To make one, cut construction paper into the shape of a hand, leave openings at the finger joints and apply double-sided tape, then create the “bones” with short pieces of straw.
After that, thread string through the straws and you’re done—when you pull the strings, the fingers curl at the joints.
To make it easy to tell which string controls which finger, it’s recommended to use different-colored straws and match the color at the end of each string to the straw it runs through.
Melon cream soda
Melon cream soda is also appealing for its vibrant appearance—the green color topped with ice gives a refreshing feel, doesn’t it? This is about trying to recreate that beautiful, summery look of melon soda.
The steps are simple: put jelly clay into a plastic cup, insert a straw, and place a scoop of white clay “ice cream” on top.
Combine elements like jewel stones and glitter to make the most of the light and finish it with a sparkling look.
The closer it looks to the real thing, the more you might feel disappointed when you remember you can’t actually drink it.
cotton ball lights
A lamp shade with a soft, round texture that’s adorably charming.
It’s nice that you can make it just by inflating a water balloon, wrapping colorful cotton yarn around it, and letting it dry.
What you’ll need: water balloons, cotton yarn, glue, LED string lights, batteries, and a brush.
For the paste to stick the yarn, put glue in a container, add a little water, and brush it on.
After letting it dry completely for 1–2 days, pop the balloon inside and it’s done.
Make several in different colors for a vibrant piece that fits perfectly into your interior decor.
Using jute twine instead of cotton yarn will give it a different look.
Snow globe making
During long vacations, we’re swamped with homework, independent research projects, and playtime.
It’s easy to put things off and run out of time.
That’s when this snow globe is highly recommended! The glitter and “snow” that slowly fall and sparkle inside the glass are beautiful, aren’t they? You can get most of the materials at a 100-yen shop: purified water, liquid glue, a hot glue gun, a jar, a sponge, decorations you want to put inside, and glitter.
It also doesn’t take much time, so it’s truly a strong ally for independent research projects.
Making slime
Making slime is super easy and can be done in a day.
You can quickly gather the materials at a hardware store or pharmacy.
After that, just measure the amounts and mix them together.
The video shows the basic way to make slime, but if you look it up, you’ll find lots of variations—what you might call “arranged recipes.” Try finding one that suits you.
An easy place to start is an arrangement where you mix in glitter sold at 100-yen shops.
