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)
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.
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.
Let’s make chalk
Chalk, always paired with the blackboard at school.
Did you know that this familiar item, used in class almost every day, can actually be made by hand? The materials are eggshells, flour, water, and food coloring for tinting.
First, finely pulverize the eggshells.
Put them in a mortar and start by crushing them coarsely, then grind them down into a powder.
Once it’s fine, add flour and water and knead it together thoroughly.
When it comes together, divide it into portions, add color, and let it harden.
You can roll it in paper to make thin sticks, or use cute silicone molds.
Bath bomb making
As a science project recommended for people who love stylish things, making bath bombs is a great choice.
You can make bath bombs with items from home improvement stores or 100-yen shops, so it’s quite easy.
However, simply making them isn’t enough for a middle school research project, so it’s recommended to test how they dissolve using various materials or explain in detail how bath bombs work.
Felt Humidifier
In winter, the air gets dry and it’s easy to strain your throat.
To get ready for the cold season, why not make your own personal humidifier that you can keep in your room as a summer vacation project? By simply changing the felt piece on top, you can enjoy different styles of humidifiers.
The basic structure is a felt craft placed on top of a ceramic vessel filled with water.
Felt absorbs water well, providing a gentle humidifying effect.
You can crochet the felt into flower shapes or make cute animals—both are great! It’s also fun to do felt crafts with friends.
If you add a few drops of essential oil to the water, everyone might feel a bit more luxurious.
Be sure to change the water frequently to prevent mold!