[Indoor Activities] A Collection of Craft Ideas Recommended for Elementary School Students
These days, DIY has firmly taken root as a go-to hobby.
When you visit a home improvement store or a 100-yen shop, you’ll even find dedicated sections for it.
Plenty of households probably already have the materials and tools on hand.
In this article, we’ve rounded up craft ideas recommended for elementary school students who are interested in making things!
We’ll introduce everything from board games everyone can play together to practical ideas you can keep using at home after you’ve made them.
Find the project that suits you best and give it a try!
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- Crafts parents and kids can enjoy together. Recommended craft ideas to keep children entertained.
[Indoor Activities] A Collection of Recommended Craft Ideas for Elementary School Students (221–230)
Let’s make dinosaur fossils

Let’s make some exciting dinosaur fossils! First, think about what kind of fossil you want to create, then draw your fossil illustration on a sheet of foam board (styrene paper).
Cut out the fossil shapes with scissors.
Glue the cut foam pieces onto cardboard to form your design.
Paint it with acrylic paints.
When it’s finished, attach a decorative ribbon to the back so you can display it.
It’s also a good idea to round off the corners of the cardboard.
Have fun creating your very own original fossil!
A log house made of paper straws

Let’s make your very own special treasure chest! Here’s an idea for a paper-straw log house.
Do you have treasured items like precious memories or pretty stones? This time, let’s use paper straws to create a treasure box that looks like a log house.
What you’ll need: paper straws, glue, a pen, scissors, and a ruler.
You can use white or colorful straws, but using kraft straws will give it a warm, log-house feel.
My own handmade instrument

Let me show you how to make a trombone with a pleasing tone.
Prepare one thin PVC pipe, one thick PVC pipe, a funnel, vinyl tape, and aluminum tape, and let’s build it.
Slide the thin PVC pipe inside the thick PVC pipe to assemble it.
Insert a cut-off mouthpiece into the thin end and secure it with vinyl tape.
On the opposite end of the thin PVC pipe, wrap aluminum tape to slightly thicken the tip.
The key is to have a small gap when the PVC pipes are nested.
Attach the funnel to the end of the thick PVC pipe, and you’re done.
Blow into it and—surprise! You’ll hear the sound of a trombone.
Three-dimensional sculpture made with wire and aluminum foil

Let’s make the most of pliers! Here are some ideas for creating three-dimensional artworks using wire and aluminum foil.
By the upper grades, you can use a variety of materials and tools properly and safely, right? This time, let’s try a 3D sculpture by arranging wire and aluminum foil with pliers.
It’s recommended to decide on a theme before you start, but it can also be fun to expand your ideas by comparing accidental shapes with the images in your mind.
If you insert the pieces into styrofoam, they’ll be easier to display!
Cardboard guitar that makes sound

Let’s introduce a fun-to-make cardboard guitar.
Prepare one cardboard box, five rubber bands, a food tray, packing tape, glue, scissors, and a cutting mat, then let’s get started.
Draw a rough outline of a guitar on the opened cardboard and cut out each part along the lines.
Make slits along the long side of the food tray; the depth of the slits will change the sound it produces.
Thread the rubber bands through the slit area.
Attach the food tray to the hole in the guitar body part using packing tape.
Glue the neck and head together.
Then glue the neck and head onto the guitar body to complete it.
Paint it and add decorations to finish your own original guitar!
[100-yen shop] Squishy made with tape balloons
![[100-yen shop] Squishy made with tape balloons](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/DFjEpXE4Uxg/sddefault.jpg)
This is a curious craft that looks and feels mysterious: a clear, soft ball sprinkled with beautiful flowers.
It uses a tape balloon you can even get at a 100-yen shop, and you place flowers and decorations inside by sticking them onto the tape.
Close it as if you were sealing a water bottle, peel off the film, then add water after removing the film.
Shape it into a sphere, and it’s done.
Let’s carefully consider what size makes it easier to make and what items to put inside to make it look beautiful.
Melamine sponge sandwich craft
@picoton_craft Making sandwiches with a sponge♪Simple craft#Parent-Child CraftingworkLife with childrenSandwich
♬ Original song – Picoton / Crafts Class – Picoton 🐥 Easy 100-yen shop craft
How about making a delicious-looking sandwich out of a melamine sponge that you’ll just want to take on a picnic? It’s very easy to make! First, prepare a large, thick melamine sponge and cut it into a triangle, imagining the shape of a sandwich.
Use a craft knife to make a slit so you can insert the fillings.
Next, create the fillings—such as ham, lettuce, or spaghetti—using construction paper or yarn.
If you use colorful materials for the fillings, the result will look extra cute.
Finally, tuck the fillings into the sponge sandwich, and you’re done! Try making different fillings and have fun playing with them.
Funny Hundred Faces

This “Funny Hundred Faces” activity is perfect for people who love drawing and have time to take it slow.
It’s a foldable where you open up a square-folded paper and the expression changes bit by bit.
Draw several different faces—smiling, crying, angry, and more.
You can use your teacher’s or friends’ faces as models, or your favorite animals like rabbits or cats.
If you make it with a big sheet of paper, it could even work as a simple mask.
Since the main focus is on drawing illustrations, have fun while you create it!
A soccer game you can make with straws

How about making a simple toy out of straws so you can enjoy soccer at home? It’s a fun, engaging game you can play together with friends or family! Another great point is that you can make it using familiar materials like an empty box and some straws.
Use the empty box to create the field and the straws to build the goals.
Attach straws to the player pieces you cut out from the box, and control them as you play.
It could be even more exciting to model the players after your favorite stars! This toy is sure to help kids develop dexterity and concentration.
We’ve shared detailed instructions in a video, so check it out and give it a try!
A whistle you can blow with a straw

Here’s how to make a whistle out of a straw.
Cut two slits at one end of a straw and trim it so the width forms a rectangle.
Cut the other end of the straw and fit it over the rectangular end, then secure it with cellophane tape.
Adjust the tape so the width becomes a square.
Cut another straw to about 5 centimeters and flatten one end.
Place the flattened end over the side where you can see the square gap, and secure it with cellophane tape.
The key is to test-blow it and check the sound before taping everything down firmly.
Change the lengths of the straws to create different pitches, fix them in place, and you’re done.
Kids are sure to get excited about a whistle made from everyday materials!


