RAG MusicPlay & Recreation
Lovely Play & Recreation

[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!

[Indoor Play] Craft Ideas Recommended for Elementary School Kids (41–50)

You can make it in 10 seconds! Marble run

[COVID-19 School Closure Activities] Make It in 10 Seconds! Marble Run — Super Easy Craft & Play
You can make it in 10 seconds! Marble run

Want to play something right now? For you, here’s a marble-rolling game you can make in 10 seconds.

All you need is a food tray and a pencil.

A slightly larger tray might work better.

To make it, just poke several holes in the tray with the pencil.

Roll lots of marbles on the tray and fit them into the holes you made—done! You can also write point values next to each hole and turn it into a game to see how many points you can score by placing marbles in them.

It’s quick to make even if you don’t have much time, so give it a try!

You can make it in 10 seconds! Marble run

[COVID-19 School Closure Activities] Make It in 10 Seconds! Marble Run — Super Easy Craft & Play
You can make it in 10 seconds! Marble run

Want to play something right now? For you, here’s a marble-rolling game you can make in 10 seconds.

All you need is a food tray and a pencil.

A slightly larger tray might work better.

To make it, just poke several holes in the tray with the pencil.

Roll lots of marbles on the tray and fit them into the holes you made—done! You can also write point values next to each hole and turn it into a game to see how many points you can score by placing marbles in them.

It’s quick to make even if you don’t have much time, so give it a try!

Marble maze made from a candy box

Let's make a marble maze with a candy box!
Marble maze made from a candy box

Here’s a marble run you can make using an empty candy box! Prepare a box where the lid and the compartment for the candy are separate.

On the side that held the candy, glue cardboard strips along two opposite edges and cut a hole where you can retrieve marbles that fall through.

On the lid, sketch the course, glue cardboard where you want walls, punch a few holes, and mark a start and a goal.

Once it’s ready, stack the two parts with the lid on top, and you’re done.

Depending on how you design the course, you can create marble runs with various levels of difficulty!

Marble maze made from a candy box

Let's make a marble maze with a candy box!
Marble maze made from a candy box

Here’s a marble run you can make using an empty candy box! Prepare a box where the lid and the compartment for the candy are separate.

On the side that held the candy, glue cardboard strips along two opposite edges and cut a hole where you can retrieve marbles that fall through.

On the lid, sketch the course, glue cardboard where you want walls, punch a few holes, and mark a start and a goal.

Once it’s ready, stack the two parts with the lid on top, and you’re done.

Depending on how you design the course, you can create marble runs with various levels of difficulty!

Marble run made from cardboard

Cardboard Craft: Marble Run — Childcare Tips Useful for Practicum and Training
Marble run made from cardboard

Let’s try making a cool marble run using cardboard.

Prepare a rectangular piece of cardboard that isn’t too thick, and cut off one section on the large face and one section on the narrowest side.

Then, using the pieces you removed and other bits of cardboard, build the pathways for the marble to roll along and attach them to the base cardboard.

Instead of connecting every path all the way through, it’s also fun to leave gaps here and there so the marble drops down to the next level and continues.

Be sure to set up the goal area so the marble stops securely and doesn’t roll out after reaching the finish.

Marble Rolling Tower

[WakuWaku-san] Marble Rolling Tower! <An easy marble coaster you can make with toilet paper rolls and construction paper>
Marble Rolling Tower

How about a stylish marble run, a Marble Rolling Tower, made from toilet paper cores and colored construction paper? First, stack three toilet paper cores vertically to make one long tube.

Next, let’s create the tracks where the marbles will roll using colored construction paper.

Prepare a rectangular sheet of colored paper, cut it lengthwise in half, then fold the half sheet in half two times.

Unfold the second fold, and along the crease you just made, cut a series of deep, fine slits from one edge to the other.

Once that’s done, fold it into a long, thin triangle to form the track.

Finally, attach the track diagonally to the tube like a slide, and glue a piece of cardboard to the very bottom of the tube as a base—done! Try making it with different colors of paper.

Making instruments with a plastic wrap core

No drill or cutter needed: Make instruments with a plastic wrap core [Crafts]
Making instruments with a plastic wrap core

Let’s make a Chilean instrument that sounds like rain using a plastic wrap core! First, mark a bunch of toothpicks at the length of the wrap core so they match its length.

Next, cut the wrap core in a spiral.

Glue the cut toothpicks along the spiral using wood glue or similar adhesive.

Once you return the spiraled core to its original shape, seal the openings with duct tape.

Put in grains like mixed grains, different sizes of rice, beads, or beans.

After you cap it, your Chilean instrument, the rainstick, is complete!