Recommended for elementary school students! Science fair topics & craft ideas
Speaking of summer vacation, choosing a topic for the independent research project can often be tough.
Science experiments and crafts are both fun! If your child is good at crafts, we recommend crafts because they can enjoy the process as they go.
When they get absorbed in it, they might even finish in just a few days.
Here, we’ll introduce a variety of ideas for independent research and crafts! If you’re struggling to pick a theme, please use these as a reference.
To create fun summer memories, make a one-of-a-kind project of your own!
- For summer vacation homework! Simple and amazing crafts for elementary school students that you’ll want to make after seeing them
- Simple yet amazing crafts: craft ideas that elementary school students will want to make
- Elementary School Students: Simple One-Day Science Project and Craft Ideas
- DIY science projects that elementary school boys will love: ideas you can make with everyday materials
- [For Upper Elementary Students] Simple but Awesome! A Collection of Summer Vacation Craft Ideas
- For upper-grade boys! Simple yet awesome craft project [Don’t call it lazy]
- Fun crafts using straws
- Recommended for lower elementary school students! A collection of plastic bottle craft ideas made with everyday materials.
- Simple and cute summer project crafts! A collection of ideas for girls that will make you want to create
- [Middle School Students] Easy One-Day Science Projects and Crafts Ideas
- Toys you can make from cardboard crafts! Authentic ideas you can build and play with
- Simple but awesome! Craft ideas for upper-grade girls
- Crafts parents and kids can enjoy together. Recommended craft ideas to keep children entertained.
For lower grades (91–100)
Handmade croissant craft
@n.annlee321 Pretty hard to do in real life, huh? 🥹#ElementarySchoolMomSummer Vacation CraftParentingChildcareHandmade#100-yen shop DIY#100-yen-shop
♬ Touch – KATSEYE
Croissants, whose toasty aroma practically comes through just by looking at them, are a popular bread across generations.
Let’s recreate that delicious croissant appearance using materials you can get at a 100-yen shop.
For the base, cut a puzzle mat into three different sizes, then glue them together while creating steps.
Once the base is complete, apply double-sided tape across the entire surface and wrap brown yarn around it to mimic the look of a croissant.
Since the layered dough and variations in browning are part of a croissant’s appeal, experiment with how you wrap the yarn and also use paint to reproduce these details effectively.
Surprising Craft
An unexpected surprise! Here’s a craft project full of excitement that sparks curiosity.
At first glance, it looks like an ordinary envelope, but when you open it—“brrrriip!”—it makes a ripping sound! The method is simple, making it perfect for a summer vacation project.
First, prepare a bag handle, rubber bands, and a ring like the kind used for word-card binders.
Attach rubber bands to both sides of the ring, then tie them to the handle—and you’re done.
Wind the ring up and place it inside the envelope.
Feel free to draw on or decorate the envelope as you like.
The mechanism is that the ring spins when the envelope is opened, creating the sound.
It’s easy, so make a bunch and have fun playing with them!
Let’s make a lens with a 5-yen coin!
This is an experiment to make a lens using a 5-yen coin and water.
Depending on the amount of water, it changes between a concave lens and a convex lens, so the way things look changes, letting you study while having fun.
It also seems enjoyable to sketch the different ways various objects appear.
It might be interesting to look at plant leaves and large petals, too.
Slime that moves with magnets
This experiment involves making “magnet-responsive slime” by mixing iron sand into a gel-like substance called slime.
Prepare two samples—one with iron sand mixed in and one without—and summarize the differences in their reactions when a magnet is brought close.
Sugoroku
Sugoroku is a classic game for kids.
You roll the dice, move forward the number of spaces shown, and aim for the goal.
How about making your own homemade sugoroku? Like in The Game of Life, you can write mini games or penalties in the spaces, or things like “move forward one space” or “go back to the start.” It’s also fun to pick a theme for the design.
For example, turn your neighborhood and its surroundings into a map, draw local specialties and sightseeing spots, or, if there’s a sea, fold an origami boat and stick it on.
Try creating a sugoroku that reflects your own style.
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!