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
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- 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
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- 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 middle elementary grades (1–10)
A bento made with sweets
At first glance, it looks like a cute, ordinary bento—but what if everything in it were actually sweets? Why not try making a bento like that? For the “rice,” use traditional puffed rice snacks; for green peas, use colorful round chocolate candies; and turn salami sticks into little octopus sausages.
Many snacks we casually eat can look like bento side dishes with just a bit of creative cutting.
Try making an adorable, sweet bento that feels part pretend-play, part craft!
For middle grades (ages 11–20)
Cooler made with 100-yen shop items
Air conditioners make rooms nice and cool, but installing one is expensive and maintaining it—like cleaning—can be a hassle.
So this time, we’re introducing a portable DIY cooler! Cut a hole in the lid of a cooler box and attach a small fan.
After creating an air outlet on the side of the cooler, add dividers inside to keep ice packs standing upright.
Attach a box on the outside of the cooler to hold a battery, and you’re done.
If you use a mobile battery, it’ll be a great item for camping and other outdoor activities, too.
A truly usable cooler made from cardboard
Here’s a DIY cooler idea using cardboard, plastic bottles, a battery pack, and a motor.
First, cut three circular holes in the side of the cardboard box, each the same size as the bottom of a plastic bottle.
Insert and secure plastic bottles cut to one-third length into the holes, using the bottle neck ends.
On the inside of the cardboard, attach a propeller to the side opposite the bottles, and make small holes on both sides.
Mount the motor’s switch on the lid, place ice packs inside, and close the box to finish.
Decorate as you like with vinyl tape or similar materials.
Let’s make a flute
As a one-day science project, here’s a fun idea for making a simple flute.
Since this involves using fire, be sure to work with an adult.
Prepare three thick straws and flatten one end of each.
Use a lighter to gently heat the flattened end, then pinch the melted section with a clip to seal it.
After making all three the same way, blow into them—you’ll hear a flute-like sound.
The pitch changes with the length of the straws, so adjust them to create the scale you like.
Edible jewels
If you’re unsure what to do for your independent research project, why not try making “edible jewels”? You’ll need 150 g granulated sugar, 100 ml water, 2 g agar, and a suitable amount of food coloring or syrup.
Put the sugar, water, and agar in a saucepan and heat.
Once it boils, reduce to low heat and stir well until it thickens.
When it has thickened, pour about half into a tray, then divide the rest into several containers and add color.
Drip the colored mixtures little by little into the liquid in the tray to create a marble pattern.
Chill in the refrigerator until set, then cut into your preferred sizes and shapes.
Let them dry in a well-ventilated place for 2–3 days, and they’re ready!
Sumikko Gurashi piggy bank
I’ll introduce how to make a Sumikko Gurashi piggy bank out of origami.
Prepare two sheets of origami paper and one small sheet, then let’s get started.
Use the small origami paper to make the 5-yen coin part.
Fold the corners toward the center, then fold the surrounding corners as well.
It will form the shape of a 5-yen coin, so draw the details with a felt-tip pen.
For the base piggy bank, fold the origami toward the center to create creases.
Following the creases, tuck the paper inward to form a square box.
Make two identical boxes; on one of them, attach the 5-yen coin and draw the face.
The key point is to change the color of the origami depending on the character.
Animal-shaped biscuits art with round stickers
https://www.tiktok.com/@5.3.9.tik/video/7411084931729837332This activity focuses on the popular Tabe-ggo Dobutsu characters—well-loved as snacks, too—and recreates them using round stickers.
Even though the stickers vary in color and size, designing with the same round stickers creates a cohesive overall look.
Since each part isn’t made only of circles, think carefully about how to cut the circles to form the desired shapes.
You can aim to complete this design itself, and it’s also recommended to use the pieces as decorations.
