Recommended for elementary school students! Science fair topics & craft ideas

Let’s make a storm glass

I tried making chabo’s storm glass (weather glass)

Do you know about storm glasses? Also known as weather bottles, they are tools for weather forecasting: various chemicals are dissolved in alcohol and sealed in a glass container, and the state of the contents changes with the weather.

Rather than just making one, try recording the storm glass’s condition every day and comparing it with the actual weather to verify whether it can really forecast the weather.

Let’s make a kalimba using hairpins

For a summer vacation craft! A handmade kalimba made with hairpins

This instrument is famous as African percussion and produces a music box-like sound, but one of its charms is that you can make it yourself with items you have at home.

In this video, the body uses a kamaboko board (a wooden plank from fish cake packaging), but you can also make it with an empty can.

Since the material of the body changes the tone color, making several versions could be fun.

Empty Can Stirling Engine

Summer vacation craft / independent research: soda can Stirling engine

This is an experiment where you can really feel how amazing science is! We’ll build an engine using heating and cooling.

The items used in the video are all everyday things, so it might be fun to find your own versions! By the way, “Stirling” is named after the Scottish clergyman who invented this external combustion engine.

Let’s make a cajón

Homemade cajon: sound comparison (falcata/pine)

Simply put, a cajón is a chair that makes a variety of sounds when you hit it.

Haven’t you seen musicians playing it during street performances in town? You can actually make one yourself.

If you build a cajón for an independent research project and bring it along, everyone will want to sit on it and give it a try—it’s sure to be a big hit!

Let’s make an aroma candle

Eco Candle Making (Myoko City)

How about making aroma candles using waste oil like old tempura oil? Chop up crayons in your favorite colors and simmer them together with the oil to create colorful candles.

Choose aroma oils with scents you like, and you’re sure to make a special candle just for you! Since you’ll be using heat, we recommend doing this as a parent–child activity.

Using oil that can no longer be used also makes it a great opportunity to learn about recycling!

Let’s make a sundial

Let's make a sundial.

A sundial is a very simple device, but when you think about how it tells time and the relationship between the clock’s angle and latitude, it becomes a theme full of curious and intriguing aspects.

The fact that it can shift with the seasons, for example, suggests experiments that would be interesting to investigate.

Let’s make a speaker

Fun Science Experiment: Handmade Speakers — Let’s Make Speakers!

Speakers that you see in all kinds of places in everyday life can actually be made at home.

The mechanism is a bit tricky, but how about teaming up with your dad and mom to try making one together? Mechanical projects are especially likely to be a hit with boys!