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 upper grades (41–50)
Butter Even Elementary School Students Can Make
@nonno.chan I recreated a summer vacation science project I made a long time ago: homemade butter!#Summer VacationIndependent Research#HandmadeButterHomework#tiktoksummerbreak#meijiMeiji Delicious Fresh Cream
♬ 3 minutes cooking style pop / cooking / sweets(957554) – ArcTracks
Here’s a summer vacation science project idea for making authentic butter at home using heavy cream, salt, and a plastic bottle.
Put heavy cream and a pinch of salt into a plastic bottle, close the cap tightly, and shake it vigorously.
After shaking for a while, the contents will separate into liquid and solids.
This is the sign that butter and buttermilk have separated.
Pour off the liquid, cut the bottle open with scissors, and take out the contents—the butter is ready.
Spread it on bread to enjoy a special flavor that really lets you feel you made it yourself.
Watching the cream change teaches about dairy processing and fat separation.
The hands-on, energetic shaking is fun and gives a sense of accomplishment, making this a great idea for elementary school students.
For upper grades (51–60)
Milk Carton Rolling Tower
https://www.tiktok.com/@silk_haru3mama/video/7398836055996173569Let’s reuse empty milk cartons to make a fun rolling tower where a ping-pong ball tumbles down! Cut the milk cartons and connect two of them to create a long cylindrical base.
Make holes and slits in paper plates, attach them in a stepped arrangement, and adjust the angles so the ball rolls smoothly through.
Add slits to the side of the cylinder so the ball won’t stop midway and will drop all the way to the bottom.
If you wrap the whole thing with a tube-shaped cover made from a clear file, the ball won’t fly out and it’s safer to play with.
A bonus is that kids can learn about gravity and incline through the speed of the rolling ball and the fun sounds it makes.
It’s an eco-friendly idea that uses recycled materials to create a moving, interactive project.
A piggy bank that helps you save while having fun
Let’s use Daiso’s 3-tier drawer case to make a fun, game-like piggy bank over summer break.
First, flip the second and third drawers upside down and reassemble them so the flat sides face the front.
Next, cut corrugated plastic (plastic cardboard) into any shapes you like and attach it to the outside of the drawers to create a design that looks great.
Inside, apply double-sided tape so coins pause partway and drop slowly as they travel down.
With a piggy bank you made yourself, saving money becomes fun and easier to turn into a habit.
It’s a unique, practical idea that can change your everyday life through creativity and ingenuity.
Making Konpeito (traditional Japanese sugar candy)
Let’s try making handmade konpeitō—colorful, cute sugar candies—for a summer vacation science project.
Boil sugar and water to make syrup, then gradually add small amounts of konpeitō cores; as you do, little spikes will slowly form on the surface.
By adding food coloring or flavorings during the process, you can customize the taste and color to your liking.
Even without special equipment, you can keep stirring and improvising with a frying pan or a bowl; it takes time, but the candies will gradually take on the characteristic konpeitō shape.
Because the results change depending on the temperature and timing of sugar crystallization and how you stir, it’s also enjoyable as a science experiment.
It’s a rewarding idea that nurtures both confectionery skills and observation.
desk lamp
@gakky_07 How about this for your summer vacation project?Summer Vacation Craft#Summer VacationDesk lamp
♬ Fun Isono Family / Sazae-san [Cover] – Sound Works
Here’s an idea for making a desk lamp that uses a magnet-mountable LED light.
The stand is entirely wooden, and the arm is movable so you can adjust the angle.
First, think about what size you want and what kind of structure you’re aiming for, and try drawing a design plan.
Once the plan is ready, figure out the lengths and quantities of wood you’ll need and source the materials.
These days, you can even find small pieces of wood at 100-yen shops, so those might work as well.
One of the joys of woodworking is choosing the finish—whether to go for a natural look with varnish or oil, or paint it your favorite color—so definitely consider a variety of options.
Key rack made from 100-yen shop materials

This is a key rack packed with ideas, made using photo frames.
Prepare three identical photo frames: two will form the body and one will be the lid.
Start by making the body.
First, cut a cork sheet to fit the inside dimensions of a photo frame, apply a decorative remake sheet, and attach it to the first frame.
Next, glue the second frame on top of the first.
That completes the body.
Then, use hinges to connect the third frame to the body as a lid.
Finish by attaching an arch latch.
By inserting aluminum pins into the cork sheet, you can hang your keys on them.
It’s a creative project that turns photo frames into a key rack.
Try painting it or adding your own touches to make it uniquely yours.
Ice that freezes in 3 minutes

This is a science project where you make cool, tasty ice cream in a short time.
Put heavy cream, chocolate sauce, and chocolate chips in a zip-top bag and seal it tightly, then place it inside another larger bag filled with ice and salt.
Adding salt lowers the temperature of the ice, quickly freezing the cream inside the bag.
Wrap it in a towel and shake well, and in about three minutes the ice cream is ready.
The crunchy chocolate bits are fun, and the flavor is very satisfying.
Scientifically, the key is that salt lowers the melting point of ice, causing an endothermic process that absorbs energy and freezes the contents.
It’s an idea packed with both deliciousness and learning, letting you experience the relationship between cold and chemistry.



