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!
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- [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 upper grades (191–200)
Snow globe made from an empty bottle
Many people have probably received or bought snow globes as souvenirs or gifts.
Why not try making one with an empty jar? It’s easier than you think, and the result is beautiful and soothing.
All you need is an empty jar, a melamine sponge, liquid laundry starch (or thick laundry glue), small figurines or similar parts, and some glitter.
You can get them cheaply at a 100-yen shop.
First, attach the melamine sponge to the inside of the jar lid, then glue the figurines or other parts onto the sponge.
Put glitter into the jar itself, add laundry starch and water, mix, and screw on the lid—that’s it!
a picture from the story
When drawing, choosing a theme is important, and some people may struggle with that and find it hard to get started.
For those who aren’t good at deciding on a theme, a recommended approach is to use a story as a reference and create your artwork from it.
Freely choose a narrative, find a scene you like, and express it in your own way through your art.
Because cover illustrations and interior artwork can influence you, it takes skill to see how far you can distance yourself from them and how much originality you can bring.
Try to visualize the setting of the story and make a habit of expanding your imagination from there.
Cool rubber band gun
Let me introduce a strong and cool rubber band gun.
Prepare 17 bendable straws, a clothespin, tape, and scissors, and let’s make it.
Take two straws and tape their bendable sections together to secure them.
Attach one clothespin to the gap of the joined straws to create the base.
When bundling straws, secure them tightly so the stacked pieces don’t shift.
Stack eight straws by grouping them in sets of four, extend the bendable sections, and build the structure.
When attaching parts together, make sure the straws are firmly fixed so they don’t slip.
Once it’s finished, hook on a rubber band and give it a try!
First Paints
This craft invites you to explore color expression by enjoying how paint layers and spreads.
Start by drawing lots of balloons on drawing paper.
Varying their sizes and shapes adds movement and a playful feel to the composition.
Drawing thicker outlines or giving each balloon its own pattern will add depth to the piece.
Carefully paint the balloons with your favorite colors.
The way colors bleed and blend becomes part of the artwork’s charm.
The finished picture looks like colorful balloons soaring into the sky, brightening the viewer’s mood.
It’s an idea that helps you learn painting basics in a fun way while fostering the freedom to express yourself.
For upper grades (201–210)
Three-dimensional artwork made with aluminum foil
Here’s an idea for creating your own three-dimensional artwork using shiny aluminum foil.
Cut the foil to your preferred lengths, then crumple and compress it firmly into shape.
If you’re making a dragon, it helps to form separate parts—such as the body, tail, and horns—and refine each piece as you go.
Once all the parts are ready, check the balance and assemble them, securing everything firmly with glue or tape.
Finally, paint it in your favorite colors to complete a realistic, dynamic dragon.
The finished piece reflects light and has a strong presence, making it an eye-catching decorative item.
It’s a craft that lets you enjoy changing shapes freely and imagining a story as you create.
crayon (wax pastel)
Crayon pastels, which let you enjoy overlapping colors and inventive line work, are a delightful art form that expands the range of expression.
You can color the entire sheet with crayons and then draw lines on top with a pastel to create a finish reminiscent of carbon copy paper.
Using a stencil technique, place cut-out shapes on the paper and layer colors around them with crayon pastels to make patterns emerge.
In the scratch technique, you first color the surface vibrantly, then cover it with black and scratch lines with a pin or similar tool to draw, resulting in a dreamlike piece.
Choosing themes from nature—such as flowers, plants, or fish—enables even richer expression.
It’s an engaging craft where discoveries arise from shifts in color and accidental patterns, nurturing both imagination and powers of observation.
Stencil: “Various Dream-colored Trees”
Let’s paint with a sponge! I’ll introduce an idea for a stencil called “Various Dream-Colored Trees.” A stencil refers to a technique where you place a stencil sheet with letters or patterns cut out, then apply paint from above to create the design.
This time, let’s try making a picture using a sponge and a craft knife.
What you’ll need: black construction paper, white construction paper, a ruler, a pencil, a craft knife, tape, a sponge, and paints.
It’s a wonderful idea that will have your friends and teachers asking, “How did you make that?”