[For Upper Elementary Students] Simple but Awesome! A Collection of Summer Vacation Craft Ideas
Summer vacation crafts—especially for older elementary students—can feel like a dilemma: “Simple projects aren’t satisfying,” but “overly difficult ones are a problem,” too, right? The truth is, by getting creative with materials and tools, you can make projects that look and function like the real deal.
Here, we’re sharing craft ideas—like coin banks, motor-based projects, and food replicas—that will make your friends say, “Wow!” They’re simple to build, yet fun to use even after they’re finished.
Use these as inspiration and add your own twists to create an original masterpiece!
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[For Upper Elementary Students] Simple but Awesome! Summer Vacation Craft Ideas (101–110)
Paper Cup UFO Catcher
The “Paper Cup UFO Catcher” is a popular DIY recreation idea you can enjoy with elementary school kids.
Cut eight slits into a paper cup to make tentacle-like arms, then insert a straw through the center to move it.
Place another paper cup over the top and move it up and down—this opens and closes the arms.
The moment it grabs the target is super exciting! It’s easy to make with everyday materials, yet the movement feels authentic and makes it really fun to play.
Figuring out the controls is part of the charm, and it gets even more exciting when friends compete.
It’s a recommended activity that combines the joy of crafting with the sense of achievement from a game.
Let’s make a super ball
Did you know you can make a super ball yourself? You’ll need PVA laundry glue, salt, and food coloring or paint.
First, dissolve 40 g of salt in water and add color, then pour the saltwater into the glue and stir with a chopstick.
You’ll see a gooey mass start to form around the chopstick.
Gather it up and blot the moisture with a paper towel, and you’ll have an easy homemade super ball.
Depending on the batch, some bounce very well and others less so, but try adding your favorite colors and make all kinds of super balls!
Bottle Cap Shooter
Toy projectiles like rubber shuriken used in ninja or cop-and-robber play, and toy pistols really spark kids’ imaginations.
Even at shooting booths at summer festival stalls, getting to hold a rifle you don’t usually handle is exciting.
So here’s a bottle cap shooter you can make mainly out of cardboard.
The bottle cap shooter uses a plastic bottle cap as a “bullet,” and it’s a lot of fun even after you’ve finished making it.
If you make two, everyone can play together afterward, so it’s recommended.
As a craft, it’s a bit advanced—best for upper-grade students.
If you like detailed handiwork and feel confident in your crafting skills, give it a try!
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.
Original handmade watch
When you go to a 100-yen shop or a handmade goods store, you can find just the clock movement for sale.
Let’s use that to make your own original clock! For the base of the clock, use a photo frame or a plastic plate.
Once you decide where to fix the movement, drill a hole.
Tighten the nut to secure the movement, and then decorate it to your liking.
Paint it, attach parts, or add glitter to make it sparkle—depending on your ideas, you’ll end up with a clock full of originality!
[For Upper Elementary Students] Simple but Awesome! Summer Vacation Craft Ideas (111–120)
Stone painting
During summer vacation, there are times when you go out with your family to rivers or mountains, right? When you do, why not try picking up stones and making art with them? Of course, stones you’ve collected from around your neighborhood are fine, too.
First, paint the stones you’ve prepared with white acrylic paint.
This small extra step will help your work turn out beautifully.
Then, use acrylic paints to create animals, plants, and more by adding color.
If you also use items like pipe cleaners or empty cans, you can make pieces that look very realistic.
Please use this as a reference and give it a try!
Bird call making
As a craft project perfect for children who love nature observation, I recommend making a bird call.
Prepare a hand-sized wooden branch and drill a small hole in the center.
Screw in a metal part called an eye nut, and when you twist it so the wood and metal rub against each other, it produces a sound like birdsong.
Real birds may sometimes respond to this sound, so trying it out in a park after making it is part of the fun.
The volume and pitch change depending on the type of wood and the depth of the hole, so by experimenting and recording the differences, you can enhance the quality of the project as an independent study.
It’s a hands-on idea that lets kids connect with nature while sparking curiosity about how sound works.
