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[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!

[For Upper Elementary Students] Simple but Awesome! Summer Vacation Craft Ideas (121–130)

Chopstick grabber

[Craft] Chopstick Grabber (Magic Hand)
Chopstick grabber

Let me introduce a chopstick grabber that’s fun to make and fun to play with.

Prepare eight wooden chopsticks, double-sided tape, plastic bottle caps, and rubber bands.

Stack four chopsticks in a crisscross pattern and secure the center with a rubber band.

Make another set the same way.

Combine the two finished sets and bind them with rubber bands where the chopsticks overlap to hold them together.

Finally, attach two plastic bottle caps to the tip, and it’s done.

Try moving the handle and have fun playing with it!

Handmade maracas

Handmade maracas! You can easily make an instrument with paper cups and straws♪
Handmade maracas

This craft is inspired by maracas made with paper cups that produce a cheerful rattling sound when lightly shaken.

The steps are simple: put beads or finely cut pieces of straw into a paper cup, then cover it with another paper cup as a lid.

What you put inside is important—consider how different fillings change the sound as you make it.

Decorating the outside is also a key point; aim for fun decorations that match the light, lively sound of the maracas.

Making a scarf with paper cups and disposable chopsticks

[Ages 5 and up] Make a scarf with a paper cup and chopsticks
Making a scarf with paper cups and disposable chopsticks

Easy even without knitting needles! Let’s knit a scarf using a paper cup and chopsticks.

First, cut the chopsticks to a suitable length, then cut out the bottom of the paper cup.

Attach five chopsticks evenly around the outside of the cup so that they stick out 2–3 cm above the rim.

Tape the end of the yarn to the inside of the cup, and loop the yarn around the chopsticks alternately front and back to form a star shape.

Once the star is formed, start knitting by passing the yarn that’s already on the chopsticks from bottom to top.

When you reach your desired length, cut the yarn, thread the end under the five loops on the chopsticks, and remove it from the chopsticks to finish!

paper cup trumpet

[Instrument Craft] Paper Cup Trumpet (A Trumpet Like a String Telephone) [Easy Craft] Handmade Toy with Chopsticks
paper cup trumpet

This is a craft using a paper cup that can produce a trumpet-like sound when you pull the string sharply.

First, make a hole in the bottom of the paper cup, thread a string through it, and secure it with a short, folded toothpick so the string doesn’t slip out.

Then, when you pull the string vigorously, the impact on the string is transmitted to the paper cup, creating a trumpet-like sound.

You can pull the string with your hand, but using chopsticks is also recommended—try it out and see how the sound changes.

Since just building the mechanism can look simple, it’s also important to add your own decorations to the paper cup.

[Upper Elementary School Students] Simple but Amazing! Summer Vacation Craft Ideas (131–140)

The mechanism of sound! Paper cup crow

3rd grade elementary science: How sound works — paper cup crow
The mechanism of sound! Paper cup crow

How about using a paper cup to mimic the sound of a crow? It’s very easy to make! First, poke a hole in the bottom of a paper cup with a toothpick.

Next, thread a piece of string through the cup.

Finally, tie a toothpick to the end of the string inside the cup so it won’t slip out—that’s it! If you pinch and move the string sticking out from the bottom while gripping it with a piece of wet kitchen paper, it will produce a sound just like a crow’s call! The volume and pitch change depending on how you move and shake your fingers, so try out different techniques and see what kinds of sounds you can make.

A toy that uses a lid

@n.annlee321

Usable... lid!!!TranslationHaagen-Dazs hand-made toy 100-yen shop DIY#KindergartenMom#Kindergartentranslation#ElementarySchoolMom

♬ Double Double FIGHT! – Intro ver. – CANDY TUNE

Haagen-Dazs is hugely popular for its ice cream.

How about turning the lid—something you’d usually throw away—into a cute science project? In this video, they put sequins inside to make a shaker-style lid, and they also poke in pipe-cleaner flowers to create a little trinket box.

With a bit of creativity, you can use lids from other ice creams to make all kinds of toys.

For example, how about making menko (slap-battle cards)? The weight and thickness seem just right.

With bottle-milk caps, you could make character medals.

If you coat them with gold or silver paper, you’ll get super cool-looking medals.

Let’s try mixing water and oil

[Independent Research by a Former Tutor and Cram School Instructor Mom] Let’s Try Mixing Water and Oil!
Let's try mixing water and oil

This is an experiment to see what happens when you mix water and oil.

First, make colored water by adding food coloring to a glass of water.

In a separate glass, pour in some oil, then carefully pour the colored water on top.

Strangely, the colored water you added last will settle at the bottom of the glass, and the oil will form a layer on top.

Even if you stir it with a stick, they won’t mix at all.

It’s a fun experiment that overturns the common belief that liquids mix with each other.

Give it a try! The non-mixing liquid you make can also be put into a bottle to create a playful decorative piece.