[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 Amazing! Summer Vacation Craft Ideas (21–30)
Torokira Keychain
Do you know those cute accessories with a little doll floating in a tiny plastic bag? You often see them as prizes at festival raffles, but actually, you can make them yourself.
You only need items mostly from a 100-yen shop—like a soft card holder, beads and glitter, liquid laundry starch, and masking tape—so it’s a budget-friendly craft project.
Add cutouts of your favorite character or idol to the decorations, and it instantly becomes merch for your fave! You’ll want to make them for everyone!
cotton ball lights
A lamp shade with a soft, round texture that’s adorably charming.
It’s nice that you can make it just by inflating a water balloon, wrapping colorful cotton yarn around it, and letting it dry.
What you’ll need: water balloons, cotton yarn, glue, LED string lights, batteries, and a brush.
For the paste to stick the yarn, put glue in a container, add a little water, and brush it on.
After letting it dry completely for 1–2 days, pop the balloon inside and it’s done.
Make several in different colors for a vibrant piece that fits perfectly into your interior decor.
Using jute twine instead of cotton yarn will give it a different look.
[For Upper Elementary Students] Simple but Amazing! Summer Vacation Craft Ideas (31–40)
How to make a Disney kids’ lunch (bento)
A full-on adorable independent study on “How to Make a Disney Kids’ Lunch.” Think up and create your own Disney-style kids’ lunch that looks cute and exciting—like Mickey-shaped chicken rice, an omelet, fried shrimp, a hamburger patty, potato salad, and more! It’s an edible work of art, perfect for people who love cooking and design.
You can make everything with paper clay, so it’s super easy.
Even if you can’t easily go to Tokyo Disneyland, making this craft will let you feel like you’ve enjoyed a kids’ lunch there.
Corinth game
How about making a Corinth game that you could probably put together right now with materials you have at home? It’s a game where you build a base out of cardboard and launch marbles one by one to aim for high scores.
It’s played the same way as a Smart Ball game.
The launcher section requires a bit of delicate work, but once you get past that, there’s a lot of freedom—you can place the scoring areas however you like.
You can also make the base colorful or add characters.
I recommend it as a craft project that’s fun to play with even after you’ve finished making it.
Making a motor
It’s sure to excite any boy! Let’s try making a motor.
This idea uses the commercially available teaching kit “The Effects of Electric Current T-BOX III.” It basically includes all the necessary materials, so just follow the instructions to assemble the motor.
Older elementary school children should be able to read the manual and will probably enjoy the assembly like building a plastic model.
Once you’re done, check to see if the motor spins.
You’ll be surprised at how fast it turns!
piggy bank
Among summer vacation homework, craft projects tend to get put off, but a piggy bank that can be made simply with few materials is highly recommended! Not only is it easy to make with a straightforward method, but you can create something that looks cool and is functional—sure to be something you’ll want to show off to your friends.
By adding small tweaks—like a coin-sorting feature—you can finish a project that surprises everyone without looking like you cut corners! Be sure to use this idea as a reference and make your summer homework a big success!
Transparent cute coaster
Summer is supposed to be hot, but don’t you feel like the summers lately are getting hotter every year? When it’s hot, we crave cold drinks—so why not make coasters to brighten up your drink time and turn it into a summer science project? You’ll be using two-part resin and other chemicals, so be sure to have an adult or an older sibling help you when handling them.
Aside from working with the chemicals, it’s basically just decorating coasters, so even small children can join in! We’re looking forward to seeing your cool, refreshing coasters!