Are you wondering what kinds of activities to do on a day off with a first grader? In this article, we’ll introduce craft ideas perfect for first-grade elementary schoolers! After finishing, everyone can play together, or get excited learning how things work.
The author’s recommendation is a cardboard treasure chest with a lock! Its curiosity-sparking mechanisms pack in the unique fun of first-grade crafts.
They’re all easy to make, so give them a try!
Recommended for Elementary School Kids! Fun Craft Ideas for First Graders (1–10)
Easy! How to Make the Sprouting Bug
https://www.tiktok.com/@picoton_craft/video/7222601522989845761Girls might not be into it, but boys are sure to love it! By moving the stick, the sprouting little bug on the leaf wiggles.
Color a sheet of kitchen paper with a water-based marker, roll it into a tube, slide it onto a stick, and scrunch it.
After removing it, sprinkle water to let the ink bleed, then add eyes.
Next, attach the tubular piece to a leaf-shaped cutout of construction paper and thread the stick through.
Finally, add the bug’s head and tail to the stick, and you’re done! It’s easy to make, but it’s the kind of craft that makes everyone say, “Let me try!”
Plastic bottle drum
Simple yet loud! Here’s how to make a plastic-bottle drum.
First, cut off the bottom of an empty plastic bottle and wrap the cut edge with vinyl tape.
Next, stretch a balloon over the opening and secure it firmly with tape so it doesn’t come off.
Decorate the bottle with pens or stickers as you like! Finally, tape a 10 cm square piece of aluminum foil to the tip of a chopstick, crumple the foil into a ball to make a beater, and you’re done! It could be fun for everyone to make their own and enjoy a group performance.
Give it a try!
Authentic handmade guitar
Here’s an introduction to a genuine-sounding guitar you can make using items like toilet paper rolls and paper cups.
You’ll also use a sample-size paper cup; the key is to choose one whose bottom fits the toilet paper roll.
Cut slits in the paper cup, hook rubber bands onto both the cup and the toilet paper roll, and stack the two pieces together.
By adjusting the position of the toilet paper roll, you can improve the sound when you pluck the rubber bands.
If you attach the sample cup and make a pick, you can create an even more authentic guitar—give it a try!
A soccer game you can make with straws
How about making a simple toy out of straws so you can enjoy soccer at home? It’s a fun, engaging game you can play together with friends or family! Another great point is that you can make it using familiar materials like an empty box and some straws.
Use the empty box to create the field and the straws to build the goals.
Attach straws to the player pieces you cut out from the box, and control them as you play.
It could be even more exciting to model the players after your favorite stars! This toy is sure to help kids develop dexterity and concentration.
We’ve shared detailed instructions in a video, so check it out and give it a try!
Boomerang made from paper cups
Let me introduce a unique boomerang that might boost kids’ reflexes.
This boomerang is made from paper cups, but it’s apparently hard to catch when it returns—so it could help train reflexes.
Fix and connect the bottoms of two paper cups with cellophane tape.
Insert a bent paper clip into the joined section.
Set the paper-cup boomerang onto a launcher made from a chopstick with a rubber band fixed to it, and then just launch it.
It takes some technique to throw and catch, but mastering it might be part of the fun.
Make a bow and arrow with straws!
A piece you worked hard to make yourself becomes twice as fun if you can play with it afterward, right? So this time, we’re introducing a bow and arrow you can make with straws.
You can use either thick boba straws or regular straws.
Besides the straws, you’ll just need common household items like a toilet paper roll and rubber bands, so it’s easy to prepare.
The projectile that the bow shoots is made from the toilet paper roll and rubber bands.
Make the bow using a straw and a spherical Styrofoam ball.
Once it’s finished, just aim and shoot at targets made from paper plates or balloons.
Kids will enjoy crafting it with the excitement of being able to play with it after it’s done.
PET bottle air cannon
Recommended for kids who are bored with ordinary toys! Let’s make a plastic-bottle air cannon and play.
First, cut off the bottom of an empty plastic bottle, cover the cut edge with a balloon, and secure it firmly with tape.
Tie the end of the balloon so you can pull it.
Next, cut a few slits in one end of a toilet paper tube, wrap it with vinyl tape to reinforce it, then attach it to the bottle to make a handle.
Finally, make a few targets and you’re done! It’s a science toy that lets you have fun learning how air can knock down targets.
It’s easy to make, so give it a try and play with it!