Turn a boring paper cup into something interesting and creative.
Doing craft projects with paper cups is a way for children to spend quality time with adults while having fun and being creative. Paper cups are very versatile and can be used to create many things from instruments to toys, allowing children to engage in numerous activities with their paper cup creations. These projects can be done using paper cups and other supplies you may have lying around the house, such as glue, string, markers and paint.
Music Makers
Create a fun music maker out of a paper cup. Start by filling a paper cup halfway with sand, dry beans, rice or beads. Cover the opening of the cup with a piece of aluminum foil and secure it in place with a rubber band. The child can then shake the object to create music. Change the sound of the instrument by filling the cup with a different material. For example, sand will sound different than dry beans, rice or beads.
Snake
Make a movable snake using paper cups and a piece of yarn. Use a pen to poke a hole into the bottom of 10 plastic cups. Stack the cups on top of each other and feed the yarn through the holes. Cut off the excess yarn -- leaving 2 inches to enable movement of the snake -- and tie a knot in each end of the yarn to keep it from coming loose. Decorate the snake by using a marker to add eyes and a mouth.
Groundhog Puppet
Watch your groundhog peep out of his hole with your help using this puppet. Create a small groundhog by cutting a small circle and larger oval out of a piece of brown construction paper. Glue these pieces together and add googly eyes or draw your groundhog a face using a marker. Attach the groundhog to a popsicle stick using glue or tape. Create a burrow for the groundhog by wrapping a piece of brown paper around a paper cup. Use colored construction paper to cut out pieces of grass, flowers and other decorations for your groundhog's home. Cut a hole into the bottom of the paper cup and stick the popsicle stick through it. You can then move the groundhog in and out of his hole.
Flower Pot
This decorative flower pot makes a good gift for Mother's Day, but it can be made at any time. Decorate a paper plate using paint, markers, glitter and ribbon. You can write something like "Happy Mother's Day" on the top. While the plate is drying, decorate a paper cup in a similar fashion, adding paint, glitter and ribbon. Fill the cup with plastic flowers or use bunched up tissue paper to represent flowers. Glue the side of the cup onto the paper plate. Use a hole punch or scissors to punch a hole into the top of the paper plate, above the cup. String a piece of ribbon through the hole and tie a knot. This will be used to hang up the flower pot decoration.
