Plastic Straws: Unique Uses & Fun Projects for Kids of All Ages

Plastic drinking straws have been around for a long time and, although used primarily for drinking, have also been converted to a number of other uses. No matter what your age, you can have fun trying out some of these unique uses for plastic drinking straws.

Art Projects

An eye-catching mobile for a child’s room can be made by cutting out a circle of colored cardboard and using a hole-punch to make holes around the outside edge of the circle. Then, using a needle threaded with sturdy thread or yarn, run a 4-6 inch piece of thread through the top of each plastic straw you wish to include in your mobile. Poke one end of the thread from each straw through one of the circles in the piece of cardboard and tie securely to the other end. Using different colored straws and cutting each one to a different length with scissors, makes the mobile even more interesting. Attach the mobile to the ceiling with another piece of thread stapled to the center of the cardboard circle. A fan in the room will enhance movement of the mobile.

A great “kids” project using plastic straws is mystery painting. Give each child a large piece of paper and drop a few drops of thin, watery paint on it. Let them use a plastic straw to blow the paint gently across the paper to create mystery designs. After the designs dry, have each child tell the others about his or her own painting.

Plastic straws work very well for making strong center holes for hand made beads. Simply cut a few thin plastic straws into the lengths you want your finished beads to be. Then mold your clay or bead material around the straw piece. When your beads are dry and painted, they will be easy to string using the uniform-sized hole provided by the plastic straw sections.

Green plastic straws make wonderful stems for a variety of paper flowers, and paper pinwheels look good mounted on any color of straw.

Three-dimensional art can be created by cutting pieces of various colored plastic straws and gluing them to a drawing. Blue straws for the sky, green ones for grass, etc.

Musical Instruments

Musical instruments made from plastic drinking straws can provide
a lot of entertainment, as well as teach students how such instruments work.

Anyone can make a straw kazoo by flattening one end and cutting it into a pointed v shape on the end. Have students pair off, and experiment by using scissors to cut off a bit of the partner’s kazoo to see what happens to the sound. Ask them what is happening as the kazoos grow shorter. Have them make a longer kazoo by using a pencil to widen the end of one straw and inserting another into it. What happens? Make more kazoos and cut the flattened end into different shapes to see if it changes the sound.

Other reed instruments can be made from straws by making small holes in the top of them. Covering one or more of the holes when blowing into it will produce a variety of sounds. These, too, can be extended in length by adding an extra straw to each one.

School Assignments

Schoolteachers have not overlooked the versatility of using plastic straws in school projects.

Math students have long glued straws together to produce geometric forms, and a national competition has developed using plastic straws to build model bridges. The bridges must adhere to particular design features to insure that they would, if actually built, withstand certain weather conditions, load limits, etc.

Science classes may display models of molecules using plastic straws joined by inserting them into marshmallows. A little more interesting than the more traditional method of using glue.)

Miscellaneous Uses for Plastic Straws

A “just for fun” activity using plastic straws is to add a bit of detergent to a bowl of water, and allow the younger kids to use their straws to blow bubbles. For variety, add a bit of food coloring to produce different colored bubbles.

The older kids can join in the fun by making flexible straw tubas. Use flexible plastic straws for this project. Have them bend a straw at 90 degrees, place one end under their armpit, making sure the armpit provides an airtight seal, and blow on the other. This may take some practice, but it is sure to cause a lot of laughter.

Commercial Use of Plastic Straws

And finally, on a more serious note, plastic straws are frequently used on dairies to store semen for the artificial insemination of cows. The straws can be labeled easily and filed until needed.

Whatever use you find for them, plastic straws are an inexpensive investment. Why not keep a few boxes on hand for art projects, creative musical instruments, school assignments, or just plain fun activities around the house? And, don’t forget, they also come in handy for drinking.