Recommended for 1-year-olds! Craft play ideas and fun crafting techniques

10 years as a kindergarten teacher / elementary school teacher / junior and senior high school teacher / childminderkepiko
Graduated from Kunitachi College of Music, Faculty of Music (now: Department of Music Culture and Education, Early Childhood Music Education major). In elementary school, my homeroom teacher was Jun Kusaba, a game researcher. After graduating from university, I worked for 10 years as a kindergarten teacher and for 7 years as an after-school childcare instructor, then took a post as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I also engaged in activities that shared Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational play, working with many children. Afterwards, through freelance writing, planning, and editing work at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and conveying ideas. Leveraging the perspective cultivated in educational settings and my experience as an editor, I aim to deliver practical information—focusing on fields related to music and children—that values both input and output. Hobbies include instruments, singing, handcrafts, toys, drawing, traditional play, the outdoors, books, DIY, and crafts. Special skill: spinning-top tricks.
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSICsasashina
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSIC. JFC-certified fact-checker. I’m Sasashina, a mom currently raising an elementary schooler and a preschooler. During my student years at Kyoto College of Science and Technology, I studied a wide range of fields including sound, lighting, and video technology, building a foundation in comprehensive stage production and creative expression. After graduation, I joined a music production company, where I still work, consistently building experience in production and engaging in a variety of music-centered tasks. Currently, I mainly handle articles for children, drawing on what I’ve learned about parenting and what I feel and discover through daily interactions with my kids. I hope my work can be of help to you, even in a small way!

Creative activities are not only great for developing fine motor skills; they also let children touch a variety of materials, enjoy different textures, and express their own ideas—making them an essential part of healthy growth.

In this article, we’ll introduce craft ideas recommended for one-year-olds.

From projects that use various techniques to ones you can play with after making, it’s packed with fun, sensory-rich ideas.

We’ve gathered lots of activities that one-year-olds can enjoy, like crumpling paper and touching paint with their fingers.

Watch over the children’s expressions and creative gestures, and try making them together!

Because the children’s creations are regarded as works (art pieces), we use the term “seisaku” (制作) in the text to refer to them.

Recommended for 1-year-olds! Craft play ideas and fun crafting techniques (31–40)

wriggly caterpillar

How about making a cute, three-dimensional wiggly caterpillar? You’ll need colored construction paper, thick paper/cardboard, tissue paper, small black round stickers, double-sided tape, and scissors.

Cut the thick paper into circles, then have the children crumple tissue paper in their favorite colors and stick it on.

Be sure to apply double-sided tape to the thick paper beforehand.

Once you’ve made as many segments as you like, add the caterpillar’s eyes with the black round stickers to finish.

Arrange the segments freely to create and display your caterpillar’s shape.

Crumpling the fluffy tissue paper offers both visual and tactile stimulation that’s great for kids.

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Soramame-kun’s Bed

Here’s an introduction to making a fava bean bed craft that’s perfect for May.

Gather paint, sponge stampers (tanpo), construction paper, cotton, colored pens, and glue, and let’s get started.

Stamp paint onto construction paper cut into the shape of a pod to create the fava bean’s bed.

Use colored pens to freely draw grass on the base sheet of construction paper.

Glue the pod onto the base, add the cotton, and the fava bean bed is complete.

Kids can enjoy the feel of the cotton and the color variations created by dabbing with the sponge stampers.

Give it a try!

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Takenoko-chan

Here’s an introduction to making a fun art project with Bamboo Shoot-chan using paints.

Prepare a paper plate, crayons, paint, brushes, scissors, and glue.

First, enjoy scribbling on the paper plate with crayons.

Next, paint over it to enjoy a resist painting effect.

It’s recommended to dilute the paint a little.

Since some children may be using paint for the first time, proceed while keeping a close eye on them to prevent accidental ingestion and ensure safety.

Cut the paper plate into quarters, then glue the pieces together in a three-dimensional way to form a bamboo shoot shape.

Finally, add the face, and it’s complete.

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Ladybugs and dandelions

We’re introducing how to make cute spring dandelions and round little ladybugs.

Please prepare the bases for the dandelions and the ladybugs ahead of time, teachers.

Stick double-sided tape on the dandelion flower area, and have the children attach torn, crumpled pieces of yellow tissue paper there.

For the ladybug’s spots, use black paint and make finger stamps; if using fingers is tricky, cotton swabs also make adorable stamps! Finally, attach the facial parts of the ladybug to finish.

They look very cute whether you mount them on a backing sheet or display them as they are.

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A little bird made with scribbles

Let’s draw freely with crayons! Here are some ideas for making little birds from scribbles.

Scribbling refers to the bold, free lines and drawings that children create just as they please.

It’s characterized by lines drawn casually with big movements of the hands and arms.

This is an important time to enjoy the fun of drawing and take the first step in self-expression, so let’s make something that makes the most of children’s drawings! What you’ll need: drawing paper, crayons, paper parts (made from construction paper), glue, and scissors.

Give it a try!

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Recommended for 1-year-olds! Craft play ideas and fun crafting techniques (41–50)

Puchi-Puchi Strawberry

@hoiku_ratty
Strawberries with a satisfyingly tactile feel 🍓 Popping Strawberries [Goal] Enjoy the process of becoming a strawberry while feeling the texture of the materials [Age] 1–2 years old [Materials] Bubble wrap, tissue paper, construction paper, round stickers Everyone, please give it a try! Thank you for reading to the end 😊 I’d be happy if you like and follow! Feel free to leave your thoughts or questions in the comments♪ ┈ This account shares: ✏️ Crafts / Weekly & Monthly Plans / Event Prep / Problem-Solving We collect easy-to-copy ideas to save you time on planning and help you enjoy your private life too 🪄 “There’s someone I don’t get along with…” “My salary doesn’t match the work!” We also offer free career change support and consultations for those in that situation 🙆🏻‍♀️ (Even just “I want to know what kinds of schools are out there” is OK!) ★ For consultations, visit the URL in the profile ★ @hoiku_ratty ┈Production ideas Production ideas Craft PlayChildcare craftsWork/Project Idea Nursery teacher / Childcare worker #Nursery School Craft March #March production April #April Production #Spring crafts ⁣Strawberry craft
♪ Original Song – Easy Nursery Crafts | Ratty 🐨 by Hoiku R – Easy Nursery Crafts | Ratty 🐨 by Hoiku R

When it comes to spring flavors, strawberries are a must! Here’s a strawberry craft that even young children can make.

Prepare bubble wrap, tissue paper, construction paper, and round stickers.

Shape the bubble wrap into a strawberry with the bubbly side facing outward.

Have the children crumple red or pink tissue paper and place it inside the strawberry shape you made.

Seal the opening with tape, then stick on the round stickers as strawberry seeds to finish.

For the calyx (leafy top), it’s best to cut it a bit larger.

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Strawberries made with sticker pasting

https://www.tiktok.com/@hoiku_ratty/video/7462340736697077013

Let’s have fun sticking stickers with our fingertips! Here are some strawberry craft ideas you can make with sticker pasting.

For one-year-olds, sticking stickers is a wonderful activity that nurtures fine motor skills and concentration.

Placing stickers helps them practice using their fingertips and learn precise movements and pressure control.

Completing a craft also gives them a sense of accomplishment and boosts their confidence.

You’ll need a craft paper plate, construction paper, and round stickers.

Give it a try!

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