[Childcare] Recommended for 3-year-olds! Craft activity ideas

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 as a kindergarten teacher for 10 years and as an after-school childcare instructor for 7 years, then took a position as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I engaged in activities that introduced Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational activities, working with many children. Later, through freelance writing, planning, and editing at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and sharing. Drawing on the perspective cultivated in the field of education and my experience as an editor, I provide practical information with an emphasis on both input and output, mainly in areas related to music and children. My hobbies include instruments, singing, handicrafts, toys, drawing, traditional games, the outdoors, and books. My special skill is spinning-top tricks.
Keyboard playerSAKI
I’ve been playing the Electone since I was six, mainly performing Disney music, anime songs, and music from dramas and films. I post performance videos on YouTube and social media, and I also give concerts. Building on my Electone experience, I took up synthesizer and piano during my student years and performed at school-sponsored events. As a writer, I’ve covered not only music-related topics but a wide range of genres, so I hope to draw on my experience to deliver articles that make readers think, “I want to try that!” or “I want to listen to that!”

Around the age of three, children develop a sense of self, their imaginative world expands, their vocabulary increases, and their fine motor skills improve—there are so many signs of growth.

We hope they continue to grow significantly as they receive plenty of stimulation in their daily lives.

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

We’ve gathered fun ideas that will spark the curiosity of three-year-olds: perfect for wall displays, toys they can make and play with, projects that use unique techniques, and activities that can be used for pretend play!

There are also ideas ideal for practicing with scissors and glue, so choose activities that match the children’s developmental stage and give them a try!

[Childcare] Recommended for 3-year-olds! Craft play ideas (101–110)

[Ages 3 and up] Orihime and Hikoboshi made with accordion folding

For children aged 3 and up, let’s have them try a craft using accordion-folded origami.

Prepare origami paper in their favorite colors and fold it back and forth with mountain and valley folds to create an accordion.

Fold the accordion in half at the center to make the kimonos for Orihime and Hikoboshi.

It’s also recommended to prepare two sheets of origami and combine them.

Finally, add faces for Orihime and Hikoboshi made from other origami or construction paper to complete the craft.

Depending on the age group, it may go more smoothly if the teacher prepares the facial features in advance.

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SAKI

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Papercut of a dandelion

Let’s make it with scissors! I’ll introduce an idea for a dandelion paper-cut craft.

Here’s what you’ll need: yellow origami paper, glue or double-sided tape, scissors, and a compass.

Using the yellow origami paper, cut out dandelions in three sizes—large, medium, and small.

By layering the three sizes, the petals will have a three-dimensional look and the flower will turn out beautifully.

You can make it even nicer by cutting green origami paper to create the stem and leaves and combining them with the flower.

Give it a try!

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Grapes in bubble art

This is a grape craft made with bubble art.

Bubble art is a technique that uses bubbles created from a soap solution.

Mix detergent, water, and paint to make a colored soap solution, then blow through a straw to create bubbles.

Place the bubbles onto drawing paper to make patterns.

Once the bubbles dry, cut them out into grape shapes, and attach them to a grape backing sheet to finish.

Instead of a straw, you can also use a cut plastic bottle covered with cloth or netting as a substitute.

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sasashina

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Exploration Dragonfly

Here’s a fall craft idea that kids can keep playing with even after they finish making it: dragonfly glasses! Dye kitchen paper towels with colored water to create pastel shades and let them dry thoroughly.

Then tear the paper towels and paste them onto dragonfly parts made from construction paper.

Next, attach the parts to a chopstick decorated with masking tape.

Add cellophane to the dragonfly’s eyes so that when children look through them, they can experience a world of colors different from usual.

It’s a craft that can excite both kids and adults!

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miyabi

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Empty Can Tambourine

Let me share an idea for making tambourines out of empty cans and boxes.

What you’ll need: empty candy or cookie tins or small boxes, double-sided tape or glue, paper parts made from construction paper, and decorative materials.

Have you ever looked at a round cookie tin or an empty cheese box and thought, “I could use this for something”? Using materials like these, let’s make tambourines that are fun to craft and delightful to play, together with the kids! The step where you freely stick the parts together is exciting for both children and adults.

Give it a try!

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