Lovely childcare

[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 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.
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 (21–30)

Perfect for walls! A butterfly craft that makes paint play fun

Cut an A4 sheet of drawing paper into the shape of a butterfly, then apply paint on just one side.

Once you’re ready, fold it in half and lift the wing—your design will have transferred beautifully to the other side! You can also enjoy the excitement of seeing what pattern appears the moment you open it.

After that, attach the wings to another A4 sheet for the background, and stick a photo of your child in the center.

You’ll have a one-of-a-kind, adorable butterfly! It will look very spring-like on a wall display and become a wonderful, memorable piece.

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Quick and easy with bubble wrap stamps! Cute beehive

For spring crafts! An easy way to make a beehive using bubble wrap stamps

Quick and easy with bubble wrap stamps! Cute beehive

This is a fun stamping activity to make a cute honeycomb using bubble wrap.

Roll the bubble wrap to create a stamp, dab it in paint, and pop-pop it onto construction paper to easily make a honeycomb-like pattern.

Using two colors of paint lets you enjoy the contrast and looks very pretty.

Once the pattern is done, make bees and other parts and glue them on.

Since it’s just stamping, even young children can enjoy it and get absorbed in the activity.

After you attach the parts at the end, your adorable honeycomb artwork is complete!

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Stamp play is fun! Cute flowers

Here’s a craft idea that uses a stamp made from bubble wrap to depict cherry blossoms.

Lightly sketch the outline of a cherry blossom on pale pink construction paper, and have the children stamp inside the outline.

It’s fine if they go over the lines—unneeded parts will be cut off later! Encourage them to enjoy expressing themselves as they recall cherry blossoms.

The cutting step can be left to the children as good scissor practice.

If you display the cherry blossoms everyone made on the wall, it’ll feel like you can have a cherry-blossom viewing party right in the room!

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paper plate Frisbee

[Indoor Play] Keep Your Distance and Have Fun! 3 Paper Plate Activities [Nursery/Kindergarten]

paper plate Frisbee

Let’s make an original frisbee by arranging paper plates! Because you can use free ideas like drawings and decorations, it’s also great for training children’s imagination.

Prepare two slightly deep paper plates and place them together with the inside faces facing each other.

Then just secure them with a stapler or glue, and you’re done! If you use a stapler, be sure to cover the staples with tape to prevent injuries.

Feel free to draw your favorite pictures, add stickers, and try various decorations.

Try making this item you can play with both indoors and outdoors.

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Bleeding Heart Painting

https://www.tiktok.com/@hoiku.labo/video/7446648465326755080

Let’s make a cute heart-themed bleed art using coffee filters! You’ll need coffee filters, water-based markers, a spray bottle, scissors, glue, and construction paper cut into heart shapes.

Draw freely on the coffee filter with the water-based markers, then spray it with water from the spray bottle.

Once it’s dry, cut it any way you like and glue the pieces onto the heart-shaped paper.

When the glue dries, you’re done! Use a spray bottle that produces a fine mist for a cleaner finish.

Enjoy creating while observing how the colors bleed and blend!

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Milk carton castanets

[Craft] Easy Castanets [For Parents and Kids]

Milk carton castanets

How about making a milk-carton castanet that actually makes sound? First, open up a milk carton and cut off just one panel.

Then make a crease in the middle, attach plastic bottle caps to the parts that overlap, and you’re done.

Try attaching them while finding the position that produces the best sound.

Once you get a satisfying tone, you’ll want to play with it again and again.

It would also be fun to play together with everyone.

However, since there are many steps that involve using scissors, make sure a teacher or guardian is nearby to supervise.

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cardboard camera

Kids Will Love It! Make-Your-Own Camera

cardboard camera

Here’s a cardboard camera that’s perfect to take along on a walk.

Prepare cardboard, cellophane, a paper cup, and double-sided tape.

Cut two pieces of cardboard to the same size for the camera you want to make.

Make a hole in the center of each piece so you can attach the lens.

Cut the paper cup in half horizontally, then make a vertical slit, and fit it into the lens hole on one of the cardboard pieces.

Cover it with colored cellophane, then stick the other piece of cardboard on top, and you’re done! Try adding your own touches—attach a yarn strap for carrying, change the color of the cellophane, or add decorations.

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