Lovely childcare

[Childcare] Recommended for 3-year-olds! Origami ideas with a winter theme

[Childcare] Recommended for 3-year-olds! Origami ideas with a winter theme

Last updated:2026/1/22

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!
20 years of experience as a nursery teacher / kindergarten teacherhiyoko sensei
I’m Hiyoko-sensei, a former nursery school teacher from Hyogo Prefecture. Ever since I was five, my dream was to become a childcare worker, and before I knew it, 20 years had passed since I achieved that dream. Through singing and playing with the children, I kept working with the spirit of someone in their twenties, even as I increasingly felt my physical limits year by year (haha). From here on, I’d like to share helpful information carefully and thoughtfully, drawing on my on-site experience.

In childcare settings for three-year-olds who are beginning to learn finger play and how to use toys, origami is often used.

Some of you may be looking for origami instructions that match the winter season, which brings various events like Christmas and playing in the snow.

In this article, we’ve picked simple, low-step origami ideas with a winter theme.

It’s also a great idea to display the pieces made together with friends at the nursery school.

Prepare colorful origami paper and try winter origami that lets children’s creativity flourish.

[Childcare] Recommended for 3-year-olds! Winter-themed origami ideas (1–10)

penguin

[Origami] How to make penguins | #origami #easyorigami #paperfolding #origami (Japanese/Chinese: 摺紙)

penguin

This is a penguin origami craft perfect for three-year-olds who enjoy sticking pieces of paper.

You make the penguin’s body by layering black and white origami paper.

After attaching the eyes and beak, it’s fun to draw different expressions together with your child.

Finally, cut colorful origami paper into any shapes you like and stick them around the penguin to finish.

Doing this activity together helps deepen communication with your child.

It’s a lovely penguin origami idea that’s perfect for winter childcare activities.

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Santa Claus

[Origami] Santa Claus [Easy] [From age 3 class]

Santa Claus

Would you like to make Christmas-themed origami—Santa Claus—together? Using origami paper or construction paper, pens, and stickers, it’s a fun craft that brings out a wintry atmosphere.

Use red and white paper to create the hat and facial parts, and assemble them with the children.

Adding a pom-pom or attaching a beard is a great way to have fun while working together.

Display the finished Santa on the wall to create a space full of seasonal charm.

It’s a perfect origami idea for winter childcare that expands children’s imagination.

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gloves

Origami mittens (revised edition) — Difficulty: ★☆☆ — Level One

gloves

Origami gloves are an essential touch for winter outfits.

Using colorful origami paper, you can enjoy activities that nurture children’s creativity.

Combine triangular and circular pieces to make cute gloves.

It’s also fun to use small strips as fingers and add tiny snowflakes on top.

This can help develop fine motor skills, too.

Displaying the finished origami gloves on the wall lets everyone share in the children’s sense of accomplishment.

Why not brighten up the nursery during the cold season with a display of colorful origami gloves?

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Easy with just one sheet! Snowman

[Origami] Easy snowman with a single sheet ⛄ How to make a paper snowman #snowman #Christmas #snowman (yukidaruma) #snowman #snowman #xuěrén (snow person) #howtofold #origami #origami (JP) #zhǐzhǐ (paper folding)

Easy with just one sheet! Snowman

The charm of this origami is how easy it is—you can make a snowman with just one sheet of white paper.

There are many small, detailed folds, so try tackling it together with your child.

Each step is simple, but because it involves lots of precise finger work, staying focused is important.

As you go, guide them with prompts like “This part is next,” or demonstrate each step so they can work with confidence.

At the end, draw the face with a pen or add patterns, and each snowman will have its own unique expression.

When you line up the finished pieces for display, you can clearly see how different their expressions are—even though they’re all snowmen—making them even more fun to look at.

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Snow fairy! Adorable long-tailed tit (Shima-enaga)

[Easy Origami] How to Make a Long-Tailed Tit 💡 #Hokkaido #SnowSpirit #Bird #Birdie #bird #새 #鸟 #Winter #Animals #Cute #HowToFold #Origami #Paper #DIY

Snow fairy! Adorable long-tailed tit (Shima-enaga)

Why not try making the popular long-tailed tit as a “snow fairy” with origami? All you need is a single sheet of your favorite origami paper and a black pen, so preparation is super easy.

Fold by creasing and flipping the paper as you go: use the white front side to represent the body and the colored back side for the wings.

Finish by drawing the eyes and beak with a black pen to enjoy different expressions.

With few steps, it’s easy even for a 3-year-old, so it’s highly recommended.

After it’s done, you can show them to each other or line them up on the wall to create a cute atmosphere.

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Easy! Origami Snowman

How to Easily Make a Snowman with Origami! Winter Craft Variations Too (For 4-Year-Olds)

Easy! Origami Snowman

This is an origami snowman you can make with simple steps.

Choose the color of your origami paper based on the hat you want the snowman to wear.

Once you’ve decided, place the paper with the colored side facing up and fold it in half by bringing the left and right edges together.

Next, fold it again by matching the top and bottom edges.

Then, using the second crease, make a step fold (accordion fold), and fold the two ends of the stepped section inward, opening them into triangles.

This creates a waist, giving you a two-tiered snowman.

Finally, tuck the remaining corners at the top and bottom inward to round the shape, and you’re done.

One corner will become the hat, so fold only one layer inward so that a triangle of the colored side appears on the snowman’s surface.

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knit cap

Knitting a beanie with recycled yarn from the 100-yen shop 🤎🩵

knit cap

Perfect for the winter season and familiar to kids are things like knitted hats.

Let’s try making one of those knitted hats with origami.

You can find colorful patterned origami paper at 100-yen shops and the like, so let your child choose a pattern they like—one they’d want to wear.

The folding steps aren’t very difficult, so it’s fun to make lots of hats in different colors.

The pom-pom at the tip of the hat is made by folding white paper.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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