Craft activity ideas for 4-year-olds
By the time children are four, their fine motor skills become more refined—they can use scissors and glue more smoothly—and as their language develops, their imaginative world expands, greatly broadening the range of crafts they can do.
Let’s actively incorporate a variety of craft activities using different materials in daily childcare to stimulate their five senses more and more!
This time, we’re introducing craft play ideas recommended for four-year-olds.
We’ve gathered a wide range of ideas—from event-themed crafts like Halloween and Christmas, to toys they can make and play with, to wall decorations that reflect the seasons.
Use these as a reference and, while drawing on the children’s free ideas, try creating wonderful, personality-filled works together.
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[4-year-olds] Craft Activity Ideas (41–50)
Fireworks with stamps
Let’s try using a toilet paper roll to create fireworks.
It’s suitable for ages 3 and up, and a nice touch is that kids can join in from the stamp-making step! First, make lots of cuts into the toilet paper roll from the edge partway down.
The length of the cuts will change the size of the fireworks.
You can make stamps in various sizes to make it even more fun.
Once the stamps are ready, dip them into paint poured into a tray, then stamp them onto black construction paper.
Stamp away and create your own fireworks just the way you like!
twisty snake
How about making a snake toy that’s fun to create and even more fun to play with once it’s finished? If you show kids a completed example first and then let them play with it, they’ll likely feel motivated to make their own.
You can download a template online, so it’s easy to assemble.
You’ll also need crayons to color the snake, scissors, tape, and some string.
First, use an awl or similar tool to make a hole in the center of the snake illustration, then color the snake in any colors you like.
Coloring the circular parts might be a bit tricky, but having fun is what matters most—so color it however you like! Cut out the snake with scissors, thread the string through the hole you made, and you’re done! If you run while holding the string, you’ll see the snake move in a fun, wiggly way!
Candy Magnet
Let’s make something with plastic bottle caps! Here’s an idea for candy magnets.
How about turning materials you’d normally throw away into cute candy magnets? You’ll need two plastic bottle caps, double-sided tape, masking tape, magnets, fabric scraps, and embroidery thread.
By using leftover fabric from home or school, you can create something with even more sentimental value.
Give it a try with the kids!
Space Travel Game
Let me introduce a handmade space travel game.
Prepare 10 round magnets, round stickers, straws, and construction paper, and let’s make it together.
For the spaceship, attach a straw to a magnet, stick on a round sticker, and draw a rocket illustration.
Next, create a flight course for the spaceship on a base sheet of construction paper.
Cut black construction paper into circles and glue magnets at the center to make black holes.
Stick several of these black holes along the course, and you’re done.
Pilot the spaceship and try to reach the goal without getting swallowed by the black holes.
Play with tissue paper flowers
Here’s a rainy-day activity using tissue paper that kids can enjoy.
Prepare light-colored construction paper, tissue paper, and a spray mister.
Tear the tissue paper by hand.
Let the children choose their favorite colors.
Tearing the tissue into thinner pieces helps the colors bleed more easily and makes the tissue fluffy—highly recommended.
Gather the torn tissue pieces on the construction paper, then mist them with water.
As the tissue becomes damp, the colors blend together so kids can enjoy the color changes, as well as the tactile sensation of the paper transforming.
Once it’s completely dry, the tissue pieces stick together, creating a single, very colorful sheet.
It’s an activity with tissue paper that’s fun right to the end.
sensory play
Sensory play is a recommended activity that stimulates children’s five senses.
When you put a cooling sheet in water, it swells and feels like slime.
For play with shaving cream, try putting the cream into a paper cup and mixing it, or adding color to the cream and applying it.
Doing this alongside crafts helps nurture their imagination.
For scratch art, draw a picture underneath with crayons, then layer black crayon on top and scratch it away.
It’s exciting to see the black crayon scrape off and the colors underneath appear.
It’s also great to mix water with flour or potato starch, knead it, and enjoy the gooey texture.
Using pulp clay to create shapes from one’s imagination also sounds like a lot of fun.
rice ball
I’ll show you how to make onigiri that kids love.
Prepare one sheet of black origami paper and let’s get started.
Fold it into a triangle with the black side on the inside.
Fold both corners of the triangle up toward the center.
With the loose flaps facing you, hold the three layers of paper and fold them upward so they form the seaweed (nori) on the onigiri.
Make firm crease lines—it might take a bit of effort, but that’s the key point.
Flip it over and fold the remaining single layer up as well, then puff it up from the inside to give it shape, and you’re done! It can be fun to make several onigiri and arrange them like a bento lunch.