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)
Ninja Craft That Moves With Mechanisms!
This is a fun origami craft featuring a ninja who disappears with a whoosh.
First, shape a toilet paper roll into a shuriken and use it to stamp paint onto black construction paper.
Next, using red and light peach construction paper, make the ninja’s face, body, arms and legs, and eyes.
Draw the facial features and stick the parts onto the black paper.
Attach two toothpicks to the top back side of the black paper.
On the back of another sheet of black paper, attach a strip of paper as a handle, then combine the two sheets so they can slide up and down.
It’s finished! Enjoy the interactive trick as you say, “Oh, the ninja hid!”
[Age 4] Craft Activity Ideas (51–60)
Let’s make a sugoroku (board) game
This is a handmade sugoroku board game that combines prompts the children came up with.
Write each prompt on a card and stick it onto the board.
Using words or drawings, you can create a unique, original sugoroku.
Arrange the cards on the board, glue them down, and connect each card with lines—then it’s complete! With unique prompts on each space, such as “sing a song,” “jump,” “rock-paper-scissors with the teacher,” or “do an impression,” this original sugoroku will make time at the preschool lively and fun.
Easter egg maracas
April has Easter, right? Here’s a perfect craft for April festivities: making egg-shaped maracas that make a rattling sound.
Prepare two bottle caps, beads, newspaper, aluminum foil, a permanent marker, and vinyl tape.
Put beads into one cap, place the other cap on top, and secure them tightly with vinyl tape so the beads don’t spill.
If you add too many beads, the sound can become muffled, so a moderate amount is recommended.
Wrap the capped beads with newspaper to create volume and shape it into an egg.
Finally, color the aluminum foil with a permanent marker in any colors you like, carefully smooth it into an egg shape, wrap it around, and your maracas are complete!
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!
Christmas lantern
In the run-up to Christmas, making Christmas lanterns is a great activity for 4-year-olds to enjoy.
Start by cutting plastic sheets and drawing their favorite pictures.
Next, add color using colorful cellophane and try out different combinations.
Finally, assemble the sheet into a cone shape and place an LED light inside to complete a beautiful lantern! Through this craft, children can express their creativity and experience a sense of accomplishment.
Scratch play
Here’s a fun scratch-art activity you can enjoy indoors.
Prepare construction paper, bamboo skewers, pastel crayons, disposable chopsticks, and glue thinned with water.
First, use bright colors of pastel crayon to color the construction paper thoroughly so there are no gaps.
Then, cover the entire surface with black crayon, again making sure there are no gaps.
Use a bamboo skewer to scratch the surface and draw your picture by revealing the colors underneath.
Brush on a coat of glue thinned with water to seal the finished picture.
This makes the colors less likely to rub off on your hands.
Let it dry, and you’re done.
Give it a try!
tambourine maracas
Let’s make an original instrument! Here are ideas for a tambourine-maracas combo.
You’ll need deep paper plates, double-sided tape or craft glue, jingle bells, ribbons, masking tape, felt, sequins, and other decorative materials.
How about creating your very own instrument with a free imagination? It looks like a tambourine, can be shaken like maracas, and even played like a drum.
This kind of engaging craft nurtures children’s imagination.
Give it a try!