[Childcare] For 4-year-olds! Easy winter origami ideas

Let’s tear and make it! Shishimai-kun

[Kindergarten/Daycare] January: Tear-and-Paste Craft! Shishimai (Lion Dance) Artwork & Craft Part 1

Don’t children also have chances to see the lion dance during the New Year? Some kindergartens and nursery schools put on lion dance performances, too.

Some kids even get scared and cry.

But if you make a lion dancer using torn origami, you’ll end up with a cute little lion-dance friend.

Cut origami paper into strips and tear them by hand.

These torn pieces will be the lion’s body.

Paste the torn pieces and the lion’s face onto a backing sheet, and it’s done.

It’s also fun to draw pictures around your little lion dancer.

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Nakajima Junko

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Winter origami! Cute kotatsu

[Winter Origami] How to Fold a Kotatsu [Origami]

Here is an introduction to making a kotatsu out of origami.

First, fold a sheet of origami paper in half in the color you like.

Since it’s a kotatsu, a patterned paper might be cuter.

Then fold back about one-third.

After folding, unfold it, fold it to half that width, and return it.

On the back side, fold back one-third as well.

Next, fold the back diagonally to create the kotatsu’s slope, and the main body is complete.

Now make the tabletop for the kotatsu.

Use a quarter-size sheet of origami paper for this.

Next, make the mandarin orange, which is essential for a kotatsu.

This one is very small, so have an adult help you.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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Festive! Cute origami sea bream

[New Year Origami] Easy and Cute Sea Bream Folding / Origami Fish Tai — Origami Sea Bream

Let’s make a lively sea bream that looks ready to swim away any moment! Sea bream are known to live long among fish, so they’re often eaten at celebrations and events as a wish for longevity.

What’s more, because the word “omedetai” (congratulatory) contains the sound “tai,” sea bream are considered lucky and are sometimes displayed for New Year’s as well.

This time, let’s make a sea bream out of origami and start a wonderful year! You’ll need one 15-cm square of red origami paper, one 7.5-cm square, round stickers or eye-shaped cutouts, scissors, glue, and a pen.

Some steps are a bit complex, so take your time and finish it carefully!

Easy and cute! Shimenawa wreath

[New Year Origami] Easy and Cute Shimenawa Wreath How to Fold / Origami Shimenawa Wreath

Something to make for New Year’s! Let’s decorate the room with a fluffy-looking origami shimenawa.

You’ll need ten 7.5 cm square sheets of origami paper and glue or double-sided tape.

Since you first make parts from the ten sheets and then assemble them, it seems like a great way to develop children’s thinking and spatial awareness.

If you attach flowers, the twelve zodiac animals, or other New Year’s ornaments to the shimenawa, it will look even more festive.

Recommended for preschoolers in the middle to senior age range! Give it a try.

Easy and cute! Origami snow rabbit daruma

Origami Rabbit Daruma [Easy] [Winter Craft] [Childcare]

This is a rabbit snowman made with two sheets of origami paper! First, we’ll make the head: fold the paper twice to make a small triangle.

Then unfold one fold so it’s folded only once, and roll-fold the base of the triangle about 1 cm.

Next, leave a small gap in the center and fold both corners straight up.

These will be the rabbit’s ears, so fold the top corners into small triangles to round them off.

Fold the left, right, and bottom corners inward to tidy the outline, then flip the paper over.

Fold the corner at the base of the ears to the back to finish the head.

For the body, do a cushion fold (zabuton fold), flip the paper over, and do another cushion fold.

Finally, fold the square into a triangle and you’re done! Glue the two parts together and draw the face to finish.

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sasashina

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Easy! Mount Fuji Origami

New Year’s origami: Easy Mount Fuji origami [with audio commentary]

Let’s make Mount Fuji—the tallest mountain in Japan and considered lucky if it appears in your first dream of the year—using simple steps! All you need is a single sheet of blue origami paper.

There are no complicated steps, and if you focus on making straight, crisp folds, you’ll end up with a beautiful result.

It could be enjoyed not only by preschool classes but also with two-year-olds together with teachers or parents.

Display the finished piece alongside an illustration of the first sunrise of the year to make it even more festive.

Great for walls too! Recommended origami for January

[New Year/January] Origami instructions you can also use for wall displays [Daycare/Kindergarten]

Let’s make New Year–themed items using washi-patterned origami and chiyogami.

The video features hagoita paddles, spinning tops (koma), kagami mochi, daruma dolls, and shuttlecocks (hane).

The ideas are full of exciting touches for kids—like customizing the daruma’s face to match the zodiac animal or freely choosing origami colors for the shuttlecocks.

When decorating indoors, you can get creative by mounting them on construction paper or stringing them together like a garland!