Lovely childcare

[Childcare] Playful craft ideas to enjoy with 5-year-olds

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 as a kindergarten teacher for 10 years and as an after-school childcare instructor for 7 years, then took a position as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I engaged in activities that introduced Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational activities, working with many children. Later, through freelance writing, planning, and editing at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and sharing. Drawing on the perspective cultivated in the field of education and my experience as an editor, I provide practical information with an emphasis on both input and output, mainly in areas related to music and children. My hobbies include instruments, singing, handicrafts, toys, drawing, traditional games, the outdoors, and books. My special skill is spinning-top tricks.
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!

I want to enjoy crafts with a five-year-old, but they get bored with flat, two-dimensional projects…

Does that sound familiar?

Here are some craft ideas perfect for five-year-olds, whose thinking skills and ability to work on tasks are really blossoming—plus, they double as toys you can play with.

Enjoy the crafting process, and then try playing with the toys you made, both indoors and outdoors.

It’s also fine to lend and borrow toys with friends.

Kids tend to cherish toys they made themselves, so they’ll likely play with them carefully.

Teachers, why not make and play together too?

[Childcare] Playful Craft Ideas to Enjoy with 5-Year-Olds (31–40)

Paper cup rocket making

[For 4-year-olds] Easy rocket craft using paper cups!

Paper cup rocket making

Here’s a paper-cup rocket that’s perfect for indoor play.

Prepare paper cups, rubber bands, construction paper, pens, scissors, and glue.

Cut four slits into one of the paper cups.

Leave the other paper cup as is.

Take two rubber bands, stretch them, and attach them to each other in a crisscross shape.

Hook the connected rubber bands onto the slitted parts of the paper cup.

With the cup that has the rubber bands on top and the other cup as a base underneath, press down; the rubber band’s force will launch the cup upward like a rocket.

You can decorate the paper cups with colored pens, origami paper, or stickers to make them even cuter.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

Pool cue air cannon

Let me introduce an air cannon made from a pool noodle that you can complete in no time.

Prepare a pool noodle, a balloon, a pom-pom ball, and vinyl tape, and let’s get started.

Cut the pool noodle, tie a knot at the mouth of the balloon, and then cut the top part of the balloon horizontally with scissors, leaving more material on the bottom section.

Fit the cut balloon onto the end of the pool noodle and secure it firmly with vinyl tape so it won’t come off—now it’s ready.

To launch, place a pom-pom ball inside and pull back on the balloon section, then aim upward and release.

The steps are simple, so it’s also recommended for busy teachers.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

Aquarium building

Aquarium-making (for 5-year-olds)

Aquarium building

As we spend more time indoors during the summer, why not take this opportunity to enjoy some focused crafting with your children? This time, we’re introducing an aquarium-making activity.

Aquariums, where you can see a variety of creatures up close, are full of charm for kids.

By creating their own aquariums, children can nurture their creativity and expressive skills.

Prepare familiar materials like paper plates and plastic bottles, and let the children cut and paste according to their own ideas and images—this helps develop fine motor skills and spatial awareness.

It’s great to carry out the activity while valuing children’s free-thinking and flashes of inspiration.

We hope you’ll give it a try!

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

Gashi-Gashi Hand

Paper Cup Craft: “Grab-and-Grip Hand”

Gashi-Gashi Hand

Why not make a “Grabby Hand” with a uniquely addictive motion? First, prepare two paper cups.

In one cup, cut slits to match the shape of a hand; once you’ve formed five fingers, fold them back to the opposite side.

Next, make about a 2-centimeter slit at the tip of a straw and staple it to the center of the hand-shaped cup.

Finally, poke a hole in the center of the bottom of the other paper cup and thread the straw through—done! Move the straw up and down, and the paper-cup hand will open and close, letting you grab paper scraps and more.

It’s fun to use during cleanup, and if you prepare lots of paper balls, you can even have a ball-collecting race with everyone and really get the excitement going!

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

cardboard tambourine

@nobuhiro1139
Tambourine translation
♪ Original Song – Nobuhiro – ⛩️ OjiKura ⛩️

Fun to make! Here are some ideas for making a tambourine out of cardboard.

You’ll need cardboard, a compass, a pencil, a plastic sheet, craft glue, plastic bottle caps, beads, and vinyl tape.

It’s great that cardboard and bottle caps are easy to prepare at home or in preschool! Using familiar materials may also help foster an appreciation for taking care of things.

Be sure to try making one together with your child.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

[Childcare] Playful Craft Ideas to Enjoy with 5-Year-Olds (41–50)

Summer at-home fun you can get all at the 100-yen shop!

http://www.lemon8-app.com

Everything you need from the 100-yen shop! Here are some ideas for summer play at home.

Have you heard of a sensory bag? It’s a pouch-like item used as a toy to stimulate children’s senses, letting them play while engaging their perception and sensations.

This time, let’s make a DIY sensory bag and play with it! You’ll need a vacuum/compression bag, decorative pom-poms, beads, and liquid laundry starch or school glue.

You can also add glitter for extra sparkle.

The cool, chilly feel makes it perfect for summer.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

Ball-toss game

[Crafts] Only paper materials! Try the surprisingly tricky “Ball Toss Game”!

Ball-toss game

Let’s make a ball-toss game using only paper! The steps are very simple.

First, accordion-fold a sheet of construction paper, then fold it in half like a fan and secure the middle with tape.

Attach one side of the fan upright to a paper plate, and on the opposite upper side, cut a small slit so a ring can catch onto it easily.

Finally, make a ring by looping a long, thin strip of construction paper and hook it into the slit—now it’s ready.

Press the accordion firmly with your hand and release; the ring will spring and fly off.

Place a deep paper plate or a box where you want to aim, and everyone can take turns launching the ring to try to land it inside! It looks simple but is trickier than it seems—kids are sure to get hooked!

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem