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

Ball-toss game

[Crafts] Only paper materials! Try the surprisingly tricky “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!

Unbreakable soap bubble

Unbreakable soap bubbles that spin with a magnet!?

Let me introduce unbreakable soap bubbles.

Prepare wire, ring-shaped magnets, round stickers, prism tape, and a hole punch, then let’s get started.

Attach four strips of prism tape to the magnet so they form a dome, making sure not to cover the hole of the ring magnet.

On the side opposite the magnet, stick on a round sticker to secure it, then punch a hole in the center with the hole punch.

Using shorter pieces of prism tape, make another dome in the same way and add a round sticker as before.

Make one more of the same piece.

Curl the tip of the wire and thread the three pieces onto it from smallest to largest.

Finally, thread the one with the magnet so the magnet ends up on top, and you’re done! It will spin around like a soap bubble.

Fun to play with! Bath bomb

[For 5-year-olds] Fun-to-make bath bomb crafting!

Why not try making handmade bath bombs that make bath time incredibly fun? The method is super easy—just mix baking soda, citric acid, and food coloring in your favorite shade! If you press the mixture into molds of different sizes and shapes, you can create a variety of bath bombs to enjoy.

Since baking soda and citric acid are also used in food, it’s safe for kids to handle with their hands.

The kneading and molding process is a lot of fun, so let the kids dive in and enjoy the experience.

After you make them, it’s great to drop them into water or warm bathwater and enjoy the fizzy sensation!

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

miyabi

Report a problem

Crafting fish with 100-yen shop magnets

[Easy Kids Craft] Flippity-Flopping with 100-Yen Store Magnets! Jumping Fish Craft! (Summer Project/Home Play)

Freshly caught and flopping! Here’s an idea for a fish craft you can make using magnets from a 100-yen shop.

It’s perfect for anyone wondering, “What kind of craft can I make with magnets?” All you need are construction paper, tape, a pen, scissors, and a magnetic sheet.

The video mainly features mackerel, but it looks like you can adapt it to other fish like flounder or filefish.

It’s such a unique idea that you’ll want to make it flop again and again!

Aquarium building

Aquarium-making (for 5-year-olds)

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!

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.

Let’s draw a picture using rain.

[For 5-year-olds] Let's paint using rain!

Rain during water play or swimming makes children look even more delighted.

Maybe it’s that sense of invincibility that comes from thinking, “It’s okay to get wet.” It can also be fun to create using the properties of pens—oil-based pens don’t bleed in water, while water-based pens do.

That opens up lots of inventive ways to plan in reverse: “It’s okay if this part bleeds a bit,” or “I don’t want this section to bleed.” You could even wait for a rainy day and let it actually get wet.

If you’re thinking about health considerations, a spray bottle or watering can is a good substitute.