Lovely childcare

[For toddlers] Simple but amazing craft ideas — including toys they can play with

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 for 10 years as a kindergarten teacher and for 7 years as an after-school childcare instructor, then took a post as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I also engaged in activities that shared Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational play, working with many children. Afterwards, through freelance writing, planning, and editing work at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and conveying ideas. Leveraging the perspective cultivated in educational settings and my experience as an editor, I aim to deliver practical information—focusing on fields related to music and children—that values both input and output. Hobbies include instruments, singing, handcrafts, toys, drawing, traditional play, the outdoors, books, DIY, and crafts. Special skill: spinning-top tricks.
Keyboard playerSAKI
I’ve been playing the Electone since I was six, mainly performing Disney music, anime songs, and music from dramas and films. I post performance videos on YouTube and social media, and I also give concerts. Building on my Electone experience, I took up synthesizer and piano during my student years and performed at school-sponsored events. As a writer, I’ve covered not only music-related topics but a wide range of genres, so I hope to draw on my experience to deliver articles that make readers think, “I want to try that!” or “I want to listen to that!”

There are so many opportunities to do crafts at daycare and kindergarten, aren’t there?

Crafts help develop fine motor skills, nurture imagination and concentration, and offer plenty of great benefits for children’s development.

But are there teachers and parents out there thinking, “What should we make?” and running out of ideas?

In this article, we’ll introduce simple yet impressive craft ideas.

Many of them can be played with after making them, so the kids are sure to have a great time!

They’re all easy to make with materials that are simple to gather, so please use these as a reference.

[For Toddlers] Simple but Amazing Craft Ideas: Playable Toys Too (91–100)

Candy Magnet

How about doing this with your child over spring break? Candy magnets made from plastic bottle caps

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!

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Bubble art

[Super Easy] How to Make Fun Bubble Art! [Nursery/Kindergarten]

Bubble art

How about trying bubble art that you can display and enjoy even after playing? First, let’s make the tool.

Cut off the mouthpiece section of a plastic bottle, then cover the cut edge with a cloth.

Next, make the bubble solution.

Mix your favorite paint with water, laundry detergent, and glue.

Once you’re ready, dip the tool into the bubble solution in the color you like, and blow toward a sheet of paper.

Beautiful patterns should appear on the paper.

Adjust the colors and your blowing technique to create a lovely piece of art.

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Cardboard mini car case

[DIY Cardboard Craft at Home!] A handmade town where you can play with Tomica mini cars! Transforms from a storage case, also using small items from Flying Tiger! Handmade toy Toy cars T’s Garage

Cardboard mini car case

Even tidying up is simple! Here’s an idea for a cardboard mini car case.

Many kids love toy cars like mini cars, don’t they? This idea is perfect if you’re thinking, “I want to make a road for cars to drive on and give it as a gift,” or “I’d be happy if it’s easy to take toys in and out.” It’s unique because when you open the storage case for the mini cars, it transforms into a townscape with roads.

Adding a handle makes it easy to carry, which is a nice bonus.

Definitely give it a try!

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Puzzle

Create an original from your child's drawing: easy handmade puzzle

Puzzle

Let’s turn your children’s one-of-a-kind drawings into a puzzle! Prepare a piece of cardboard slightly larger than the drawing paper, attach the drawing in the center, and trim around it.

Glue this frame-shaped cardboard onto another piece of cardboard that will serve as the puzzle base.

Next, use a craft knife to cut the drawing into puzzle-piece shapes, and fit the pieces into the base—your original puzzle is complete! It’s a wonderful toy that lets you admire your child’s artwork while playing together, even after you bring it home.

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flip-flap changing picture

Even infants will love it! A flip-flap changing picture made from a milk carton

flip-flap changing picture

Pull the ends of a picture with an illustration and…

the image changes? It’s a fun “flip-flop” changing picture with a neat trick.

You might think the mechanism is complicated, but it’s actually easy—you just combine two milk cartons.

Prepare two milk cartons, open both, and cut off the top and bottom.

Fold one in half and make two slits.

Cut the other carton in half, then fold each half again, and insert them into the slits alternately, with the fold lines facing the center.

This creates a structure that opens when you insert your fingers in the middle.

By drawing different images on the inside and outside, it looks like the picture changes in an instant.

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Pom-pom curling

@tomonite_official
Looks so fun! 🤩 It’s also cool how it puffs up when you tap it 💡 You can make it easily with materials you have at home, so give it a try ✨ Please do this activity together with an adult and keep safety in mind. We’re featuring a post from Instagram by @hanamama.ikuji ✨ Thank you for the lovely post. ↓↓↓ ＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿ Puff-up Tap Tap Curling [Materials] ・Plastic bag ・Construction paper (cardboard or a template works too 🙆‍♀️) ・Paper roll core ・Scissors ・Cellophane tape ・Double-sided tape [How-to tips] ・If there’s anywhere air can escape, it won’t puff up, so firmly tape the mouth of the bag—folded three times—all the way to the edges. ・The rest can be pretty loose 🤣 A play idea kids get super excited about❣️ Activities where they can feel the difference—like saying “Softer!” or “That was too strong!”—help them learn to adjust their strength 💡 Save this and try it together as a parent–child activity ✨ ＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿ This is Tomonite @tomonite_official. Even on busy days, we want family time to be full of smiles! We share: ・Time-saving housework and parenting hacks ・Handy items with great time and cost performance ・Relatable parenting moments and heartwarming videos ✨A small favor✨ Likes and comments mean the world to us! If you found this post helpful or enjoyable, we’d love it if you’d leave a 👶 in the comments! Please use this idea with safety in mind. All posts featured by Tomonite are used with permission from the original creators. Comments that may hurt others may be hidden by our team. We’d be so happy if everyone could enjoy friendly conversations and lots of interaction here ✨Curling work Simple toy #AtHomePlay #ParentingHack
♬ POP IN 2_Official Oshi no Ko – TV Anime [Oshi no Ko] Official

Let’s make it with a toilet paper roll! Here’s an idea for a pom-pom curling game.

What you’ll need: toilet paper rolls, plastic bags, colored construction paper, tape, scissors, and double-sided tape.

It’s fun to see the plastic bag fill with air and puff up when you tap it on the floor! Use masking tape or similar to make a target, then aim and slide it smoothly to play.

It’s also fun to compete while adjusting how much force you use! Give it a try!

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Magnetic Fukuwarai

Magnet Fukuwarai #shorts #children #childcare #crafts #handmade #Fukuwarai #NewYear #kidsToys #How to make children’s toys

Magnetic Fukuwarai

Let’s play with magnet sheets and a whiteboard! Here are some ideas for magnetic Fukuwarai.

Fukuwarai is one of Japan’s traditional games, typically enjoyed during New Year’s celebrations.

It’s a unique game where you place facial parts—eyes, nose, mouth, ears, eyebrows—onto a face in the correct spots while keeping your eyes closed.

This time, let’s make a version using magnet sheets.

What you’ll need: magnet sheets, a whiteboard, a pencil, paper, construction paper, scissors, a craft knife, and double-sided tape.

This should also help solve the common problem of pieces shifting out of place while you play!

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