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 (101–110)

Magnet UFO

I tried making a UFO that moves in a strange way using magnetic force! (Learn while playing—recommended for 3rd and 4th graders) #magnets #crafts #homemadetoy

Magnet UFO

Unpredictable! Irregular motion is fascinating! Here’s an idea for a magnetic unidentified flying object.

What comes to mind when you hear “UFO”? Some people might imagine round lights or being taken away in a bright beam.

The charm of this UFO is its irregular movement.

Let’s make a toy with addictive, unique motion by taking advantage of magnets’ properties! If there’s any chance a child might swallow a magnet, make sure a parent or teacher is always supervising nearby.

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Bug-catching toy

[Handmade Toy] Magnet Stick-On Bug Catching Game 🐞 | Summer Vacation Craft

Bug-catching toy

We’ll introduce how to make a bug-catching toy.

Get construction paper, magnets, straws, paper clips, glue, and some netting ready.

Cut colored construction paper into circles and assemble them into bugs.

Attach one paper clip to each bug and secure it with cellophane tape so it won’t come off.

Next, let’s make the bug-catching net.

Cut a ring out of thick paper and remove the center.

Thread the netting through the ring and staple it in place.

Make the handle out of a straw and attach it securely, then glue on a magnet, and you’re done! Have fun seeing how many bug cards you can catch.

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Origami Fireworks

A fireworks artisan with drawing paper and origami♪

Origami Fireworks

For Japanese people, fireworks are a summer tradition that everyone—from kids to adults—can enjoy! Here’s an “origami fireworks” craft that lets children feel like fireworks artisans.

Fold four sheets of origami paper into accordions and glue them together.

Fold the joined sheet, make small cuts, open it up, and attach two pieces of kite string so they sit in the center—this completes the fireworks part.

Next, roll a sheet of construction paper into a tube and tape it, then wrap origami around the tube with a bit of slack.

Finally, insert the fireworks piece into the tube and fix it to the origami wrapped with string.

Pull down from below and a beautiful firework will launch! Try different color combinations for endless fun.

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Pop-up Rocket

[Preschool Teacher] A Pop-Up Rocket Craft Kids Can Enjoy from Age 3! 🚀 [Daycare & Kindergarten]

Pop-up Rocket

Rockets full of dreams are a hit with kids! Why not try incorporating a “pop-out rocket” that even little ones can enjoy into your daycare or kindergarten crafts? It’s a well-flying rocket you can play with right after making it! Wrap origami paper around a toilet paper roll to create the rocket body.

Stick on shiny or patterned origami and design your own unique rocket.

Make the launch pad by rolling newspaper into a firm cylinder.

Finally, attach two rubber bands linked together to a chopstick, and secure it firmly to the tip of the launch pad—done! It’s a craft that’s twice as exciting: fun to make and fun to play with.

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A toy train with magnets

[Handmade Toy] I tried making a toy train with magnets

A toy train with magnets

Let’s create a tiny world inside a plastic bottle! Here’s an idea for a toy train that moves with magnets.

Even without touching the train, it moves like magic—sure to capture children’s interest! You’ll need a 1.5-liter plastic bottle, magnets, string, two bottle caps, colored paper, scissors, a utility knife, cellophane tape, vinyl tape, double-sided tape, and an awl.

If you make it together with kids, the little world inside the bottle will grow even more imaginative!

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[For Toddlers] Simple but Amazing Craft Ideas: Playable Toys Too (111–120)

Wiggly straw-made inchworm

[Craft Play 056] How to Make a Huff-and-Puff Caterpillar – a toy that moves forward when you blow on it from above

Wiggly straw-made inchworm

Let me show you how to make a wiggly caterpillar using just one straw.

Prepare a bendy (accordion) straw, a permanent marker, and scissors.

Stretch out the flexible section and decide the length of your caterpillar, then cut lengthwise with scissors so that the fold line remains.

Make a half cut at each crease, then skip one section at a time as you cut sideways and open it up.

Bend the long strip you cut first and insert it back into the straw, and finally trim the pointed tip with scissors to finish.

Color it with a permanent marker to transform it into your own original caterpillar.

Try moving your caterpillar around and have fun playing with it!

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Paper Gyro & Launcher

[Simple Craft 026] Paper Gyro & Launcher — Flies better than a paper airplane? Paper Gyro & Launcher

Paper Gyro & Launcher

The Paper Gyro & Launcher is a hit with kids because it flies even better than a paper airplane.

It’s perfect for at-home time and for crafts in kindergartens and preschools, and it’s sure to lift your child’s spirits.

Another plus is that you can make it with common items like a toilet paper roll and copy paper! Cut an A4 sheet of copy paper into quarters, draw a line 2.5 cm from the top, and fold toward that line three times.

Shape the folded piece into a loop that fits through a toilet paper roll core and secure it with tape; then attach a cut rubber band to fix it in place—that completes the paper gyro.

For the launcher, tape toilet paper rolls together to form a tube and cut a notch to hook the rubber band—done.

Powered by the rubber band, it flies far, so competing for distance sounds like a lot of fun!

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In conclusion

We introduced some simple yet amazing crafts—did you find something you’d like to try making? What children are interested in will likely change depending on their developmental stage. Let’s be sure not to miss the moments when they devise their own colors and shapes to make toys, or when they add ideas to how they play, and watch over them while acknowledging their efforts. Let’s enjoy crafting together with the children!