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 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.
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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)

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

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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
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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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Giant soap bubble

I tried making a giant soap bubble ✨

Giant soap bubble

It’s an idea that everyone has probably admired at least once: giant soap bubbles.

First, prepare a large container and mix in water, cornstarch, and dish soap.

Once it’s ready, tie a string to a couple of sticks to make your bubble wand.

Then head to an open space and have fun.

If you move the wand while it’s coated with the bubble solution, you should be able to create a long, horizontal bubble.

It can be exciting to challenge yourselves to see how big a bubble you can make.

By the way, depending on how you move the wand, you can also make smaller bubbles.

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Moving penguin

[Craft] Let's Make a Moving Penguin with a Paper Cup [How-To]

Moving penguin

How about making a “Moving Penguin” craft with amazing motion that kids will love? It looks like a cute penguin at first, but its unexpected movements make this a surprising and fun project! Glue a construction-paper beak and flippers onto a paper cup and draw the eyes.

Stick a rubber band onto a battery, and the mechanism is ready.

Taping parts with cellophane tape might be a bit tricky for kids, so have an adult help.

Finally, flip the penguin over and hook the battery onto the slit you cut—done! Spin the battery to make the penguin move around.

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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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