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.
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 (11–20)

squishy sticker

[Super Easy] Handmade squishy stickers are transparent and too cute!

squishy sticker

It sounds fun to hand-make stickers your child loves, right? Believe it or not, you can easily make clear stickers using glue.

Prepare a transparent clear file or plastic sheet, and draw your favorite design with water-based markers.

Before the marker ink dries, brush a layer of glue over the drawing.

If your child isn’t confident about drawing, slip a sketch under the clear file and have them trace it—no problem! Let the glue dry for a full day, and you’re done.

As time passes, the glue turns transparent, creating adorable, squishy-looking stickers.

It’s exciting to play with stickers you made yourself!

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Picture-matching puzzle

[Easy Handmade Puzzle] Let’s Make a Puzzle with a Milk Carton ♪ [Also Great for a Stamp Rally ♪]

Picture-matching puzzle

Picture-matching puzzles are popular as educational toys that let kids use their fingertips to play! If you want a simple DIY version, we recommend reusing milk cartons.

It’s fun to make with your child, and you can play with it right away.

Take apart a milk carton and cut it so you get three horizontal strips.

Decorate the grid by drawing pictures or adding stickers so the segments line up as 1:3, 2:2, and 3:1.

Assemble each of the three strips and connect them, and your easy puzzle is done! If you want to make it a bit more challenging, a six-sided changing picture puzzle using four milk cartons is also a great option.

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galaxy jar

How to Make a Galaxy Jar [Parent-Child Craft]: How to Make a “Bottled Universe.”

galaxy jar

This craft condenses outer space into a tightly packed jar—full of wonder and romance! It’s perfect for at-home time; not only kids but also parents will find themselves totally absorbed.

Since children will be handling it, use a plastic jar instead of glass for safety.

Pack the jar with as much craft cotton as possible, then pour in water.

Next, load your brush with watercolor paint in your favorite color and, pushing the bristles into the gaps in the cotton, move it side to side to add color.

Be careful not to mix too many colors, as it can turn muddy; we recommend blending about two colors.

Top it off with glitter or star-shaped sequins for a beautiful finish!

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Clack-clack clappers

[Kindergarten/Daycare] September: Make It with Milk Cartons! Clack-Clack Naruko Craft/Instrument

Clack-clack clappers

Naruko are traditional handheld clappers familiar from festivals like Yosakoi.

How about making your own naruko out of a milk carton and having fun playing with it? Even though it’s made of paper, it produces authentic clicking sounds! Cut the milk carton to create the clapper parts, and fold the cut pieces to make the handle.

Decorating the naruko with your favorite patterns will make it look festive.

By attaching plastic bottle caps, you can get that satisfying click-clack sound.

Kids love things that make noise, so please team up to make one and enjoy playing together!

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The candy box transforms! A moving horse

The candy box transforms! An easy craft to make cute, moving animal toys: “Pecking Animals” #crafts #handmadetoys #easycrafts

The candy box transforms! A moving horse

Let’s make a horse using a box of your favorite snacks! Since the package will become the pattern, pick a box with a design you like.

First, cut the box into three rings of equal width.

Place one ring horizontally, and to its left, place another ring vertically.

Staple the touching edges to create the horse’s body and neck.

Take the remaining ring, turn it horizontally, align its left end with the others, and attach it along the underside of the body.

Flatten the part that sticks out on the left so it juts out, and staple it.

Then, cut the head, legs, ears, and tail from the leftover box pieces and glue them on.

If you hold the part sticking out on the left side of the body and pull the tail on the opposite side, the neck will move.

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