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 (31–40)

The Ferris wheel spinning round and round

@sayacky_be.child
Here are the materials and tips▼ (Follow before you forget ▶︎ @sayacky_be.child) ⁡ [Materials] ● Milk carton ● Pool noodle (from Seria) ● Plastic spoon ● Round wooden chopsticks ● Gacha capsule container ⁡ Handy tools when making it ● Scissors ● Utility knife ● Cutting mat ● Hot glue gun ● Empty Chip Star can ⁡ Points ▶︎ When we tried it in the bath, the play got a bit wild and the spoon came off a few times 😂 Since it’s just inserted, it’s easy to fix, but if that bothers you, securing it with hot glue in the hole might help❣️ ▶︎ With lots of use, the milk carton might get soft 👻 Doubling the layers or using chopsticks as pillars should make it last longer 😉 ▶︎ I’ll share tips in Stories on how to make it easily and neatly 🥰 ⁡ Everyone, great job as always! Wishing you bright, cheerful days… 🎧𓈒𓏸 ⁡ Nice to meet you! I’m Sayacky, a nursery teacher and mom of two who loves play that lets adults be kids too! 🥰 I share play ideas that connect, brighten, and nurture hearts—for both grown-ups and kids❣️ Please follow me 💓 @sayacky_be.child ▲ See other posts here ໒꒱#Sayakki-World Nursery teacher / Childcare worker #NurseryTeacherMom #HandmadeToys #Childcare Crafting Craft Play #Childcare topic #AtHomePlay #StayHomeTime #100-yen shop DIY
♪ Original Song – Sayakki | Preschool Crafts, Handmade Toys, Educational Play – Sayakki’s Play Atelier

Let me introduce a water-play friendly, spinning Ferris wheel craft.

Gather pool noodles, a milk carton, wooden chopsticks, plastic spoons, and a utility knife, and let’s make it.

First, cut the milk carton to create the base on which the Ferris wheel will rotate.

Next, take a piece of cut pool noodle and make six evenly spaced slits along its side.

Insert plastic spoons into the slits with the handles pointing inward.

Thread a chopstick through the center, set it onto the milk carton base, and it’s complete.

Attach gashapon capsules to the plastic spoons to transform it into a Ferris wheel.

By keeping the balance even, the Ferris wheel will spin smoothly.

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Balance tree of pool cue sticks

@soramame.sensei
Hello! We’re Soramame Kids, the Language Classroom! 😊 Today we’re introducing the “Balance Tree”! This game aims to develop: • The ability to think ahead • Control of force/pressure • Following rules 🌟 You can buy the pool sticks at Seria 🎵 Please try making it and playing with it 🥹💕 If you watch the video to the end, please Like, Comment, and Save! Thank you so much 🥰 Soramame Kids, Language Classroom Soramame Kids Kagoshima therapy Developmental support for children Child Development Support Center After-school day service Indoor play Recreation
♬ Happy fun, pop acoustic – 3KTrack

Let me introduce an exciting, heart-pounding balance tree made from pool noodles.

Get your materials ready: a pool noodle, a utility knife, plastic bottle caps, stickers, tape, and a paper cup.

Cut the pool noodle in half and make slits where the branches will fit.

Since you’ll be cutting with a utility knife, it’s best to start with small cuts and gradually adjust to the size you need.

Take the remaining half of the pool noodle, slice it lengthwise to create the branches.

Fit the trunk into the paper cup, insert the branches, and you’re done.

Try placing a spinning top—made by stacking two plastic bottle caps together with their indented sides facing each other—on it and enjoy the wobbly balance tree!

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Let’s try stacking or arranging the pool cues!

Here are some ways toddlers can enjoy playing with pool noodles! It’s fun to have plenty of pool noodles cut into pieces that fit in a child’s hand.

First, prepare a long string or rope threaded with the cut pool noodles.

If you stretch it horizontally at the child’s height, they can enjoy sliding the noodles left and right.

You can also stick hook-and-loop fasteners to the wall and the pool noodles so kids can attach them to the wall, or try stacking the pool noodles to build.

Have fun exploring different ideas!

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Musical Instrument Crafting: Guitar

[Instrument Craft] How to Make a Simple Guitar (Rubber Bands, Paper Cups) [Handmade Instrument, Playable Toy, Playable Craft] Upcycling Play – For Preschoolers and Lower Elementary Students

Musical Instrument Crafting: Guitar

We’d like to introduce a DIY musical-instrument craft: a guitar you can play once it’s finished.

Prepare four paper cups, three rubber bands, a felt-tip pen, tape, and scissors.

First, place the bottoms of two paper cups together and secure them with tape so they don’t shift.

Next, make three slits in the rim of each of the remaining two paper cups.

Insert these slit cups onto the taped-together cups, and hook the three rubber bands onto the slits so they don’t cross over like an X.

Finally, pluck the rubber bands to check that they make sound—that’s it! The steps are simple, so give it a try!

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Infinite spin

Let’s make an “Infinite Spinner,” a toy you can keep turning round and round like an origami kaleidoscope! Prepare six paper strips from construction paper.

Using two colors with three strips each makes it look extra cute.

Overlap the ends at a 90-degree angle and glue them, then fold the papers alternately.

When the strips get short, connect the remaining strips and repeat the steps.

Once everything is connected, trim any excess with scissors.

Glue the end faces together, and you’re done! The process is very simple, so why not make one as a toy for your child?

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[For Toddlers] Simple but Amazing Craft Ideas: Playable Toys Too (41–50)

buzzing top

[Preschool Teacher] Let's Make and Play! How to Make a Whirligig (Bunbun Goma) ✨ [Nursery School/Kindergarten]

buzzing top

How about making a “whirring button spinner” that kids can play with as soon as it’s finished during kindergarten or nursery craft time? A bunbun-goma is a top that makes wind and a buzzing sound as the string is pulled in and out.

Many people probably played with these long ago! Reuse a milk carton by using the bottom as the top and cutting it into a square.

Using just one bottom piece is fine, but gluing two together makes it sturdier.

Draw your favorite patterns and make two holes in the center—since you’ll use an awl, have an adult help with that part.

Finally, thread some twine through, and it’s done! When you spin it, the colors appear to blend, which is really fun!

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hydropower boat

[025] Hydraulic Boat – It moves using the power of water flowing from a straw!

hydropower boat

A “hydro-powered boat” that moves using the force of water flowing through a straw.

It’s fascinating and fun to watch the boat glide forward on the water as if by itself! Use a milk carton as the boat by cutting it lengthwise in half, and make a hole at the very back to pass a straw through.

Make a similar hole in a short dessert cup.

Fix the cup onto the boat, then thread the straw through both holes—that’s it! When you float the boat on water and pour water into the cup, the water passing through the straw generates thrust, propelling the boat forward.

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