[April Crafts] Useful for childcare! Spring craft ideas for 1-year-olds

Puchi-Puchi Strawberry

When it comes to spring flavors, strawberries are a must! Here’s a strawberry craft that even young children can make.

Prepare bubble wrap, tissue paper, construction paper, and round stickers.

Shape the bubble wrap into a strawberry with the bubbly side facing outward.

Have the children crumple red or pink tissue paper and place it inside the strawberry shape you made.

Seal the opening with tape, then stick on the round stickers as strawberry seeds to finish.

For the calyx (leafy top), it’s best to cut it a bit larger.

Easter wreath

Here’s how to make an Easter wreath using a paper plate.

Prepare a paper plate, yarn, glue, scissors, round stickers, and construction paper.

Cut out the center of the paper plate to create the wreath base.

Cut construction paper into egg shapes and glue them onto the plate to form the wreath.

Using colorful egg cutouts will give it a stronger Easter feel.

Attach chicks and bunnies to the yarn and add a loop for hanging, and you’re done.

Making an Easter wreath is a great way to liven up April festivities.

Koinobori made with stamps

Let’s make use of scrap materials we’d usually throw away! Here’s an idea for making koi-shaped streamers using stamps.

What you’ll need: construction paper cut into a koi streamer shape, brushes, a palette, paints, koi streamer parts made from construction paper, glue, rubber bands, an empty lactic-acid drink bottle, and bubble wrap.

Bubble wrap makes a fun “pop-pop!” sound when you press it with your fingers, but this time, let’s use it for crafting without popping it! Attach a piece of cut bubble wrap to the empty drink bottle with a rubber band to make a stamp.

Dab your favorite paint colors onto the construction paper and have fun! You’ll get patterns that look just like scales on a koi streamer.

Balloons made of felt

This is a project for making balloons with the fun texture of felt.

Felt fabric has a different feel from paper, and I think children will like its touch.

It’s often used for handmade toys, so it might be a familiar material.

Simply cut the felt into various shapes and stick them onto a balloon template to finish.

You can use wood glue when attaching the pieces, but double-sided tape also works.

Many 100-yen shops sell adhesive felt sheets, so using those can make the process even smoother.

Stamp Cherry Blossoms Made from Scrap Materials

Here’s how to make cherry blossoms using recycled materials.

Prepare construction paper, scissors, glue, a toilet paper roll, and paint.

First, create the base of the cherry tree on the construction paper.

Shape the toilet paper roll into a heart, dip it in paint, and stamp it onto the tree.

The stamped shapes look like cherry blossom petals, giving the artwork a springtime feel.

Since children’s hands are small, it’s recommended to cut the toilet paper roll in half to make a stamp that’s easier for them to hold firmly.

Tulips made with sensory play

Here’s a fun sensory play idea using paint to make tulips! You’ll need light blue construction paper, white construction paper, crayons, watercolor paints, a zip-top plastic bag or plastic wrap, scissors, and glue.

Squeeze the paint straight from the tube onto the white paper, then place it inside the zip-top bag.

Spread the paint with your fingers over the bag; the paint will squish and stretch nicely.

Kids will love the cool, smooth feel and watching the colors blend together! Once the painted white paper is dry, cut it into tulip shapes and glue them onto the light blue paper.

Finish by drawing stems and leaves with crayons!

Spring Stroll Bag

Introducing a handmade walk bag for storing the treasures you find on your strolls.

Prepare a zippered storage bag, round stickers and washi tape, raffia tape (suzuran tape), felt-tip pens, and cloth duct tape.

Stick a strip of duct tape with the child’s name on the front of the storage bag in a visible spot.

Decorate the surface of the bag freely with round stickers and washi tape.

Reinforce the upper left and right edges of the bag by sandwiching them with duct tape, then use a hole punch to make holes.

Braid the raffia tape to a length that fits over the children’s shoulders, thread it through the holes in the bag, and you’re done.