Lovely childcare

[For Age 3] Let’s make it in April! A collection of craft ideas to feel spring events and nature

20 years of experience as a nursery teacher / kindergarten teacherhiyoko sensei
I’m Hiyoko-sensei, a former nursery school teacher from Hyogo Prefecture. Ever since I was five, my dream was to become a childcare worker, and before I knew it, 20 years had passed since I achieved that dream. Through singing and playing with the children, I kept working with the spirit of someone in their twenties, even as I increasingly felt my physical limits year by year (haha). From here on, I’d like to share helpful information carefully and thoughtfully, drawing on my on-site experience.
Nursery Teacher Mom Writertsukada moe
After working for five years at an after-school childcare club and three years at a nursery school, I began working as a freelance writer. I’m a mother of two children. Inspired by playing the flute in the school wind ensemble in elementary school, I joined a jazz club at university. I’ve also incorporated ukulele and piano performance into childcare. Playing, laughing, feeling sad, feeling frustrated—through all kinds of experiences, I want children to grow.

It’s April, and the children have moved up to the class for three-year-olds.

The preschool class brings a different kind of excitement than before.

At this age, they’re also getting used to handling scissors and glue during craft activities.

Here are some April craft ideas that three-year-olds can tackle with a sense of accomplishment.

There are plenty of familiar motifs for children, such as spring flowers and animals.

It’s also great to observe spring flowers and creatures outdoors alongside the craft activities.

Because the children’s creations are regarded as works, the term “seisaku” (制作) is used in the text to refer to them.

[For 3-Year-Olds] Let’s Make It in April! A Collection of Craft Ideas to Experience Spring Events and Nature (111–120)

[Stamping] Caterpillar Craft

How to Make a Very Hungry Caterpillar Wall Display: A Nursery Craft Using Stamps (Recommended Age: 2–3 Years)

[Stamping] Caterpillar Craft

Here’s a craft idea for making a caterpillar using a tampo.

A tampo is a tool made by wrapping cotton or fabric scraps in gauze.

You can buy them, but they’re easy to make, so if you need several, it’s better to hand-make them.

In this idea, you use a tampo dipped in paint like a stamp to create a caterpillar on drawing paper.

However, pressing the paint on once will only make a small circle, so move it in a circular motion or dab multiple times to form larger shapes.

Once you’ve made the face and body with the tampo, finish by drawing the eyes, nose, and antennae.

Inspired by the picture book “The Very Hungry Caterpillar,” adding apples or butterflies in the empty spaces would be adorable too.

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[For 3-year-olds] Let’s make it in April! A collection of craft ideas that feel spring events and nature (121–130)

[Origami] Strawberry

[Nursery/Kindergarten] Spring Origami Craft – April/May / Strawberry: how to hold an origami strawberry

[Origami] Strawberry

Let’s make a sweet, tangy, bright-red strawberry out of origami! Prepare one sheet of red origami paper and place it with the white side facing up.

Fold it into a triangle to make a crease, then open it back up.

Fold two adjacent edges in to meet the crease, then fold the pointed tip up so it meets the center of the base of the white triangle.

Next, fold the bottom two corners in toward the center line, and slightly fold the left and right corners inward.

Flip the paper over, then fold the top corner down about 1 cm toward you, and you’re done! If you color the folded-over white part green and draw black seeds on the red area, it will look even more like a strawberry.

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[Origami] Ladybug

Origami 'Ladybug' [Easy] [Ages 3 and up] [Craft]

[Origami] Ladybug

Let’s make a ladybug out of origami that kids will love! First, prepare one sheet of origami paper and fold it into a triangle.

Fold the left and right corners up to meet the top corner.

Then, take the top corner where the layers overlap and fold it down toward you by about 1 cm, leaving the very bottom part as is.

Next, tuck the corner you just folded down slightly inward.

Fold the remaining top corner to the back so it isn’t visible from the front.

Finally, fold the left, right, and bottom corners slightly to the back—and you’re done! Use a pen and round stickers to draw the wing patterns and the ladybug’s face to make it extra cute.

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[Origami] Tulip

[Childcare Craft] Great for spring wall displays too! Easy origami tulips | Origami Tulips

[Origami] Tulip

When it comes to flowers you often see in spring, tulips come to mind.

There’s also a famous children’s song, so kids are probably quite familiar with them.

This time, let’s make a tulip out of origami.

You’ll use two sheets of origami paper: one for the flower and one for the leaf.

First, for the flower, fold the paper into a triangle, then fold it into a triangle once more to make a crease, and unfold it back to the first triangle.

Using the center line as a guide, fold both corners in at a slight angle, flip it over, and fold the left, right, and bottom corners inward.

For the leaf, also fold the paper into a triangle, then fold the top corner down to meet the bottom line.

Flip the paper top-to-bottom, fold it in half horizontally, then unfold, and fold the lower left and right edges in to meet the center line.

Finally, attach the flower to the leaf, and you’re done.

Aligning corners and making angled folds can be tricky, so take your time and work carefully.

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[Playable] Easter egg toy

[Handmade Toy] A Rabbit Pops Out! Easter Egg [April Craft]

[Playable] Easter egg toy

Here’s a recommended craft idea for Easter.

Using construction paper, let’s make a cute bunny peeking out of an egg.

First, draw the outlines of an egg and a bunny on construction paper and cut them out.

On the egg, draw a crack slightly below the center and cut along it with a craft knife.

Be sure not to cut all the way through—leave both ends uncut so the pieces stay attached.

Draw the bunny’s face and attach it to a wooden skewer or chopstick.

Next, use a craft punch to cut out flower or star shapes and stick them onto the egg to make a pattern.

Drawing designs with markers is fine too.

Finally, slide the bunny between the two flaps of the egg to complete it.

Please have an adult handle any steps that involve scissors or a craft knife.

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Honeybees and a flower field

[Craft Idea] Honeybees and Flower Garden (April/May Spring) (Wall Decorations) (Senior Recreation/OT/Day Service) (Early Childhood Education) (3D) (DIY/Papercraft)

Honeybees and a flower field

Shall we make a spring-themed wall decoration of a flower field with bees flying overhead? First, create a template, place it on yellow origami paper, and make the bee’s body.

Draw the black stripes and face with a black colored pencil or felt-tip pen.

Use the template to make the wings all at once as well.

For the flowers, fold the paper into a circle shape and cut; to add a three-dimensional look, use a pencil to gently curl them.

Vary the cutting style and colors for different flowers to create a rich, varied flower field.

Arrange and glue everything neatly onto a colored construction-paper backing to finish.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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Rolling Ladybug

Make a Rolling Ladybug with Marbles! A Nursery Teacher Shows How to Play

Rolling Ladybug

Here’s a craft idea using aluminum foil and a marble: the “Rolling Ladybug.” First, cut a piece of aluminum foil to a suitable size.

Stick a round sticker in the center and draw a ladybug on it.

Place a marble under the aluminum foil where the sticker is and wrap it.

It’s fine if you cover about the top half of the marble.

Finally, cut the aluminum foil into a circle around the sticker, leaving about a 3 cm radius, and you’re done! Place it on a hard floor like wood or tile and try rolling it for fun.

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