Lovely childcare

[For 4-year-olds] A collection of April craft ideas that capture spring, such as Easter and cherry blossoms

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.
9 years of experience as a nursery school teacherShibata Risa
I am an active nursery school teacher with 9 years of experience. After graduating from university, I worked at a daycare center. The time I spent happily with children—playing piano, singing songs, and doing finger-play—are priceless memories to me. Currently, while raising three children of my own, I work at an after-school day service, engaging with children and providing individualized developmental support. Drawing on my diverse experiences as a childcare worker and as a mother, I hope to express and convey my thoughts through writing.

April marks the start of a new chapter with preschool entry and class promotions.

Many children may feel a mix of excitement and anxiety as they face new environments.

So this time, we’ve gathered craft ideas perfect for April that will brighten children’s feelings like the cheerful spring weather.

These ideas are full of spring-themed motifs like tulips, cherry blossoms, butterflies, and ladybugs!

By the time children turn four, they’ve developed basic daily habits and can do more things on their own.

We encourage you to enjoy making crafts by incorporating a variety of materials and trying new techniques.

Since the children’s creations are treated as artworks, we use the term “seisaku” as “creation” throughout the text.

[Age 4] A Collection of April Craft Ideas that Feel Like Spring—Easter, Cherry Blossoms, and More (71–80)

Swaying horsetail

Here’s a craft idea featuring horsetails that you often see in spring.

You’ll make three types of parts: the paper-plate base, the horsetail pieces, and the mole pieces.

First, use brown paint and a sponge to stamp the upper half of a sheet of construction paper.

At the same time, stamp the entire paper plate with green paint.

Next, cut the construction paper into horsetail shapes.

From another sheet, cut out the mole parts and glue them together.

Finally, arrange and glue the horsetails and the mole onto the paper plate folded in half, and you’re done.

If you gently press and release one edge, the plate wobbles cutely!

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Making Easter eggs

On the April classroom wall! A childcare worker explains how to make Easter eggs (for 2- and 3-year-olds)

Making Easter eggs

In just the past few years, Easter seems to have suddenly become widespread.

You can find all kinds of items at variety stores and 100-yen shops.

With its soft, springlike vibe, Easter’s cuteness is likely to appeal to children as well.

Let’s have fun making the quintessential Easter item: Easter eggs! The activity of freely sticking masking tape onto paper with an egg shape drawn on it is enjoyable even for small children.

It also looks cute as a wall decoration.

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Easter garland

Easter Garland [Craft]

Easter garland

Let’s make the venue festive for the Easter event! Here are some ideas for Easter garlands made with construction paper.

Prepare construction paper in your favorite colors, decorative materials like stickers and washi tape, jute twine, a pencil, a ruler, double-sided tape or tape glue, scissors, and a hole punch.

Cut the construction paper into egg shapes and decorate them however you like! Using sparkly materials and patterned washi tape will make the finish even more vibrant.

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Rolling pea

Let me introduce an idea for “Rolling Peas” with cute faces.

First, use double-sided origami paper to make the pod.

Fold the paper in half, crease it, then open it and fold the top and bottom edges to the center line.

Fold it in half again and staple both ends.

Open the middle, and the pod is complete! Next, crumple tissue paper into three balls to make the peas, attach face parts to them, and line them up inside the pod.

Finally, add leaves to the pod to finish! Try to roll the tissue paper into balls of the same size.

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Snip-Snip Dandelion

Let’s try making a spring-like dandelion craft.

Cut construction paper into a rectangle and stick double-sided tape along one of the long edges.

Don’t peel the tape yet; from the opposite long edge, use scissors to make cuts from end to end.

Once you’ve finished the cuts, peel off the double-sided tape and roll the paper inward into a coil.

After rolling, flare out all the cut fringes to the outside.

This forms the dandelion flower.

Glue it onto a backing sheet, draw leaves with crayons, and you’re done! Adding spring insects like butterflies will make it even cuter.

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Butterflies made with paper cores

[Spring Craft] March–April Butterfly Craft Tutorial – Decorations for Entrance and Graduation Ceremonies (Nursery/Kindergarten)

Butterflies made with paper cores

In spring, as if drawn by the beautifully blooming flowers, lots of butterflies appear, don’t they? Let’s make the butterflies that kids love using a toilet paper roll.

After covering a toilet paper roll with origami to create the body, use colorful construction paper for the wings and pipe cleaners for the antennae.

Sticking on round stickers one by one is an activity that even little children can enjoy.

The finished butterflies will be three-dimensional and vividly colorful—sure to elicit cheers from the kids.

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A mobile made with your favorite characters

Super easy “handmade mobile” – you can make it with your favorite characters. #handmademobile #DIYinterior #kids #baby #self-sealLaminatingFilm #100yenShop

A mobile made with your favorite characters

Why not decorate the room with your children’s favorite characters? You can use characters from anime or games as materials, or—if characters aren’t allowed at your school—use animals or picture books they love instead! Once you’ve chosen the materials, print them out on a computer.

Also print one reversed copy so you can glue the front and back together.

Laminate the finished pieces and cut them out, then punch holes so you can attach strings.

Try decorating them like a mobile, using branches the children found in the yard or during outdoor activities.

Swaying gently in the pleasant spring breeze, they’ll look absolutely lovely.

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