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.

[For 4-year-olds] April craft ideas that feel like spring—Easter, cherry blossoms, and more (31–40)

Weeping cherry blossom arch

Weeping cherry blossom arch / Flower papercut 78

Weeping cherry blossom arch

Here is an arch of weeping cherry blossoms that you can make using only origami paper and bubble wrap (packing material).

Just set it up at your entrance or room doorway to create a gorgeous, festive look.

The main arch is made simply by rolling up the bubble wrap, but it also looks cute hanging directly from the top of an entrance or window.

First, make one cherry blossom to use as a template.

Once that’s done, connect sheets of origami with double-sided tape to create a continuous chain of blossoms.

After connecting them, place half of the template blossom on top and cut along it to finish.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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A bookmark made with cherry blossom petals

I tried making a bookmark with cherry blossom petals 🌸—super easy with an iron!

A bookmark made with cherry blossom petals

Let’s try making a bookmark using cherry blossoms.

First, cut a milk carton to the size of a bookmark and freely arrange the cherry blossoms on top.

Stack a towel, the bookmark piece, and a pressing cloth in that order, then firmly press with an iron from above to make pressed flowers.

Be careful not to overheat, as the flowers can scorch—lift and check frequently as you iron.

Once the flowers have adhered to the milk carton, apply packing tape over the top, and glue wrapping paper with your favorite pattern to the back.

Finally, punch a hole at the top and tie a ribbon to finish.

It also looks cute if you try it with other flowers like white clover or dandelions.

Please handle the iron with great care.

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Broad beans you make by sticking (pieces) on

Spring Craft: “Broad Beans” Easy How-To Explained by a Preschool Teacher (for 2–3-year-olds) #shorts

Broad beans you make by sticking (pieces) on

Fava beans, which are said to be in season from April to June, are perfect for spring crafts.

This time, we’ll introduce a craft that incorporates fava beans.

Prepare by pre-cutting the pod and bean shapes out of construction paper.

For children who are comfortable using scissors, it’s also a great idea to let them cut the pieces themselves.

Glue the pod and beans onto a base sheet of construction paper, draw faces on the beans, and you’re done.

The steps are very simple, so even younger children can easily enjoy this activity.

The bright green of the fava beans is sure to energize the kids even more.

Give it a try!

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Various kinds of rapeseed flowers

Nanohana, with its small yellow blossoms, is adorable.

How about incorporating nanohana into your crafts using a variety of techniques? Make the base flowers with yellow construction paper, and create the tiny blossoms using finger stamps or round stickers, torn-paper collage, or by crumpling and gluing tissue paper—there are many ways to express them.

Crumpled tissue paper also adds a nice three-dimensional effect.

You could try using various warm-colored inks for the stamps as well.

It would make a perfect decoration for a wall display.

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Colorful Eggs of Little Bunny

A warm, cozy finish using yarn! Here’s a colorful bunny-egg idea to try.

This is a great recommendation if you’re thinking of making Easter crafts this year using materials other than paper.

Using yarn gives it a soft, gentle look and feel.

You’ll need construction paper, yarn, a craft punch, and craft glue.

Cut the construction paper into an egg shape, then cut out a bunny silhouette from the center, and use the craft punch to add a decorative border.

On a separate backing sheet, lightly sketch the egg shape, apply craft glue, and lay the yarn side by side.

Finally, glue the two sheets of paper together, and you’re done!

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For 4-Year-Olds: April Craft Ideas That Capture Spring—Easter, Cherry Blossoms, and More (41–50)

Tulips made with teardrop-shaped stamps

Here’s how to make tulips using a teardrop-shaped stamp.

Prepare a plastic bottle cap, sponge sheet, cardboard, paint, drawing paper, tissue paper (for crafts), and crayons.

Cut the cardboard and sponge sheet into teardrop shapes and stick them together with double-sided tape.

Glue the caps together to make a handle for the stamp, then attach it firmly to the teardrop so it won’t come off.

Dip the teardrop stamp in paint and start stamping.

Stamp three times to complete the tulip shape.

Try changing the angle to make cute tulips!

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Butterfly made with accordion folding

@pi_chan.sensei__hoiku
Here’s what we’re bringing you this time: “Just fold it accordion-style♪ Butterfly Paper Fan”! A spring craft 🌷 When you think of P-chan, you think of paper fans 🦋💓 This spring version ✨ turned into a lovely butterfly ❤︎#March production 3#March production #April Production Nursery teacher / Childcare worker #Nursery School CraftPaper fan yōcho
Pairing – Masanori Onda

Here’s how to make a butterfly mobile using accordion folds.

Prepare construction paper, glue, and patterned origami paper.

Glue the patterned origami at the center of a circle cut from construction paper.

Make an accordion fold, then fold it in half and glue it so it forms a heart shape.

Make another one the same way, then glue the two hearts together to form a butterfly.

Add antennae to complete your cute butterfly.

It will look lovely and spring-like as a wall decoration or as part of a mobile!

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