![[For 5-year-olds] Let's make it in April! A collection of craft ideas using recycled and natural materials](https://i.ytimg.com/vi_webp/etQoqJ4BxIM/maxresdefault.webp)
[For 5-year-olds] Let's make it in April! A collection of craft ideas using recycled and natural materials
In April, the children move up a grade and spend their days as the oldest five-year-olds.
I imagine their hearts are pounding every day with both anxiety and excitement.
Five-year-olds’ thinking and imagination grow rapidly, so we’d love for them to try crafts that let them be inventive.
Here we’re sharing spring-themed craft ideas perfect for April.
These ideas are packed with activities that make the process of creating fun and let children play with what they’ve made.
Be sure to enjoy making them together with your class.
子どもたちの制作物は作品（ピース）として扱われるため、本文中では「制作」と表記します。
[For 5-year-olds] Let’s make it in April! A collection of craft ideas using recycled materials and natural objects (1–10)
cardboard camera
Let me introduce a cardboard camera that’s perfect for a walk.
Prepare cardboard, cellophane, a paper cup, and double-sided tape.
Cut two pieces of cardboard to the size of the camera you want to make.
Take a paper cup that’s cut in half horizontally with slits cut vertically, place it against the cardboard, then cut out a lens shape and fit it in.
Stick colored cellophane over the top, glue the cardboard pieces together, and you’re done! Try adding a yarn strap for walks or changing the cellophane colors and decorating it as you like!
Easter egg maracas
April has Easter, right? Here’s a perfect craft for April festivities: making egg-shaped maracas that make a rattling sound.
Prepare two bottle caps, beads, newspaper, aluminum foil, a permanent marker, and vinyl tape.
Put beads into one cap, place the other cap on top, and secure them tightly with vinyl tape so the beads don’t spill.
If you add too many beads, the sound can become muffled, so a moderate amount is recommended.
Wrap the capped beads with newspaper to create volume and shape it into an egg.
Finally, color the aluminum foil with a permanent marker in any colors you like, carefully smooth it into an egg shape, wrap it around, and your maracas are complete!
Strawberry cake made with paper cups
The strawberries look so real and delicious.
Let me show you how to make a strawberry cake using a paper cup.
Prepare a paper cup, paints, tissue paper, crayons, red and green construction paper, and glue.
Use the paper cup as the cake base and paint it.
While the paint dries, make the strawberries out of construction paper.
When drawing the center of the strawberries with crayons, I recommend coloring with pink first and then layering white crayon to give it a three-dimensional look.
After gluing the tissue paper onto the paper cup to look like whipped cream, stick the strawberries on top to finish.
It’s also fun to try different colors of tissue paper and paint.
Pill Bug Made with Paper Plates
Pill bugs are one of the insects that are popular with children.
Their habit of curling up into a ball when touched is one of the charms that fascinates kids.
Let’s make a pill bug out of a paper plate.
First, draw patterns on the paper plate with crayons, then paint over it with black paint.
Enjoy watching how the crayon resists the paint.
Next, cut the paper plate into six equal parts, stack all the small triangles together, make a hole at the tip, and insert a split pin (brad).
Finally, add a face and legs, and it’s done.
It even reproduces the pill bug’s distinctive movement, so kids are sure to be captivated.
Give it a try!
Cherry-blossom viewing craft
https://www.instagram.com/p/C4QDg-lpoEw/Speaking of spring, it’s the perfect season to enjoy cherry blossom viewing.
Here’s a fun craft for hanami using paper plates and tissues.
Prepare tissues, paint, tissue paper, paper plates, construction paper, and glue.
Stick torn pieces of tissue paper in the center of the paper plate to create volume, then glue tissues around the edges.
Add paint to the tissues to instantly create a cherry-blossom vibe.
Finish by placing a photo of a favorite animal or a child in the center! You can also change the background colors to your liking for a more original look.
Smile Flower
https://www.tiktok.com/@hoikunosommelier/video/7343170221781421320Let me introduce a smile flower you can make out of construction paper, featuring an adorable smiling face.
Prepare several colors of construction paper, double-sided tape, scissors, and colored pens.
Cut nine circles out of the construction paper and fold each one in half.
Using colorful paper is recommended because it makes the finished piece look more vibrant.
Apply double-sided tape to the upper back side of each piece, then stick all nine together to form a sphere.
Gently press it open to flatten it into a flower shape.
Once the flower shape is formed, attach circular pieces to the front and back as the flower’s center, and draw the facial expression.
Roll a strip of construction paper to make the stem, attach it along with some leaves, and you’re done.
It’s also fun to play with the colors and arrangement for a unique look.
Colorful Tulips Made from Scrap Materials
https://www.instagram.com/p/C3kNo2qJ-3L/Let me introduce colorful tulips made from upcycled materials using toilet paper rolls.
Prepare toilet paper rolls, paint, brushes, and colored pens.
Draw the shape of a tulip on the toilet paper roll with a pen and cut it out.
If you flatten the roll first, it’s easier to draw the design.
Once you’ve painted the tulips with paint, they’re done! Adding patterns inside the tulips can make them feel even more spring-like.
It’s also a great idea to display them in your room to enjoy the spring atmosphere.