Lovely childcare

[For 5-year-olds] Let's make it in April! A collection of craft ideas using recycled and natural materials

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.

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 these in April! A collection of craft ideas (41–50) using recycled materials and natural objects

Spring flowers made with blow painting

Blow painting with straws! Spring craft flower drawings

Spring flowers made with blow painting

We’ll introduce a spring craft using blow painting to create spring flowers.

Prepare drawing paper, crayons, paint, brushes, and water.

Draw the flower’s leaves and stem on the paper, and decide where the flower itself will go.

Just above the crayon-drawn stem, drop some paint in your chosen flower color with a brush, then blow through a straw to spread the paint.

The paint will splatter around, forming petal-like shapes or delightful, unexpected patterns.

When blowing through the straw, hold it slightly away from the paint and blow with a strong breath—that’s the key.

Give this a try for your spring art project!

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Cherry blossoms and tri-color dango

Here’s an idea for making a cherry tree and the classic hanami treat, three-color dango! There are several ways to do this, but first, cut the parts for the cherry tree and the skewer of three-color dango from construction paper and paste them onto a backing sheet.

For the cherry tree, you can stamp on construction paper using bubble wrap or a sponge, try a bleeding-watercolor technique, or paste on torn tissue paper blossoms.

For the three-color dango, you can tear and roll tissue paper into balls, or fold the corners of small square origami pieces to form each dumpling.

The look of the piece will change depending on the method, so try whichever style you like!

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Artworks created using natural materials

Middle Nursery Class April Activities: “Spring Nature Items” (with subtitles)

Artworks created using natural materials

April has just the right climate and is the perfect season for walks and playing in the playground.

Here’s an activity for creating artworks using natural materials like leaves and branches found outdoors.

Prepare a container to collect fallen leaves and other items.

If children decorate their own container with stickers or markers, they’ll feel more attached to it and enjoy the activity even more.

Use cotton swabs to apply glue to the collected leaves and flowers, then stick them onto construction paper.

When placing the items, it’s important to value the child’s sensibilities and let them lead the process.

Once finished, display the pieces and enjoy the artwork!

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[PET Bottle] Rapeseed Blossom Mobile

[Spring Craft] A Butterfly Mobile for a Canola Flower Field That Delights Babies 🦋

[PET Bottle] Rapeseed Blossom Mobile

If you’re looking for a spring-themed craft, how about making a rapeseed blossom mobile? Cut a plastic bottle at a point 4 cm up from the bottom, and cover the cut edge with tape to prevent injuries.

Please have an adult do this step.

Cut out rapeseed flowers and butterfly parts from construction paper with scissors, and draw the butterfly’s face.

When attaching the butterfly’s face and body parts, sandwich a length of string between them for hanging.

Attach a ribbon to the plastic bottle as a handle, and decorate the body with the rapeseed blossoms.

Finally, secure the butterfly’s string to the plastic bottle, and you’re done! It looks like a wind chime, and when exposed to the breeze, the butterfly gently sways—super cute.

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[Paper Core] Cute Honeybee

[Daycare/Kindergarten] How to Make a Cute “Bee” ♪ Easy with a Paper Tube [Upcycled Materials]

[Paper Core] Cute Honeybee

Here’s an idea to make a cute honeybee using the cardboard core left after using toilet paper.

Glue a rectangular piece of construction paper around the core, then wrap two thin strips of black construction paper around the lower part of the core.

Next, cut out the bee’s body and wing pieces from construction paper, draw a face on the head piece, and attach antennae made from chenille stems (pipe cleaners) with tape.

If you use construction paper that the children have drawn on for the wings, it will bring out their individuality and look adorable.

Finally, glue the face and wing pieces onto the core to finish! If you’re decorating a wall, turn the core sideways to create the look of a bee in flight.

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[3D] Tulip

[April craft for 5-year-olds] Realistic-looking gradient tulips ♪ Materials included!

[3D] Tulip

Here’s an idea for making tulips, a classic spring flower.

This version is three-dimensional, so once it’s finished it looks just like real tulips! First, cut out the tulip stem and leaves, bricks, and soil pieces from construction paper.

Use a ruler to draw a brick pattern on the brick paper, and tear and lightly crumple the soil paper.

Roll the stem into a tube, then snip one end with scissors and flare the tabs outward.

On calligraphy paper, draw six ovals and stamp them with a sponge dipped in paint.

After stamping, cut them out and connect them in a horizontal row with tape.

Roll this strip up and attach it to the opposite end of the stem (the end without the cuts).

Glue on the brick-pattern paper, then secure everything inside a paper carton to make it look like a potted plant.

Finally, add the leaves and fill in the gaps of the pot with the soil paper to finish!

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handmade pinwheel

[For 5-year-olds] Making Pinwheels

handmade pinwheel

Here’s an idea for making a pinwheel using a straw and construction paper.

Cut a square sheet of construction paper into a circle with scissors, make a single slit in it, and then cut another smaller circle out from the inside.

To make it easier for kids to work, draw guide lines on the paper beforehand.

Make four of these, and punch a hole near one edge of each piece.

Next, prepare one straw and cut four slits about 1 cm long at the drinking end, then bend the cut sections outward.

Finally, slide all the paper pieces onto the straw—and you’re done! Hold it up to a fan or run outside with it in your hand to enjoy the pinwheel spinning around.

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