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

Let’s paint spring with fluffy paints.

@rima_asobi ♬ A cute pop and bouncy song(1526882) – sanusagi

Introducing fluffy paint for drawing springtime art that makes you want to touch the puffy parts.

Prepare shaving foam, liquid laundry glue, paint, plastic cups, plastic spoons, and drawing paper.

Sketch your picture on the paper beforehand.

In a plastic cup, combine shaving foam and liquid glue in a 1:1 ratio and mix.

Add paint to color it, then use a plastic spoon to place the foamy paint onto your sketched drawing.

When it dries, you’ll have a cute, puffy spring picture! Once dry, you can touch it, so enjoy the fun texture—give this charming and magical craft a try!

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Hanging decorations of the Sakura Dome

Introducing a hanging Sakura dome decoration, perfect for spring with its gently swaying pink hues.

Prepare a dome-shaped paper plate, tissue paper, curling ribbon, ribbon for hanging, origami paper, glue, and tape.

Glue torn pieces of tissue paper onto the paper plate, making sure there are no gaps.

Cut the curling ribbon and attach the strips to the inside of the paper plate, leaving small spaces between them.

Punch a hole in the center of the plate and thread the hanging ribbon through it.

Cut sakura shapes out of origami paper and stick them onto the front of the plate.

Your soft, spring-like hanging decoration is complete!

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A bag made with yarn and paper plates

https://www.tiktok.com/@n.annlee321/video/7339453715717410050

Let’s make an original bag where you can enjoy your favorite design! I’ll introduce an idea for a bag made with yarn and paper plates.

Prepare two deep, sturdy paper plates, spring-colored yarn, double-sided fabric tape, fabric glue, decorative parts like ribbons, pipe cleaners, bead parts, a stapler, and an awl.

It’s an idea that stimulates children’s creativity, isn’t it? By arranging the colors of the yarn and the decorative parts, each child’s individuality will shine! Enjoy that sense of excitement and give it a try.

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Sakura tree made with transparent origami

https://www.tiktok.com/@pi_chan.sensei__hoiku/video/7355501146506595591

I want to decorate a sunny windowsill! Here’s an idea for making a cherry blossom tree using transparent origami paper.

You’ll need brown construction paper, scissors, glue, transparent origami paper or colored cellophane, a clear file (plastic sleeve), and a cherry blossom-shaped frame made from construction paper.

Traditional-style cherry blossom crafts are lovely, but why not use this idea to create bright, stylish blossoms? Displayed by the window, they’ll sparkle in the sunlight and give off a different, delightful vibe.

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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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[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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