[Childcare] Let’s make things with various materials! A collection of recommended craft ideas for April

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.

April is the season for starting nursery and moving up a grade.

It’s an exciting time with new classes, but it can also feel a bit unsettled.

Here are some craft ideas that children can enjoy in April.

We’ve gathered everything from activities they can really focus on to ideas they can make and then play with.

When we draw out children’s sense of fun, crafting becomes an exciting time.

We’re sharing a variety of ideas so you can choose based on children’s interests and curiosities—please find projects you can incorporate.

Because children’s creations are treated as works, we use the term “制作” (seisaku: production/work) in the text.

[Childcare] Let’s make things with various materials! Recommended craft ideas for April (81–90)

Spring hanging scroll

We’ll introduce how to make a spring hanging scroll that brightens up your room with a spring-like touch.

Prepare branches, construction paper, tissue paper, tapioca straws, glue, and scissors.

After choosing the color of the construction paper for the base of the hanging scroll, glue a branch onto white construction paper to set the center of the cherry tree.

Glue tissue paper onto circles cut from construction paper, then attach them around the branch.

By using pink for the cherry blossoms and green for the leaves as they start to appear, you can express the changing of the seasons.

Glue tapioca straws to the top and bottom of the hanging scroll, thread a string through, and it’s complete! It’s also great for spring wall displays.

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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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Giant cherry-blossom wall

@inokuchirunbini
This is Iguchi Lumbini Kindergarten. The oldest class made a cherry blossom tree. It was so much fun! The cherry blossoms were in full bloom—and so were the smiles! The principal joined in too, which made it even more exciting. (For some reason, the principal had blond hair today!)Iguchi Lumbini Kindergarten Nishi Ward, Hiroshima City　Hiroshima City Kindergarten #HiroshimaKindergarten　#LookingForKindergarten Choosing a kindergarten　#Childcare Support Pre-preschool child　Full 3-year-old class 2-year-old class　Open playground (園庭開放)Parent-Child Class　#HiroshimaChildcare older; senior (often used for the oldest age group in kindergarten: 'senior class')　#CherryBlossom　Confetti　#Wall Creation #NewFiscalYearStart　#sakura
Sakuranbo (MP3 catalog number) – Ai Otsuka

Let’s create with our whole bodies! I’d like to introduce a giant cherry blossom wall that everyone can make together.

You’ll need large sheets of drawing paper taped to fit the wall size, brown construction paper, paint, paper cups, brushes, and pink paper cut into pieces.

It’s a wonderful idea to spark children’s creativity.

Painting on drawing paper many times larger than their own bodies is sure to be exciting! It’s also fun to use thinly shredded pink paper as cherry blossom petals.

You can just picture the children’s smiling faces as they dynamically enjoy a flurry of paper confetti! Adjust the paper size to match your classroom or room dimensions.

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Cherry blossom petal stamp

@hoikushi_bank
Sakura stamps 🌸 If you’d like me to make them, let me know in the comments 👂 The detailed tutorial is available on YouTube 👀Nursery teacher / Childcare worker Aspiring childcare worker Childcare student #Nursery school #Kindergarten Nursery School Practicum #Childcare Crafting Production work child #AtHomePlay Admission Entrance Ceremony Admission craft #sakura #CherryBlossom Stamp #sakura #cherryblossom #stamp #japantiktok
♬ It Takes Two – Fiji Blue

The gently bleeding paint is beautiful! Let me introduce a cherry blossom petal stamp.

You’ll need: an empty lactic acid beverage bottle, vinyl tape, scissors, cushion foam sheet, a pen, a paper cup, a sponge, paint, drawing paper, and a plastic bottle cap.

First, let’s make the stamp.

Attach the plastic bottle cap and petal-shaped pieces cut from the cushion sheet to the empty beverage bottle, then reinforce with vinyl tape—that’s it! For the stamp pad, use a paper cup.

Cut the sponge into a circle, then add pink-mixed paint and water.

This handmade cherry blossom petal stamp lets you create beautifully old-fashioned-looking sakura, so it’s a highly recommended craft!

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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 bed for Little Broad Bean made of cotton

The picture book Sora Mame-kun’s Bed is hugely popular even among two-year-olds.

Here’s a craft activity using that book as a theme: making Sora Mame-kun’s bed out of cotton.

Prepare green construction paper, cotton, glue, and a piece of construction paper cut into the shape of Sora Mame-kun.

Cut the green construction paper into the shape of a pod to create the base.

Apply glue to the pod, then attach the cotton so it has a nice, fluffy volume all over.

Have the children draw Sora Mame-kun’s facial expression with crayons and stick him onto the cotton bed to finish.

It’s best to adjust the amount of glue together with the teacher as you go.

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[Childcare] Let's create with various materials! A collection of recommended craft ideas for April (91–100)

Dandelions made from tissue paper

Soft and gentle vibes that are so cute! Here’s an idea for making dandelions with tissue paper.

You’ll need yellow tissue paper cut into quarter-size pieces, a round backing sheet, a stapler, and scissors.

First, accordion-fold the tissue paper and staple it in the middle.

Next, make three snips on both sides with scissors, then gently open up the tissue paper.

If you cut a bit deeper, it looks even cuter! Finally, glue the tissue paper onto the round backing to finish.

Try combining it with leaves and a stem made from construction paper.

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