Lovely childcare

[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 (101–110)

Tulips Painted with a Fork

[Fork Painting] Easily make tulips 🌷💕

Tulips Painted with a Fork

Let me introduce a spring-themed tulip art project you can paint using a fork.

Prepare a disposable fork, construction paper, crayons, and cotton swabs.

Dip the fork in paint, then press it firmly onto the paper, following the fork’s curve to stamp and create the tulip flowers.

It’s best to have about three colors of paint ready.

Finally, use the cotton swabs to draw the stems and leaves, and you’re done.

It’s a craft that lets you enjoy exploring paint colors as you work.

Give it a try!

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Tulips made from flower paper

Let's make tulips with tissue paper!

Tulips made from flower paper

Cute tulips with a gentle, calm vibe! Here are some ideas for making tulips with flower paper.

Flower paper is a material often used in crafts; it has a soft, delicate texture and comes in a wide range of colors.

It’s lightweight and easy to work with, so kids can make things without needing much strength.

What you’ll need: flower paper, wire, double-sided tape, scissors, green masking tape, and a straw.

Take this opportunity to give it a try!

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Butterflies made with round stickers

[Preschool Craft] Spring Craft! Colorful Paper Butterflies Made with Construction Paper

Butterflies made with round stickers

Here’s a spring-like butterfly you can make using round stickers.

Prepare in advance the round stickers, felt-tip pens, pipe cleaners, pre-cut butterfly wings, and pre-cut butterfly faces.

Start by decorating the butterfly wings with round stickers to create patterns.

It’s recommended to use a variety of colors for the stickers.

For the butterfly’s face, have them draw the eyes and mouth with felt-tip pens.

Attach a pipe cleaner to the butterfly’s head and curl the tips—that’s it! You’re done.

You might also like to stick them on the wall and add spring flowers around them for a soft, spring-themed display.

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Spring flowers made with blow painting

Blow painting with straws! Spring craft flower drawings

Spring flowers made with blow painting

Let me introduce a spring craft using a blow-painting technique to create spring flowers.

Prepare drawing paper, crayons, paint, a brush, and water.

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

Slightly above the crayon-drawn stem, drop some paint in the flower’s color with a brush, then blow through a straw to spread it.

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

When blowing through the straw, hold it a little away from the paint and blow with some force—that’s the key.

Give this spring craft a try!

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four-leaf clover

How to fold a four-leaf clover with origami

four-leaf clover

This is an origami four-leaf clover that brings happiness.

Fold the origami paper into a triangle, then fold it into a triangle again, and open the pocket into a square.

Open it vertically to form a diamond shape, then shape it like a throwing star.

After that, keep folding the finer parts to create the clover’s rounded look.

If you fill the classroom wall with this lucky motif, everyone will naturally feel warm and happy! If you prepare several kinds of green origami with slightly different shades, it will look even more vibrant.

You can almost hear the children say, “Let’s go look for four-leaf clovers!”

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[Childcare] Let’s make things with various materials! A collection of recommended craft ideas for April (111–120)

A cute dandelion you can use a pattern for

Easy and cute March wall decoration with pattern: “Dandelion”

A cute dandelion you can use a pattern for

Using templates makes it easier to visualize shapes and to create them.

Here’s a dandelion made with templates.

Cut the dandelion petals and leaves along the template.

Crease the cut petals and leaves to give them a three-dimensional look.

When gluing all the parts together, attach them while checking the overall balance.

It’s also a great idea to make a spring insect—a butterfly—as an accent and let it “fly.” Adding patterns to the butterfly with round stickers might make it even cuter.

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A mobile made with your favorite characters

Super easy “handmade mobile” – you can make it with your favorite characters. #handmademobile #DIYinterior #kids #baby #self-sealLaminatingFilm #100yenShop

A mobile made with your favorite characters

Why not decorate the room with your children’s favorite characters? You can use characters from anime or games as materials, or—if characters aren’t allowed at your school—use animals or picture books they love instead! Once you’ve chosen the materials, print them out on a computer.

Also print one reversed copy so you can glue the front and back together.

Laminate the finished pieces and cut them out, then punch holes so you can attach strings.

Try decorating them like a mobile, using branches the children found in the yard or during outdoor activities.

Swaying gently in the pleasant spring breeze, they’ll look absolutely lovely.

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