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! A collection of recommended craft ideas for April (111–120)

Strawberries made with cotton swab stamps

[Spring Craft] How to Make Strawberries with Cotton Swab Stamps! [Ages 2 and up] (ASMR-style video)

Strawberries made with cotton swab stamps

For a spring craft, let’s make bright red, delicious-looking strawberries.

Prepare construction paper, paint, cotton swabs, scissors, and glue.

Cut the construction paper into strawberry shapes, then dip a cotton swab in paint and stamp on the seeds.

If you use a slightly larger amount of paint and thin it well with water first, the seed color will transfer more easily.

Once you glue the calyx to the top of the strawberry, it’s complete.

Cutting origami to decorate around the strawberry or adding washi tape will make it look even more spring-like and festive.

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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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Butterfly mobile in a field of rapeseed blossoms

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

Butterfly mobile in a field of rapeseed blossoms

This is a mobile featuring a field of rapeseed blossoms and butterflies, with the butterflies fluttering cutely.

Cut the middle section of a plastic bottle and cover the cut edge with tape.

Attach a ribbon so it can be hung, and decorate it with origami cut into the shape of rapeseed flowers.

For the butterflies, cut origami into butterfly shapes, stick on separately made face and body parts, and attach thread to the back.

Finally, tape the threads to the plastic bottle to complete a gently swaying, spring-themed mobile.

Using children’s face photos for the butterflies’ faces would also make it adorable.

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Broad beans you make by sticking (pieces) on

Spring Craft: “Broad Beans” Easy How-To Explained by a Preschool Teacher (for 2–3-year-olds) #shorts

Broad beans you make by sticking (pieces) on

Broad beans, which are said to be in season from April to June, are perfect for spring crafts.

This time, we’ll introduce a project that uses these broad beans.

Prepare by pre-cutting the pod and bean shapes out of construction paper.

If the children are old enough and comfortable using scissors, it’s also great to let them cut the pieces themselves.

Glue the pod and beans onto a base sheet of construction paper, draw faces on the beans, and you’re done.

The steps are very simple, so even younger children can enjoy making this.

The vivid green of the broad beans is sure to energize the kids even more.

Give it a try!

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Mobile of clouds and balloons

Feel the sky with the cute hanging decoration “Fluffy Cloud and Hot Air Balloon” ☁

Mobile of clouds and balloons

It spins around and looks so cute! Let me share an idea for a mobile with fluffy clouds and hot air balloons.

You’ll need scissors, glue, thread, beads, translucent origami paper, tissue paper, four rubber bands, craft adhesive, tape, and bamboo skewers.

Use the tissue paper and rubber bands to make fluffy clouds, and make the hot air balloons with the translucent origami paper and beads.

You’ll build a frame with the bamboo skewers and hang the pieces, so if you’re making this with children, be sure to work with safety in mind.

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Bouquet in Bleeding Watercolors

No.071 “Bouquet with Bleeding Art – A Craft for 1-Year-Olds” [Handmade Toys by Nursery Teachers]

Bouquet in Bleeding Watercolors

This is a spring-like bouquet made with blot painting, where you can enjoy the way colors bleed.

Use water-based markers to freely color a coffee filter, then gently dip it in water; the colors will bleed and reveal magical patterns! Once the filter is completely dry, cut it into flower shapes and attach them to a bouquet base made from construction paper.

One of the fun aspects of blot painting is that every piece ends up with different colors and patterns.

The result also changes greatly depending on when you lift it out of the water, so have fun creating while watching the colors and patterns transform.

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Wiggly straw-made inchworm

My friend made a little inchworm out of a straw wrapper! lol

Wiggly straw-made inchworm

Here’s a wiggly caterpillar craft perfect for spring that you can make with just one straw.

Prepare a straw with corrugations, a permanent marker, and scissors.

Stretch out the corrugated part to decide the caterpillar’s length, then cut the straw lengthwise with scissors, leaving the corrugated ridge intact.

Make a halfway cut at each corrugation, then skip one section at a time as you cut horizontally to open it up.

Bend the long strip you first cut and tuck it into the straw, then trim the pointed tip with scissors to finish.

Color it with a permanent marker to create your own unique caterpillar.

Move your caterpillar around and enjoy the feeling of spring!

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