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 create with various materials! Recommended craft ideas for April (51–60)

Let’s make postcards from elephant dung

Making postcards from elephant dung: Hitachi Kamine Zoo

Let's make postcards from elephant dung

April 28 is Elephant Day.

It is said to originate from the occasion in 1729 when an elephant sent from Vietnam to Japan was presented to Emperor Nakamikado.

Elephants are among the largest land animals—truly enormous creatures! Let’s try making postcards using elephant dung from these big animals.

Put on gloves, then wash the elephant dung to extract the dietary fibers.

Using a blender, combine pulp from a milk carton with water and form it into postcard shapes.

Once it’s dry, it’s done.

Please be mindful of hygiene as you make them!

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dandelion

[Origami Spring Flowers] Easy and Cute Dandelion Folding Method | Origami Dandelion

dandelion

Cute yellow flowers! Here’s an idea for making dandelions with origami.

You’ll need yellow origami paper, green origami paper, glue or double-sided tape, and scissors.

Dandelion flowers are characterized by many small petals radiating outward.

Using this idea, let’s make a dandelion flower from a single sheet of origami paper! Since scissors are used during the process, it’s best to work together with a parent or teacher.

Give it a try!

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Cherry-blossom viewing craft

Speaking of spring, it’s the perfect season to enjoy cherry blossom viewing.

Here’s a fun craft for hanami using paper plates and tissues.

Prepare tissues, paint, tissue paper, paper plates, construction paper, and glue.

Stick torn pieces of tissue paper in the center of the paper plate to create volume, then glue tissues around the edges.

Add paint to the tissues to instantly create a cherry-blossom vibe.

Finish by placing a photo of a favorite animal or a child in the center! You can also change the background colors to your liking for a more original look.

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Dandelion Drum

@picoton_craft
Welcome spring with an easy craft: a dandelion × den-den daiko (Japanese pellet drum) made from paper plates!#HandmadeToys Simple craft Translation #dandelion #handcraftideas
♬ Cute – Aurel Surya Lie

Dandelions transform into adorable instruments! Here’s an idea for making a dandelion den-den daiko (hand drum) with paper plates.

You’ll need two paper plates with a rim, a wooden chopstick, green masking tape, ribbon, and beads.

Wrap the chopstick all the way around with green masking tape so it’s safe to use.

Draw dandelions on the outside of the two paper plates, then treat the chopstick wrapped in green tape as the stem and attach it to the inside.

Next, attach ribbons to the left and right sides, and tie beads to the ends of the ribbons on the outside.

Stack and fasten the two paper plates together, and you’re done.

When you spin it, the beads hit the plates and make a sound!

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[Childcare] Let's create with various materials! A collection of recommended craft ideas for April (61–70)

Papercut of a dandelion

Let’s make it with scissors! Here are some cut-paper dandelion ideas.

You’ll need yellow origami paper, glue or double-sided tape, scissors, and a compass.

Using the yellow origami paper, cut out three sizes of dandelions—large, medium, and small.

Layering the three sizes will give the petals a three-dimensional look and create a gorgeous finish.

If you also cut green origami paper to make the stem and leaves, it ties everything together beautifully.

Give it a try!

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Butterflies made with torn paper collage

Here’s how to make butterflies flying around a flower field.

Cut construction paper into the shapes of butterfly wings and a body to create the base.

If you layer two sheets of construction paper for the base, it will be sturdier.

Tear pieces of origami paper and glue them onto the wings.

Using patterned origami will make it look more festive and give it a spring-like feel.

For the body, add round stickers to distinguish it from the wings.

Draw facial expressions, and your butterfly is complete.

Tearing the origami by hand lets you enjoy differences in shapes and sizes.

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A cherry blossom tree made with torn-paper collage

Cherry blossoms are the quintessential spring flower—practically synonymous with the season.

How about incorporating a cherry tree into a torn-paper collage? Start by creating the trunk on colored construction paper, then draw lots of branches above it with crayons.

Next, tear pieces of paper and glue them onto the branches.

Mixing different colors and patterns—such as pink origami, patterned origami, and tissue paper—will give the piece a vibrant, festive look.

Adding little touches like butterflies around the tree would make it even cuter.

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