Wonderful sports day / athletic festival

Shine in the sports day dance! A roundup of handmade props

10 years as a kindergarten teacher / elementary school teacher / junior and senior high school teacher / childminderkepiko
Graduated from Kunitachi College of Music, Faculty of Music (now: Department of Music Culture and Education, Early Childhood Music Education major). In elementary school, my homeroom teacher was Jun Kusaba, a game researcher. After graduating from university, I worked as a kindergarten teacher for 10 years and as an after-school childcare instructor for 7 years, then took a position as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I engaged in activities that introduced Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational activities, working with many children. Later, through freelance writing, planning, and editing at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and sharing. Drawing on the perspective cultivated in the field of education and my experience as an editor, I provide practical information with an emphasis on both input and output, mainly in areas related to music and children. My hobbies include instruments, singing, handicrafts, toys, drawing, traditional games, the outdoors, and books. My special skill is spinning-top tricks.
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSICsasashina
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSIC. JFC-certified fact-checker. I’m Sasashina, a mom currently raising an elementary schooler and a preschooler. During my student years at Kyoto College of Science and Technology, I studied a wide range of fields including sound, lighting, and video technology, building a foundation in comprehensive stage production and creative expression. After graduation, I joined a music production company, where I still work, consistently building experience in production and engaging in a variety of music-centered tasks. Currently, I mainly handle articles for children, drawing on what I’ve learned about parenting and what I feel and discover through daily interactions with my kids. I hope my work can be of help to you, even in a small way!

At kindergarten and elementary school sports days, the children put on adorable dances, don’t they?Props like pom-poms are essential for their performances.And if you’re going to use props anyway, many of you are probably looking for ones the kids can make together by hand.In this article, we’ll introduce a variety of props all at once—besides pom-poms, things like fans and maracas.Many of them are easy to make, so be sure to create props full of originality.

Shine at the sports day dance! A roundup of handmade props (1–10)

umbrella

Primo Nursery School 2017-11-12 Sports Day [10] Rhythm Dance “Umbrellas”

umbrella

Props are also very important for school sports day dances, aren’t they? For those considering a dance using umbrellas, I recommend painting the umbrellas to create a colorful, pop look.

If you use clear vinyl umbrellas, which are easy to find, you can paint them in your favorite colors or freely draw illustrations that match your dance theme! Of course, using umbrellas in bright colors is fine too.

Letting children draw freely on them will make the sports day even more memorable, so please give it a try.

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Decorated uchiwa

Must-have for the sports festival with Daiso items! How to make a fan, taught by a current high school student.

Decorated uchiwa

If you want to liven up the sports day dance, why not make a flashy, sparkly decorated fan? You can get all the materials at the 100-yen shop, so it’s easy and budget-friendly! Just prepare party garlands, a hand fan, and decorative stickers.

You can draw illustrations directly on the fan or paste on printed illustrations.

After that, outline the edges with the party garland and stick on the stickers—have fun making your own unique fan!

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hands-free pom-pom

[For Childcare Workers] Sports Day Special! How to Make Pom-Poms ✨ [Nursery School/Kindergarten]

hands-free pom-pom

The pom-poms often seen in elementary school and kindergarten sports day dances are bright and cute, aren’t they? Generally, pom-poms are made by wrapping plastic ribbon (suzuran tape) several times around a cutting board or a tissue box.

You then cut the looped ribbon in the middle and tie the center firmly with the same color ribbon.

If you attach a loose hair elastic at this point, you’ll have a “hands-free pom-pom”! Normally you’d make a handle, but by adding a hair elastic your hands are free, making it easier to dance.

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Shine at the sports day dance! Handmade prop roundup (11–20)

flower hat

[Hanagasa Ondo] I tried making a hanagasa by hand! [Tokuiku Channel]

flower hat

The hanagasa, known from Yamagata Prefecture’s Hanagasa Festival, also makes a perfect dance prop.

First, cut thick paper into a circle sized to fit your head and make the hat.

A single layer is weak, so it’s better to double it.

Once the hat is finished, attach a bell at the crown, then arrange origami flowers around it.

Choosing flower colors you like to add your own originality is part of the fun.

It’s also great for preventing heatstroke and sunburn when dancing outdoors.

By all means, try making your very own hanagasa!

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silk hat

How to make hats for use in a school/play performance

silk hat

Many people wear top hats on special occasions.

A stylish top hat is perfect for a sports day costume, too.

Measure the size with a compass to match your child’s head shape and start making it.

Once you’ve drawn a line for the head size, make the brim as well and cut it out.

Form a tube shape with thick paper and attach it to the hat’s brim.

Finish by gluing a circle cut from construction paper onto the top of the head section.

Adding a ribbon in your favorite color makes a nice accent.

Including a dance with top hats at the sports day would really liven things up!

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Ribbon scrunchie

[100-Yen Store DIY!] Just Tie It! Easy Ribbon Scrunchie Tutorial

Ribbon scrunchie

If you want to make cute props but keep costs down, ribbon scrunchies are a great option.

The method is very simple.

First, buy a hair elastic and some ribbon.

Then just tie about two ribbons onto the hair elastic and you’re done.

If you tie the ribbons so they point to the left and right, it looks even cuter.

You can also create originality by changing the colors of the hair elastic and the ribbons.

You can even style it by wearing several of these ribbon scrunchies on one arm.

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walking stick

Renshiro – Preschool Class – Recital

walking stick

Canes, often used as luxury fashion items, also make perfect props for a sports day where kids dance in suits or dresses.

Just imagining children twirling canes to the music is heartwarming.

All you need are newspaper and sparkly tape.

Roll the newspaper into a cane shape and decorate it with brightly colored tape.

It’s a unique prop that lets you feel both the children’s cuteness and the refinement of their outfits at the same time.

Adding ribbons or a silk hat is also recommended for an even cooler look.

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