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 for 10 years as a kindergarten teacher and for 7 years as an after-school childcare instructor, then took a post as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I also engaged in activities that shared Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational play, working with many children. Afterwards, through freelance writing, planning, and editing work at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and conveying ideas. Leveraging the perspective cultivated in educational settings and my experience as an editor, I aim to deliver practical information—focusing on fields related to music and children—that values both input and output. Hobbies include instruments, singing, handcrafts, toys, drawing, traditional play, the outdoors, books, DIY, and crafts. Special skill: 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! Handmade prop roundup (11–20)

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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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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sailor collar

[Make it in any size!] How to make a sailor detachable collar | I wore it to the Laguna × Demon Slayer event | How to make a sailor collar | Demon Slayer

sailor collar

Teachers planning dances for kindergarten or elementary school sports days may also be wondering about costumes.

Here’s a “sailor collar” you can add to everyday T-shirts to turn them into stylish outfits! All you need is fabric for the collar and for the ribbon.

Since you’re not making an entire garment, it’s easy to try.

You can make the pattern with copy paper, and it’s simple to sew by hand, so even those who aren’t comfortable with a sewing machine will be fine.

You can stitch the sailor-collar stripes with a machine or attach them with fabric glue.

It looks absolutely adorable on little children, so please give it a try!

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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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lease

[100-Yen DIY] How to make a wreath. How to make a silk flower wreath.

lease

For those looking for a cute prop, I recommend a wreath.

By wreath, I mean the one you often see at Christmas.

You might think making one is difficult, but it’s surprisingly easy.

First, buy a few artificial flowers and some decorative stickers at a 100-yen shop.

Then make the wreath base out of thick paper and stick the stickers on one side.

On the other side, insert pieces of the cut artificial flowers.

And just like that, it’s done.

If you add glue to the holes where you inserted the flowers, it will be more durable.

It’s also a good idea to run a stick through the center of the wreath to make a handle.

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flag

How to make a flag

When it comes to props that add a splash of color to the cute dances performed by children at sports festivals, flags are a classic choice.

They’re easy to make with free apps, so crafting them together with your child is a big plus.

Just pick your favorite photos or illustrations, arrange them, and print them out.

Decorate paper straws or wooden chopsticks with white masking tape, then fold and attach the printed paper—done! They’re lightweight and easy to carry, making them perfect for dance scenes.

How about creating some unique props to liven up the kids’ performances?

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Active in the sports day dance! A roundup of handmade props (21–30)

tambourine

[Upcycled Craft] Easy! Make a Tambourine with Plastic Bottle Caps (Playable Craft & Handmade Toy) [Paper Plate & Bottle Caps] Musical Instrument Craft

tambourine

Do you know the comedian Gonzo? He’s a super performer who plays the tambourine with lively flair while wearing a tight leotard.

Beyond comedy, he has appeared in numerous stage productions and even on overseas shows.

He’s the hottest tambourine player right now.

A fun, jangly tambourine is also one of the items that can liven up cheering at a school sports day.

And a handmade tambourine is surprisingly easy to make.

First, fold a paper plate in half.

Put a small amount of rice inside a plastic bottle cap and seal it with another cap—this becomes the sound-making part.

Attach those to the paper plate and you’re done.

It makes quite a loud sound, so it really heats up the cheering!

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Taki no namida pin ku

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