Lovely childcare

[Childcare] DIY tunnel ideas that shine at sports day

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.
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.

We’ve gathered ideas for handmade tunnels that are perfect for tunnel races at nursery and kindergarten sports days.

If you’re unsure about designs or materials that bring out the children’s cuteness, take a look at these DIY ideas for inspiration!

Using familiar materials like colorful fabrics and cardboard to create animal or flower shapes is lots of fun.

By making an original tunnel, you’ll get to see the kids crawl through it with energy and excitement.

We hope you create wonderful memories at your sports day!

[Childcare] Handmade tunnel ideas that shine at sports day (1–10)

house-shaped tunnel

Here’s a cute tunnel idea inspired by a little house.

If you’re using it for a sports day, you could connect several cardboard boxes to design a larger house—feel free to get creative! You can place a separately made roof on top, but using the box flaps as the roof works too.

Decorating the roof in bright colors will make it lively and photogenic, so definitely give it a try! It would also be lovely to cut out windows and a door like a real house so the children’s faces can peek through.

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Handmade tunnel with kindergarten children

Would you like to prepare for the sports day together with the kindergarteners? If you handcraft a tunnel that will be used at the event, it will strengthen the bond between teachers and children—and above all, it will become a cherished memory! By combining cardboard boxes, you’ll find that making a tunnel is surprisingly easy.

You can have the children paint on poster paper in advance, and then the teacher can attach it to the cardboard later.

Cutting out small windows or arranging it so kids can pop their heads out from the top is also great! Even after sports day is over, you can use it for recreational activities, so definitely give it a try.

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Go! Energetic Moles

Kasama Tomobe Tomobe Kindergarten Childcare Information: “Sports Day Series – Middle Class – Individual Events”

Go! Energetic Moles

The event “Go, Energetic Moles!” adds cuteness and humor to a traditional obstacle race.

There are two main points.

First, the children wear mole-themed crowns and run as if they are moles.

Second, obstacles such as brown plastic sheets and hula hoops are set up to evoke the feeling of moving through the soil.

It’s also wonderful to let them enjoy the process of making the mole crowns.

Wearing a handmade crown will likely boost their motivation even more.

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[Childcare] Handmade Tunnel Ideas That Shine at Sports Day (11–20)

Laundry bag tunnel

Work No. 017: Crawling Tunnel [Handmade Toy by a Nursery Teacher]

Laundry bag tunnel

Turn a laundry bag into a fun tunnel! Just cut off the bottom of the bag with scissors to make a tunnel.

Start by getting used to crawling through a single tunnel, and once your child can slide through smoothly, tie the drawstring parts together to connect two bags.

Because laundry bags are made of mesh, children can see outside and parents, kindergarten, or nursery teachers can clearly check what’s happening inside, making it safe to play.

Hanging it up and using it as a basketball hoop is also recommended!

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[0-year-olds] Hoop-Crawling Tunnel

“Circuit Play with Handmade Toys” [0-Year-Olds] | Torikai Higashi Yuuiku-en [Nursery/Kindergarten Event]

[0-year-olds] Hoop-Crawling Tunnel

This is a hoop tunnel that even small children can crawl through.

By combining familiar materials like milk cartons, you can make it easily and bring out lots of adorable smiles from the kids.

It’s also a great idea to create multiple colorful hoops in pink, light blue, or yellow-green.

You can keep them sturdy by tying each one together with packing string.

Another advantage is that even after the sports day is over, children can keep enjoying it for circuit play and tunnel play.

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Mat Tunnel

A mat tunnel you can do in your room♪

Mat Tunnel

Here’s a “mat tunnel” using hula hoops and a mat! Prepare three hula hoops that are a comfortable size for children to pass through.

Fold the mat in half lengthwise, and set it up so the hula hoops are positioned in the center and on both sides—then you’re ready to go! When children crawl through, the rounded hoops make the tunnel sway gently.

To add a bit of thrill, teachers can shake it from the outside too.

Because kids can see out while they crawl, even those who are scared of going through a cardboard tunnel may find this easier to try.

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[Infant] High-crawl tunnel

Yes-yes tunnel production scene video

[Infant] High-crawl tunnel

This is a high-height tunnel made from cardboard that’s safe even for infants to crawl through.

Use a cardboard box that’s just the right size for an infant to fit inside.

Cut out the bottom so they can pass through, and add side windows.

Cut away two more panels to create a roof.

You can make it even cuter by cutting star or heart shapes into the roof and attaching colored construction paper or glittery origami from the inside.

Since raw cardboard edges can scratch hands and faces, line the edges with cloth tape or similar to improve both safety and durability.

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