[For 4-year-olds] Recommended for August! Craft ideas: Enjoy a variety of motifs
As August arrives, summer is in full swing, and many teachers may be wondering how best to spend those hot days.
There may be only a limited number of days when you can go outdoors.
At such times, try incorporating craft activities full of summer atmosphere so children can enjoy the season, at least in spirit.
Four-year-olds have blossoming imaginations, so we’ve gathered ideas that let them freely enjoy expressing themselves.
Please use these as a reference.
Because the children’s creations are regarded as works (art pieces), we use the term “seisaku” (制作) in the text to refer to them.
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[For 4-year-olds] Recommended for August! Craft ideas: Enjoy a variety of motifs (71–80)
milk carton lantern
Simple and mass-producible! Here are ideas for milk-carton lanterns.
When using lanterns for summer festivals or wall displays, there are times you’ll need to make many.
These ideas are simple and easy to understand—perfect for such situations.
You’ll need milk cartons, permanent markers, scissors, a stapler, a hole punch, and string, among other items.
The steps are straightforward, but since some parts involve measuring with a ruler, it’s best to work in a calm environment.
Finishing them in bright colors will help lift the mood, too.
Fireworks made from scrap stamping
Let me introduce a super fun stamping firework craft using recycled materials.
Get a toilet paper roll, paint, and aluminum foil ready, and let’s make it! Use scissors to cut thin vertical slits into one end of the toilet paper roll, then flare the strips outward.
Squeeze some paint onto the aluminum foil, and dab the cut end of the roll into the paint.
Stamp it onto construction paper to create beautiful fireworks.
Layering a few colors can make the fireworks even more striking.
Stamping on black construction paper is recommended!
Puni Puni Fruit
They look just like the real thing! Here are some ideas for squishy, jiggly fruits.
Have you heard of nano tape? It’s a kind of tape with super strong adhesion that can be reused, and it’s apparently great for kitchens and DIY projects.
Let’s use this amazing nano tape to make squeezies.
In the video, bananas, watermelons, strawberries, and grapes are recreated to look glossy and bouncy, making you want to craft them with your kids.
Definitely give it a try!
Sunflower with bubble wrap stamps
Many children are fascinated by bubble wrap in packaging and love popping it! Let’s use that bubble wrap to make sunflowers.
First, wrap bubble wrap around a piece of cardboard to make a stamp.
Paint the stamp with paint, then dab it onto paper to stamp away! Imagine the bumpy pattern as the center of the sunflower.
Besides sunflowers, you can also pretend it’s fish scales or a honeycomb—encourage kids’ free imagination and have fun exploring different ideas!
Papercut Sunflower
Kirigami is a great paper craft to recommend to kids as an origami-style activity.
Here’s how to make sunflower kirigami, perfect for summer crafts! For the sunflower petals, fold the origami paper, sketch your pattern, and cut with scissors for a clean finish.
For the center of the sunflower, use a smaller sheet of origami paper and follow the same steps.
If you punch a few holes in the folded center piece with a hole punch, the design will look even better when combined with the petal part.
Try varying the sizes, or add leaves and a stem to enjoy customizing your creation.
Sunflowers drawn with fingertips
Here’s a sunflower art idea that even 0-year-olds can enjoy using their fingertips! Place blobs of paint on white drawing paper in the shape of a sunflower and add a small amount of water.
Next, put the paper inside a storage bag.
By spreading the paint from the outside of the bag, children can enjoy a sensory play experience without getting their hands dirty! They’ll love the squishy feel and watching the colors blend, making it easy to introduce even in infant classes.
To finish, take the paper out of the bag, let it dry, and add a frame made from black construction paper.
With the frame, each child’s unique creation becomes a delightful piece of art.
Paper cup sunflower
Here’s an idea for making a three-dimensional sunflower using a common material: a paper cup.
Cut off the rim of the paper cup, then wrap double-sided tape around the bottom part.
Use the double-sided tape as a guide to cut the cup into 16 equal sections.
Peel off the tape and attach each strip by rolling it inward one by one.
Add color with pens or crayons, and the sunflower’s blossom is complete! For the finishing touch, make the stem and leaves out of origami paper to create an even more realistic summer scene.
Some steps can be tricky for children to do alone, so it’s best to enjoy making it together with a teacher or guardian.
In conclusion
We introduced August craft ideas that are perfect to work on with four-year-olds.
In addition to featuring summery motifs, we’d love for four-year-olds to try slightly more complex steps.
It’s also a great idea to take a few days and work on the projects carefully.
Enjoy a wonderful summer with the children.