[Childcare] August Crafts: Cute Ideas to Make in Summer
In hot August, children in daycare and kindergarten often spend more time indoors.
Water play and pools can help them cool off, but they don’t stay in the water all day.
So here, we’re introducing crafts and activities perfect for summer that give a refreshing feel.
There are lots of fun ideas kids will love.
Many materials can be found as recyclables or at 100-yen shops, so feel free to incorporate them easily into your childcare activities.
Please use this as a reference and enjoy cool summer creations with the children! Since the things children make are treated as works, we use the term “seisaku” (production) in the text.
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[Childcare] August crafts: cute ideas you’ll want to make in summer (101–110)
yo-yo
How about making a yo-yo—always a big hit with kids at summer festivals—out of a milk carton? First, cut the carton with scissors and unfold it into a cross shape.
Next, have fun customizing the white side by drawing pictures or adding stickers.
Then make two holes in the bottom and thread a rubber band through them.
Connect multiple bands to make it longer.
Finally, staple the milk carton together into a round shape.
Yo-yo play helps develop focus and reaction skills as you move your wrist smoothly—so try it together and see how many times you can do it!
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.
Goldfish on drawing paper & scoops made from paper plates
Here’s an idea for a goldfish scooping game where you scoop paper goldfish made from construction paper using a poi made from a paper plate.
The poi is a paper plate with the center cut out and a handle attached; its lightness actually makes it harder to control, which increases the game’s challenge.
The goldfish are easy to make too—just roll and fasten strips of construction paper—so overall it’s simple to create.
By shaping the goldfish at an angle, you leave a gap between the table and the goldfish for scooping, so you can adjust the difficulty by tweaking that gap and the poi’s unwieldiness.
Putting care into decorating the goldfish is important as well—aim for cute designs that make people want to scoop them.
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.