[Childcare] For 5-year-olds! Autumn craft ideas
Autumn is full of fun events for children, like Halloween, sports days, and field trips.
In this article, we’ll introduce craft ideas that are perfect for the autumn season.
Since autumn is a comfortable time of year, there are also plenty of chances to go for walks and collect acorns and fallen leaves.
We’ve included ideas that use natural materials like these as well.
You’ll also find ideas for crafts and wall decorations that can be used for events, so be sure to try making a variety of them.
Because the children’s creations are regarded as works (artworks), we refer to them as “sei-saku” (制作) in the text.
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[Childcare] For 5-year-olds! Autumn craft ideas (41–50)
Origami fall leaves using scissors
This origami also helps kids practice using scissors! With the colored side facing up, fold the paper into a triangle, then fold up the bottom edge just a little so that the sides line up with the edges.
Keep folding it up like an accordion all the way to the top.
Open the fold you just made once, then, imagining the center vein of a fallen leaf along the closed edge, fold it narrowly on a diagonal.
Next, slightly fold the two corner tips to resemble a fallen leaf.
After shaping it, use scissors to cut small “bug-eaten” holes and details.
Since this requires a bit of fine scissor work, make sure an adult is always there to help.
How to fold realistic autumn leaves
Let’s make a realistic maple leaf using a single sheet of origami.
Fold the paper into a triangle twice, squash the pocketed section into a square, then add creases and squash it into a diamond.
Up to this point, it’s the same process as making a crane.
With the side where the corners are not split at the top, fold down the top layer on the front, then flip the paper top-to-bottom and turn it over.
Crease the two-pronged corner, open it up, and squash this part into a small diamond.
Make a cut in the bottom corner to split it into two prongs as well, squash it into a diamond the same way, then fold the tips to create small leaves.
Turn the paper over, fold the left and right corners of the remaining section inward, and make a step fold on the bottom corner.
Finally, fold the left and right corners once more, and you’re done.
Make and Play! Bagworm Kendama
How about turning a kendama—where you balance the ball on the top or on the side cup—into a bagworm (minomushi) version? First, crumple up some newspaper into a ball and shape it with vinyl tape to make the kendama ball.
At this time, attach one end of a piece of kite string (both ends tied in firm knots) to the ball as you tape.
Next, tape the other end of the string to the outside bottom of a paper cup.
Then cut out eyes and a fallen-leaf-like body for the bagworm from construction or origami paper, and stick them around the cup—and you’re done! The ball is easier to catch than with a regular kendama, so kids can have lots of fun playing with it.
Perfect for walls, too! Chrysanthemum origami
Here’s an idea for making a chrysanthemum using an accordion fold.
Prepare two sheets of origami paper: 15 cm for the flower and 7.5 cm for the leaves.
First, accordion-fold the paper for the flower.
Once folded, take both pieces, align the ends, and fold each in half.
Trim off the two corners at the ends to shape the petal tips.
Open the paper once, apply glue along the center line on both sides, then fold it back in half.
Also glue the inner edges of the folds to form a fan shape.
Glue the two pieces together while spreading them into a circle, and place a round sticker in the center to complete the flower.
Make leaves from green origami paper and attach them to the back of the flower.
Make it with handprints! Wobbly bagworm
Here’s a craft idea for making bagworms using children’s handprints and footprints! First, create the bagworm’s body out of colored construction paper.
Next, take origami paper in your favorite colors and tear it into long, thin strips.
Paste the strips onto the body with glue, and use the child’s handprints to make a cute outfit.
Draw the face, attach a piece of yarn to hang it, and you’re done! You can also decorate with yarn instead of or in addition to origami paper.
Making lots in different colors and displaying them looks super cute, so it’s highly recommended.
Be sure to have fun tearing and pasting together with the kids!
One sheet of origami! Cute mushroom
First, fold the origami paper in half into a square twice, then fold both corners toward the center to make triangles.
Flip it over, fold the unfolded section up toward the middle, and flip it over again.
Fold both sides toward the center crease, then fold the top corner down and open it to make a crease.
Using this crease as a guide, fold upward in stepped layers, then fold the corners of the folded-up section and open them.
Finally, fold each corner to round the shape, draw mushroom patterns as you like, and you’re done! Make lots of them and enjoy them as an autumn display!
Hanging grape decoration made of origami
How about an idea for grapes made with paper chains, a classic birthday decoration? Cut origami paper into long, thin strips, glue the ends together to make loops, and link them to represent the grape berries.
Once you have three chains of different lengths, thread them onto a long, thin strip of paper to gather them, add leaves, and you’re done! For the berries, we recommend purple origami in varying shades.
The paper used to gather them will be the stem, so green or brown would work.
By the way, they say grapes with a nicely green stem are the tastiest.