Craft ideas for 4-year-olds to try in autumn! Enjoy creative activities with seasonal motifs and events.

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.

In autumn, when the heat eases and it becomes more comfortable, children grow even more in mind and body and become more dependable.

Four-year-olds may be starting to develop an awareness that they’ll soon be the oldest class.

Autumn also brings seasonal motifs and various events that children are surely looking forward to.

We’d love to incorporate these into craft ideas.

So this time, we’ve gathered craft ideas perfect for autumn.

We’re introducing ideas well-suited for four-year-olds, so please use them as a reference.

Because the things children make are treated as works, we use the term “seisaku (制作)” in the text.

Craft ideas for 4-year-olds to try in autumn! Enjoy craft activities with seasonal motifs and events (81–90)

Rock-paper-scissors with roasted sweet potatoes in a wet-on-wet painting style

This is an adorable craft idea featuring baked sweet potatoes playing rock–paper–scissors! First, wet a sheet of white drawing paper with water, then create a blotting effect using watercolor paints such as blue, purple, brown, and black.

Let it dry thoroughly.

Next, cut the painted paper into the shape of sweet potatoes and use round stickers or origami paper to make the faces.

Finish by attaching hands showing rock, paper, and scissors—done! Turn them into stick puppets to enjoy rock–paper–scissors games with children, or use them as fun autumn wall decorations.

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miyabi

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Cosmos with a threading activity

This is a cosmos craft made by threading yarn through a paper plate.

In preparation, teachers should have ready paper plates with holes made using an awl and straws cut into small pieces.

To make it easier for the children to thread the yarn, push the awl all the way through to create larger holes.

Then hand it over to the children! Wrap tape around one end of the yarn to make threading easier, thread it from the back of the plate to the front, insert it into another hole from the front, and secure the back with tape.

Adding straw pieces onto the yarn before threading it from the front to the back will make the result even more vibrant.

Finish by drawing stems and leaves with crayons in the empty spaces.

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yuri

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Cosmos with straw stamps

Here’s an idea for making a small, cute cosmos field using a straw.

Cut eight evenly spaced slits into the end of a straw so the tips become the cosmos petals, then crease them so they fold outward.

Dab a little watered-down paint onto the opened tips and stamp them onto paper.

The key points are not to cut the slits too deep and to thin the paint to a nice, loose consistency.

With those two tips, you’ll get an easy-to-use stamp.

Draw the cosmos leaves and stems with crayons.

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utatane

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Pom-pom mushrooms made from toilet paper rolls

Let’s use toilet paper rolls like stamps to decorate the mushroom caps! First, cut out the shapes of the mushroom stem and cap from construction paper.

Depending on the children’s ages, the teacher may want to handle the cutting.

Once the construction paper is ready, dip the open end of a toilet paper roll in paint of your choice and stamp it onto the cap with a tapping motion.

After you’ve created the pattern you like, combine it with the stem piece to complete the mushroom! It’s also a great idea to draw a face on the stem with a pen or add round stickers.

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SAKI

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Cosmos flowers with toilet paper rolls and finger stamping

How about using toilet paper rolls and the children’s fingers as stamps to create cute cosmos flowers? First, make several cuts in a toilet paper roll and bend the cut sections outward.

Dip it in paint and stamp it onto drawing paper—cosmos petals will appear! Then use finger stamping to fill in the empty center, and your cosmos is complete.

Afterwards, use pens or crayons to draw the stem and leaves where you made the flower.

If the teacher makes the cuts in the toilet paper rolls beforehand, the activity will go more smoothly.

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SAKI

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