[Childcare] For 4-Year-Olds! Fun December Craft Ideas
December is shiwatsu, the month when even teachers are on the run.
Nursery school.
In kindergartens, there are plenty of fun crafts not only for Christmas.
Why not enjoy winter-only December crafts and feel the season together with the children? Here, we introduce December craft ideas recommended for four-year-olds.
Try making warm, cozy pieces using yarn and tissue paper, or create wonderful works while having fun with stamping activities.
Because we treat the children’s creations as artworks, we use the term “制作 (seisaku: creation/production)” in the text.
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[Childcare] For 4-year-olds! Fun December craft ideas (61–70)
Christmas lantern
In the run-up to Christmas, making Christmas lanterns is a great activity for 4-year-olds to enjoy.
Start by cutting plastic sheets and drawing their favorite pictures.
Next, add color using colorful cellophane and try out different combinations.
Finally, assemble the sheet into a cone shape and place an LED light inside to complete a beautiful lantern! Through this craft, children can express their creativity and experience a sense of accomplishment.
A tree hat like stained glass
Let’s try making a hat inspired by a Christmas tree.
Roll a sheet of white construction paper into a cone-shaped party hat and draw lines and pictures with oil pastels.
Then paint over it with watercolors.
The oily pastels will resist the paint and create a fun effect.
You don’t have to stick to green—use any colors and draw whatever you like.
Once the drawing is done, attach a star to the tip.
When it’s finished, wearing it for a Christmas party and the like can be lots of fun.
Give it a try!
Paku-Paku Santa & Reindeer
Some preschools and kindergartens put on performances at Christmas, don’t they? But many of you might be wondering what to do.
My suggestion is to make “Chompy Santa & Reindeer.” These are made from paper cups cut halfway and opened up so the mouths can move like a hand puppet.
If you use them to put on a puppet show, the children will be thrilled and watch with great excitement.
Of course, it’s also recommended for anyone looking for cute crafting ideas.
Handmade bag
When December comes, many nursery schools and kindergartens probably go to parks to collect fallen leaves and nuts.
However, carrying too many of the things they pick up can be dangerous if they fall.
That’s where a handmade bag comes in handy.
This bag is made from construction paper, but it’s surprisingly sturdy, so it can hold plenty of small nuts without any problem.
Kids can also draw their favorite pictures on it and decorate it.
With a cute bag in hand, collecting will surely become even more fun.
Handprint and footprint ornament
Children grow up in the blink of an eye.
If you preserve their tiny handprints and footprints as ornaments, parents and guardians will surely be delighted.
Knead the air-dry clay beforehand to soften it.
Roll it flat, place the child’s hand and foot on it, and trim around the edges.
Once the handprint and footprint have dried, flip them upside down and draw a face or add a beard: the handprint becomes a Santa Claus ornament, and the footprint transforms into a snowman! Simply painting them is cute too, so try making them together with the kids and have fun.
Star ornament
Here’s an idea for a star ornament you can use for Christmas and more.
Take a square sheet of construction paper, fold it in half to make a crease—do this step twice—then fold it four more times and cut with scissors to form a pentagon.
Open the paper and make slits; fold it again and cut along the slits to quickly transform it into a star shape.
Alternate mountain and valley folds along the creases to create a three-dimensional star ornament.
Add a loop to hang it, and it’s perfect not only for a tree ornament but also as a wall decoration!
Reindeer accessory case made from a milk carton
This is a reindeer-themed trinket holder that’s sure to be a hit at Christmas parties.
It’s made by reusing an everyday material—a milk carton—so try making it together with your child! First, cut the milk carton to create the base of the holder, and apply double-sided tape around the outside.
Please have an adult handle the preparation up to this point.
Next, cover it with construction paper and add the reindeer parts to finish! Children around age four can freely decorate it with their own unique ideas, and you can also thread a string through to make a handle.