December craft ideas! A collection of childcare activities to enjoy with Christmas and winter themes

10 years as a kindergarten teacher / elementary school teacher / junior and senior high school teacher / childminderkepiko
Graduated from Kunitachi College of Music, Faculty of Music (now: Department of Music Culture and Education, Early Childhood Music Education major). In elementary school, my homeroom teacher was Jun Kusaba, a game researcher. After graduating from university, I worked for 10 years as a kindergarten teacher and for 7 years as an after-school childcare instructor, then took a post as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I also engaged in activities that shared Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational play, working with many children. Afterwards, through freelance writing, planning, and editing work at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and conveying ideas. Leveraging the perspective cultivated in educational settings and my experience as an editor, I aim to deliver practical information—focusing on fields related to music and children—that values both input and output. Hobbies include instruments, singing, handcrafts, toys, drawing, traditional play, the outdoors, books, DIY, and crafts. Special skill: spinning-top tricks.
20 years of experience as a nursery teacher / kindergarten teacherhiyoko sensei
I’m Hiyoko-sensei, a former nursery school teacher from Hyogo Prefecture. Ever since I was five, my dream was to become a childcare worker, and before I knew it, 20 years had passed since I achieved that dream. Through singing and playing with the children, I kept working with the spirit of someone in their twenties, even as I increasingly felt my physical limits year by year (haha). From here on, I’d like to share helpful information carefully and thoughtfully, drawing on my on-site experience.

December is the perfect time to enjoy cozy, seasonally inspired crafts.

Here, we introduce wonderful ideas that nurture children’s imagination—from creations that evoke winter warmth, like oden, cream stew, and a snug duvet, to seasonal projects such as Christmas wreaths, snow globes, and snowmen.

Using familiar materials, why not enjoy winter-only crafting with children while exploring light, color, and shape? We also provide detailed explanations of key points and creative tips for each project, so please use them as a reference.

Because the items children make are treated as artworks, we use the term “制作 (seisaku)” in the text to mean “production/creation” in the artistic sense.

December craft ideas! A collection of childcare activities to enjoy with Christmas and winter themes (81–90)

Santa Claus and reindeer made with handprints

Introducing ornaments of Santa and reindeer made using children’s handprints! Pressing painted hands onto construction paper is a fun way to enjoy the feel of paint.

It’s also interesting how the look changes depending on how the paint is applied and how much pressure is used.

After making the handprints, add antlers to the reindeer.

You can also glue on noses made from construction paper or origami, and draw eyes and mouths to give each one personality.

Made with small hands, these become lovely ornaments that capture their growth!

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hanauta obasan

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A family of snowmen made with handprints

How about expressing a cute little snowman craft using handprints? First, make the children’s handprints with white paint.

The key is to have them spread their fingers wide.

Once the paint dries, attach hat pieces to the fingertips.

It might be fun to let the kids decide the colors and designs to some extent.

Then draw facial expressions on the finger parts.

Finally, use a cotton swab to stamp white snow onto the background paper, and it’s complete.

You’ll end up with a collection of pieces, each with a different expression that reflects the children’s unique handprints.

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tsukada moe

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A tree made with nuts and yarn

Let me introduce a tree craft that’s fun to make, using nuts and yarn.

First, prepare a paper plate, and use the spattering technique to flick paint and make it look like snow is falling.

Seeing the snow appear as if it’s really piling up is sure to lift your spirits.

Next, wrap yarn around the paper plate.

Keep a Christmas tree shape in mind and form a triangle.

Finally, decorate the yarn part freely with nuts and other items, and you’re done.

If you use nuts you collected yourself, you’ll feel even more attached to your creation.

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yamamoto

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Yarn-Wrapping Tree

Let us introduce a Christmas tree you can make by wrapping yarn—an easy craft using familiar materials! Be sure to try it with the kids.

First, cut a triangle out of thick paper (cardstock) and make small slits around the edges.

Next, wrap yarn around the triangle, tucking it into the slits as you go.

Decorate by gluing on beads, then combine it with a base made by wrapping origami paper around a cut piece of a toilet paper roll—and you’re done! It stands up on its own, so it makes a nice accent for any room.

It’s sure to boost the festive Christmas mood.

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miyabi

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A tree made by threading yarn through it

Why not try making a warm, cozy Christmas tree using yarn? It’s a great craft idea to make with kids.

Punch holes in a sheet of construction paper, and have the children thread yarn through the holes to create a tree shape.

They can run the yarn straight or diagonally—anything goes! Using multiple yarn colors instead of just one gives it a stylish look.

For the finishing touches, decorate with colorful pom-pom balls and add star stickers in the empty spaces for an extra charming effect.

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miyabi

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Christmas cake made from a milk carton

Here’s a Christmas cake craft made from a milk carton—perfect for December activities or pretend parties! First, open the milk carton, cut it into three equal sections, form each into a triangle, and secure the edge with double-sided tape.

Wrap a strip of vinyl tape around the middle, add fruit stickers, and the cake base is done.

For the strawberry on top, roll up a tissue into a ball and wrap it with origami paper.

One milk carton makes three cakes, and combining six of them turns it into a whole cake! For three-year-olds, you can have them try the steps of rolling the tissue and placing the stickers.

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miyabi

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December craft ideas! A collection of childcare activities to enjoy with Christmas and winter themes (91–100)

Christmas wreath made of clay

@haruharo_made
Christmas wreath / Crafting with clay! A new kind of wreath 🎄
♬ All I Want for Christmas Is You – Mariah Carey

Fun to make! Here are ideas for creating a Christmas wreath out of clay.

You’ll need a paper plate, clay, green tissue paper, yellow tissue paper, and yellow-green tissue paper.

First, cut out the center of the paper plate and place a long, thin coil of clay around the plate.

Press it down with something like a plastic sheet or desk pad so the clay sticks to the plate—highly recommended! Next, place small pieces of tissue paper on the clay and press them in with a chopstick.

Once you’ve pressed tissue paper all over the clay, decorate with a ribbon and you’re done! You might find yourself addicted to the fun, squishy texture.

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