Get kids excited in winter childcare! A collection of fun game and craft ideas for children

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 as a kindergarten teacher for 10 years and as an after-school childcare instructor for 7 years, then took a position as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I engaged in activities that introduced Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational activities, working with many children. Later, through freelance writing, planning, and editing at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and sharing. Drawing on the perspective cultivated in the field of education and my experience as an editor, I provide practical information with an emphasis on both input and output, mainly in areas related to music and children. My hobbies include instruments, singing, handicrafts, toys, drawing, traditional games, the outdoors, and books. My special skill is 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.

As December begins and the Christmas spirit rises in nursery schools and kindergartens, both children and adults want to make the most of this special season.

Here are fun ideas everyone can make and play together with, while cherishing the unique excitement of Christmas.

From crafts and games inspired by Santa Claus and Christmas trees, these activities will spark children’s imaginations! All of the ideas are useful for events and performances, so find your favorite activities and create wonderful winter memories! Since the children’s creations are treated as works, the term “seisaku (制作)” is used in the text.

Excitement in Winter Childcare! A Collection of Game and Craft Ideas Kids Will Love (71–80)

A tree made using straws

https://www.tiktok.com/@niconico_mama/video/7314278419787681026

As Christmas approaches, the glow of Christmas trees seems to shine even brighter, doesn’t it? For this Christmas tree craft, we’ll use straws and paint to create the tree.

First, paste only the tree trunk/branches onto construction paper.

Then dip the drinking end of a straw into paint and dab it—pon-pon—onto the paper to form the tree.

Using a variety of paint colors will make the tree sparkle even more, so I highly recommend it.

Once the paint is dry, add decorations on top to complete it.

If you use black construction paper, the paint colors will pop and the crafting process will be easier.

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mayumi

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Peta-Peta Tree

@niconico_mama
[Peta-Peta Tree ❤] An easy tree you can make just by sticking on masking tape ❤#Christmas decorations #Christmas Craft Sticker play
♬ All I Want for Christmas Is You – Mariah Carey

The season the kids have been waiting for—Christmas—is just around the corner! Here, I’ll show you how to make a cute Christmas tree that’s super easy to create just by sticking things on.

All you need is cardboard, scissors, and masking tape.

To make it, first cut the cardboard into the shape of a Christmas tree with the scissors, then start sticking on the masking tape.

Make lots of pieces and stick them on to give it a real Christmas tree look.

After that, decorate it however you like and you’re done! Try making and decorating it together with the kids while having fun.

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kepiko

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Sparkly ornaments made with pipe cleaners and glue

How about making some sparkling ornaments to get into the Christmas spirit? You can create them using everyday materials like pipe cleaners and wood glue! First, shape a pipe cleaner into a triangle and apply wood glue around it.

Flip the pipe cleaner over and place it on parchment paper, then fill the inside with glue.

Next, dip a toothpick or similar tool into paint to draw patterns, and decorate with beads.

Once the glue is completely dry, slowly peel it off the parchment paper—and you’re done! You can also try shaping the pipe cleaner into a star or a boot, or switch up the paint colors for more fun.

Wouldn’t it be lovely to decorate your Christmas tree with handmade ornaments together with the kids?

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miyabi

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Wreath tree

A giant Christmas tree inspired by a Christmas wreath filled with various wishes.

By arranging festively decorated wreaths and displaying them as a tree, this wall decoration makes Christmas even more enjoyable.

Gathering wreaths made by the children to create a single piece will give them a sense of satisfaction and achievement.

It’s also recommended to let children express their creativity by changing the ribbon colors and wrapping styles.

It looks wonderfully festive when displayed on the walls of nurseries or kindergartens.

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mutō

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Triangular tree

This is an origami Christmas tree idea where you fold origami paper into triangles, layer them step by step, and glue them onto colored construction paper, then decorate with round stickers and torn pieces of origami.

It’s okay if the triangles are a little misaligned, and for children practicing with scissors, it’s also great to cut out triangles first and then glue them onto the paper.

As they decorate, each child’s unique personality will shine through in their Christmas tree.

Comparing decorations cut with scissors to those torn by hand is fun too—the shapes turn out completely different.

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utatane

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A Christmas tree made by sticking pieces together

Here’s an idea for making a large Christmas tree by piecing parts together.

As the name suggests, this involves combining individual works to create one big Christmas tree.

First, give each person one triangular piece of construction paper to represent a Christmas tree, and let them decorate it freely.

Once they’re done, stick the triangles onto the wall, arranging them to form a large triangle, and it’s complete.

Be sure to plan ahead and calculate how many pieces you’ll need.

Beads and stickers are also great for decorating.

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yamamoto

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Christmas art with handprints and footprints

Creating Christmas art with handprints and footprints is a fun, exciting idea to enjoy with children in the lead-up to Christmas.

Green handprints can become Christmas trees, red footprints can turn into Santa’s outfit, and brown footprints can transform into reindeer.

Decorating with round stickers and other embellishments is an easy, enjoyable step even for little ones.

Christmas art that children help make themselves is sure to become a wonderful memory.

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miyabi

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