Get kids excited in winter childcare! A collection of fun game and craft ideas for children
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.
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Get Kids Excited About Winter Care! A Collection of Fun Games & Craft Ideas (91–100)
art exhibition
Perfect for the autumn art season! We’re excited to introduce our art exhibition event.
Here, we display works where children express themselves through art they’ve actually experienced.
They learn how to create colors and present pieces using various techniques like painting and color bleeding, life-size self-portraits, knitted yarn creations, cotton dyeing, paper-clay toys, and many more fun works.
Since December is the last month of the year, we also recommend showcasing everything they’ve made so far—encouraging children to share their thoughts while viewing each other’s works, and inviting parents and guardians to come and see them too.
Giant Christmas Tree
When it comes to Christmas, a Christmas tree is essential, right? Here, we’ll show you how to make a giant Christmas tree that’s perfect for the holiday! You’ll need colored construction paper, a stapler, tape, and so on.
To make it, bring the corners of a sheet of construction paper together and staple them.
Make as many of these as you need for the size of tree you want.
It seems you can make a tree about 170 cm tall with 21 pieces.
Attach the pieces to the wall with tape, then make a trunk and a star from colored paper and decorate the tree—done! Enjoy creating trees in whatever size suits your needs and decorating them in various ways.
Get Everyone Excited for Winter Childcare! A Collection of Game and Craft Ideas Kids Will Love (101–110)
Santa with a handprint beard and a sticker-decorated tree
Let’s make a craft that turns children’s cute handprints into Santa’s beard.
First, prepare an oval sheet of construction paper for Santa’s face and an origami paper folded into a triangle.
The origami will be Santa’s body, so patterned paper is recommended.
Next, use white paint to make the children’s handprints on the construction paper.
Once the paint is dry, the teacher should cut out the handprints with scissors.
Then, glue the Santa parts together with the children.
You can also pre-cut construction paper into a tree shape and let the children enjoy decorating it with stickers—this will complete a Christmas-themed craft.
Balloon Christmas tree
Fir trees are used for Christmas trees because, when viewed from the side, they form a beautiful triangle.
Long ago, it was common to use oak trees.
So why not try making a “balloon Christmas tree” by combining small balloons? Inflate lots of small balloons—the kind used for playing with water—and connect them in a pyramid shape to create the basic form.
It’s best to use green and light-green balloons to evoke the tree’s leaves.
After that, decorate it with typical tree ornaments like Santa figures and stars.
Hasty Santa Claus Dance
Many preschools likely sing “Awatenbo no Santa Claus” with the children as December approaches.
With its cute lyrics and rhythm, it’s a song kids can enjoy singing.
Let’s all try dancing to it with simple choreography.
Even just clapping hands or making big arm swings can express a lively, playful Santa Claus.
If your preschool is having a Christmas party, it would be great for everyone to perform it together.
Let’s all liven up Christmas and have fun!
Christmas Present Toss
“Christmas Present Toss” is a game where you throw palm-sized presents into tubes.
Prepare plenty of presents to throw so the children can play a lot.
The tubes can simply be decorated milk cartons.
Lining up several tubes is recommended, as kids can think about which one to aim for while playing.
It’s also fun to change goals as you play, like “How many can I get in?” or “Can I land one in the far tube?” Since everyone can get excited together, why not include it as a fun activity at your Christmas party?
Christmas Present Balance Game
Why not try making a Christmas-themed balancing game by hand? You can make it with toilet paper tubes and paper plates.
Cut slits into both ends of a toilet paper tube and spread them open.
Stick double-sided tape on the spread parts and stand it in the center of a paper plate.
Place another paper plate on top of the tube, then stand another toilet paper tube on that… Keep alternating and stacking, securing each layer as you go.
Once it’s reached a certain height, it’s time to make the present boxes for the balancing game! The key is to play carefully so it won’t topple over when you place them on the paper plate.