[For Seniors] Celebrate Children's Day: Make Your Own Koinobori (Carp Streamers)
When talking about Tango no Sekku on Children’s Day, koinobori (carp streamers) come to mind.
Many families raise koinobori to wish for their children’s growth.
Along rivers and in parks, there are also events where you can enjoy countless koinobori swimming leisurely in the wide sky—beloved as a seasonal tradition of early summer in Japan.
Let’s try making koinobori by hand, something very familiar even to seniors.
We’ve gathered a variety of ideas, from easy ones made with origami or paper plates to more elaborate versions made with felt.
Koinobori that double as decorations also make perfect gifts for your grandchildren.
By all means, handcraft some koinobori and celebrate Children’s Day!
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[For Seniors] Brighten up Children’s Day: Making Koinobori (21–30)
Koinobori Shooter
Introducing a carp streamer shooter made with a paper cup.
Cut out the bottom of the paper cup.
Cut a balloon slightly and stretch it over the bottom of the cup, then reinforce it with tape.
Tie the tip of the balloon on the opposite side of where you taped.
You can decorate the sides of the cup by attaching origami paper or stickers to the balloon tip area, or by drawing scale patterns.
Add eyes to finish.
Drop a ping-pong ball in from the drinking rim of the cup and pull the balloon.
The ping-pong ball will shoot out, so you can play games with it.
How about a game where you launch ping-pong balls from the carp streamer shooter into a basket or box? It’s a craft that older adults can enjoy even after making it.
crocheted Koinobori (carp streamer)
Children’s Day on May 5, a major event in May that celebrates children’s growth, wouldn’t be complete without carp streamers.
This craft project suggests making a garland inspired by those carp streamers using crochet to give it a soft look.
The process is simple: crochet a tube with yarn, change colors partway to create a gradient, and finish it with the look of a carp streamer.
The fine, repetitive step of connecting each loop one by one also makes it a perfect finger exercise.
Koinobori garland
When it comes to Children’s Day decorations, koinobori carp streamers are a classic—their colorful look really highlights the fun.
This piece is about making a koinobori-inspired garland using felt.
First, cut the base felt into the shape of a carp streamer, then combine it with colored felt and decorative parts.
After that, just connect the koinobori pieces and you’re done, but it’s also recommended to pair them with decorations like pinwheels to express the feel of wind.
Focusing on aligning and sticking the felt pieces neatly together is a good way to boost fingertip concentration.
Hanging decorations for Children’s Day
This is a hanging decoration for Children’s Day made with items from a 100-yen shop.
We’ll make four kinds of ornaments, and I’ll explain them in order.
First is the carp streamer.
Cut a felt rectangle, snip the tail into a V shape, then attach felt scales and an eye—done.
Next is the kashiwa-mochi.
Just stick a white pom-pom and a leaf-shaped piece of felt together with double-sided tape.
For the iris flower, thread four small pom-poms onto a string and add another pom-pom in the center to finish.
For the May doll, thread two pom-poms and an origami samurai helmet onto a string, attach an origami armor piece, and add decorative stickers for the face to complete it.
The prep and steps are easy, and they look adorable, so they’re fun to make.
Swimming carp streamer
How about making an authentic koinobori for Children’s Day in May? It would surely be a delightful gift for your grandchild as well.
The way koinobori swim in the breeze is refreshing and striking, isn’t it? Displaying a koinobori at home is sure to strengthen family bonds even more.
What we’re introducing this time is a way to make a genuine-looking koinobori from just a single sheet of construction paper.
The scales look so realistic that you might mistake it for the real thing.
The appeal is that you can easily create the scale effect simply by folding the paper and making a few slits.
Koinobori (carp streamer) made from a paper bag
Let’s decorate a paper bag and make a koi-nobori (carp streamer) bag.
Any kind of paper bag will work—store-bought or ones you have on hand.
Use shiny or patterned origami paper to create scales for the koi’s body.
You can also use shapes stamped with patterns for the tail fin or the scales.
Stick on eyes made from construction paper, and it’s complete.
Try making lots and decorating a wall with them.
It’s also a great idea to put a gift inside the koi-nobori bag and give it to your grandchild.
Simple koi-shaped streamer
Koinobori (carp streamers) are an iconic item for Children’s Day.
In the past, it was common to display large koinobori in the yard, but recently compact versions have become popular.
They embody parents’ hopes that their children will overcome difficulties and grow into strong adults.
This time, we’re introducing an easy koinobori craft that’s recommended as a gift from seniors to their grandchildren.
Prepare origami paper, a craft knife, and glue; since you only need to cut and paste the paper, the process is simple.
It’s also a nice idea to design the koinobori to reflect your family members.