Childcare: Fun February craft ideas to make with 1-year-olds
Many teachers are likely looking for ideas for February crafts to enjoy with one-year-olds.
Seasonal motifs like oni for Setsubun and Valentine’s themes really capture children’s interest at this time of year.
There are plenty of activities that let them fully use their fingers and enjoy the feel of paint and changes in color, such as hand painting, stamping, and marble rolling.
Another appeal is letting them fully enjoy the texture of materials by crumpling tissue paper into balls or tearing paper.
Please use these ideas as a reference and enjoy seasonal creations with the children! Because we emphasize ideas that foster children’s free creativity, we use the term “seisaku” (制作, creation) rather than “seisaku” (製作, craftwork) in the main text.
[Childcare] Crafts to make with 1-year-olds! February craft ideas (1–10)
Winter foods with sponge stamps
https://www.tiktok.com/@hoiku.labo/video/7462944006247304456The feeling of stamping is so fun! Here’s a winter food craft idea.
Cut construction paper into a pot shape and glue it onto white paper.
Then add brown tofu pouches, white eggs, and brown daikon radish.
Draw patterns on the daikon and tofu pouches with crayons.
Dab black paint onto a textured sponge and stamp it onto gray paper.
Cut it into triangles, and you’ve made konnyaku! Put the konnyaku in the pot and your oden is complete! Enjoy chatting while you craft, asking questions like, “What oden ingredients do you like?” and “What was in it again?”
Let’s make an ogre with a sponge stamp!
https://www.tiktok.com/@hoiku.labo/video/7189539056999566594This fun activity of dabbing with a sponge is a perfect February craft: making oni (Japanese ogre) characters full of seasonal flair.
It’s very easy to create cute oni, making this idea ideal for daycare centers and at home.
Cut out the oni’s face, hair, and horns from construction paper and glue them together.
Make a stamp using a sponge and a wooden skewer or chopstick, dip it in paint, and stamp the hair area.
It’s fun to see the sponge create patterns as you stamp.
Draw the face with black and red pens, and your adorable oni is complete.
Because it’s quick and simple, it’s perfect for one-year-olds.
Making an ogre through finger-play activities
https://www.tiktok.com/@hoikushisatomi/video/7328334419427642642Here’s a craft idea for making an ogre using construction paper and tissue paper.
In this activity, you’ll crumple tissue paper and stick it onto a paper base made from construction paper.
Use your hands and fingers well to crumple the paper.
Once the tissue paper is crumpled, attach it to the base with double-sided tape.
Next, stick the eyes, mouth, and horn parts onto the ogre’s face base, add the hair, and you’re done.
Please have an adult cut out the necessary parts in advance.
If you put double-sided tape on the back of the face and horn parts to make them like stickers, even one-year-olds can stick them on by themselves and enjoy it.
Oni Masks and Preparing for Setsubun
https://www.tiktok.com/@lienkashii/video/7324190952392822023An oni mask that’s fun to make and fun to enjoy after it’s finished is a perfect idea for a February craft.
Before you start, try reading a picture book about oni to spark creative inspiration—you might enjoy it even more.
Speaking of oni features, their hair is curly.
Let’s express that hair using stamps.
You can easily make a stamp by creating curly patterns with string or pipe cleaners on a milk carton.
Dip the stamp in paint, then dab it onto construction paper.
Cut it into a fluffy hairstyle, add horns, and you’re done.
Attach a paper band so it can be worn on the head.
Have fun with 1-year-olds! Setsubun ideas
https://www.tiktok.com/@levwell_hoikushi/video/7587613943309339924When February comes, we think of Setsubun, and when we think of Setsubun, we think of oni (ogres)! Some childcare centers and families might enjoy bean-throwing with a teacher dressed as an oni.
For crafts during this season, let’s make cute oni to boost the Setsubun mood! First, use white construction paper to create the oni’s hairstyle, then make the hair with crumpled washi paper.
Use a dropper to suck up paint and drip it onto the washi.
It’s fun to watch the oni’s hair gradually get dyed by the paint.
Changing colors to create a gradient can make it even more exciting.
Attach the horns and facial parts, and you’re done.
Dyeing the hair with paint and creating three-dimensional oni hair make this a delightful craft.
Fun to draw! Snow globe
https://www.tiktok.com/@tensaikids1031/video/7185464579613379841This is a recommended craft activity for infants.
They’re making snow globes.
On circles cut from construction paper, children draw spiral circles with crayons and add shiny round stickers to represent the snow globes.
Showing them a real snow globe before starting can help spark their imagination.
Provide crayons and stickers in various colors and let them freely create their own snow globe worlds.
Crafts that use stickers are also perfect for practicing fine motor skills!
Fun with black construction paper! Making snowmen
https://www.tiktok.com/@hekimen_25/video/7312804209915694354Here’s a craft idea: paint a snowman with white paint on black construction paper, then finish by adding a paper bucket and mittens, plus face stickers.
For the snowman, draw a circular outline and fill it in with paint.
Because it’s surprisingly hard not to paint outside the lines, if infants are doing this activity, it’s better to either prepare pre-painted pieces or have an adult cut a snowman shape from the child’s white-painted paper and glue it onto the background.
If you put double-sided tape on the back of the bucket and mittens, kids can use them like stickers, making them easier for little hands to handle.
Once the snowman is done, use cotton swab stamping to add a snowy landscape in the empty space to complete the project.