Lovely childcare

[Childcare] Fun February craft ideas you’ll want to make with 2-year-olds!

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.

Here are some perfect craft ideas for two-year-olds in February.

This is the season to enjoy motifs full of seasonal charm, like Setsubun ogres, Valentine’s chocolates, and snowmen.

Tearing origami, crumpling tissue paper, and making finger stamps—these activities let children move their hands while experiencing the textures of different materials.

Finished pieces can be displayed on the wall or used for pretend play, offering many ways to enjoy them.

Be sure to have fun making February-themed creations together with the children! Since we emphasize ideas that foster children’s free creativity, we use the term “制作 (seisaku: creation/making)” rather than “製作 (seisaku: craft/production)” in the main text.

[Childcare] Crafts to make with 2-year-olds! A fun collection of February craft ideas (41–50)

Snowman made from a toilet paper roll

[Preschool Craft] Winter Craft ♪ Cute Rolling Snowman | Snowman with Toilet Paper

Snowman made from a toilet paper roll

Turn a toilet paper roll into a perfectly round, adorable snowman! Cut a toilet paper roll in half and wrap each half with white origami paper.

Stack and glue the two pieces together to form the snowman’s base, then finish by drawing the facial features and adding round stickers to the cheeks and body.

For safety, have teachers handle cutting the roll and gluing the paper, while children can stack the two parts and complete the snowman with the round stickers.

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Snowman made with a plastic bag

[Craft Play] Easy-to-make snowman using a plastic bag

Snowman made with a plastic bag

Fluffy and cute! Here’s an idea for making a snowman using a plastic bag.

You’ll need a plastic bag, cotton stuffing, yarn in your favorite color, a paper cup, cotton swabs, snowman face parts made from construction paper, decorative pom-poms, and craft glue.

First, put the cotton stuffing into the plastic bag.

Next, tie the yarn around it like a scarf.

Finally, decorate it with the face parts and pom-poms, and you’re done! It’ll look adorable displayed by the entryway or on top of a locker.

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Warm, hearty stew made with construction paper

[Craft] Winter craft! Making stew as a craft? It might be more fun than expected☆

Warm, hearty stew made with construction paper

Let’s make it by sticking origami pieces! Here’s an idea for a warm, hearty stew made with construction paper.

What you’ll need: a sheet of construction paper for the base, construction paper cut into a pot shape, construction paper cut into circles, construction paper cut into a spoon shape, orange origami paper, green origami paper, white paint, scissors, and glue or tape.

First, paint the stew roux with white paint.

Next, cut the origami paper with scissors to represent the ingredients.

Finally, stick the cut origami pieces on, and you’re done!

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Crumpled paper-bag ogre mask

Crumpled and Cute Oni Mask [February / Setsubun Craft]

Crumpled paper-bag ogre mask

Wearable craft! We’re introducing a crinkly ogre (oni) mask made from a paper bag.

What you’ll need: a brown envelope, newspaper, hair parts for the oni made from construction paper, face parts for the oni made from construction paper, round stickers in your favorite colors, glue or tape, construction paper, and rubber bands.

How about making an oni mask you can wear for Setsubun events? The key is to enjoy the process while nurturing each child’s individuality.

Be sure to watch how their expressions change as they create!

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Origami snow rabbit

“Childcare Ideas: Winter Origami” Fold in 4 + 5 Steps! Snow Rabbit Origami (Kids Can Make It Themselves!) · Origami Snow Rabbit Easy

Origami snow rabbit

If you’re looking for an easy winter craft, here’s an origami snow rabbit you can start right away! It’s designed for two-year-olds, so there are very few folds, making it easy to create with a teacher’s help.

To make it, fold a sheet of origami paper into a triangle, then fold three corners—the left, right, and top—triangularly inward.

The key is to make the left triangle fold a bit larger! Flip it over, then finish by adding the rabbit’s ears, eyes, nose, and mouth.

You can also make the ears by folding a smaller piece of origami paper.

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