Lovely childcare

Recommended in February! A collection of easy origami ideas perfect for childcare to enjoy the season.

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 for 10 years as a kindergarten teacher and for 7 years as an after-school childcare instructor, then took a post as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I also engaged in activities that shared Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational play, working with many children. Afterwards, through freelance writing, planning, and editing work at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and conveying ideas. Leveraging the perspective cultivated in educational settings and my experience as an editor, I aim to deliver practical information—focusing on fields related to music and children—that values both input and output. Hobbies include instruments, singing, handcrafts, toys, drawing, traditional play, the outdoors, books, DIY, and crafts. Special skill: 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.

February is still quite cold, but it’s also a season full of fun events like Setsubun and Valentine’s Day.

Many teachers at nurseries and kindergartens may be looking to incorporate activities that reflect the season.

With that in mind, we’ve gathered origami ideas perfect for February.

From ogres (oni) and heart motifs to winter foods and penguins, there’s a rich variety to choose from.

We’ve picked options ranging from very simple steps to slightly more complex ones, so enjoy easy, seasonal origami with the children!

Recommended in February! A collection of simple origami ideas perfect for enjoying the season in childcare (1–10)

penguin

@hii_hoiku_seisaku
Origami Educational #Childcare Crafting #Production Video Winter Craft #Indoor Play
♬ Cute heartwarming BGM(1490583) – sanusagi

Let’s create an icy world! Here are some ideas for making penguins with origami.

Prepare black and blue origami paper, black round stickers, and a yellow colored pencil or pen.

Penguins are known for their cute waddling on ice.

How about decorating your room with origami snowflakes and ice along with your penguins? If you make the origami smaller, you can create baby penguins, too! Making a friendly parent-and-child penguin pair is a great idea as well.

Enjoy getting creative with your own variations as you make them!

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Oni Wreath

@origami_jp
[Setsubun Decoration] How to Make an Origami Oni WreathOrigami Origami folding instructions #origami Handmade #pappercraft
♬ Cute heartwarming BGM(1490583) – sanusagi

Recommended for room decor! Here are some cute oni (demon) wreath ideas.

Prepare five sheets of origami in your favorite colors, three sheets for hair, a sheet for the background, a sheet for the horns, and glue or tape.

The folding is simple, but by combining the parts, you can create an adorable wreath—highly recommended! It looks lovely as is, but it’s also great for Setsubun-themed crafts or pairing with children’s photos in the wreath.

Give it a try with your kids!

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Chinese cabbage

[Origami] Chinese Cabbage – Easy 3D Folding Method | Winter Origami for Ages 3+ | Vegetable | Kid-Friendly Instructions | Origami for December, January, and February [Origami]

Chinese cabbage

Let’s make it with a single sheet of origami! Here’s a napa cabbage (Chinese cabbage) idea.

All you need is one sheet of green origami paper.

How about crafting napa cabbage in origami, a vegetable loved for its fresh, crisp texture and versatile cooking uses? When you think of napa cabbage, those multiple overlapping leaf layers stand out, right? The charm of this idea is how folding expresses those layers of the cabbage! It’s also a great idea to use during food education activities.

Be sure to try making it together with the kids!

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Recommended in February! A collection of simple origami ideas perfect for enjoying the season in childcare (11–20)

Ogre Pants

[Setsubun Origami] Easy! Make it in 2 minutes! How to fold Oni Pants Origami

Ogre Pants

Let’s make it with origami! We’re introducing ogre pants.

What you’ll need are yellow origami paper and a black pen or colored pencil.

How about asking the children, “What animal’s fur are ogre pants made from?” Many kids may know from nursery rhymes or from seeing illustrations.

If you start with a question like that and then begin the craft, they’ll enjoy trying all kinds of variations! The steps are simple, so it’s highly recommended.

Give it a try!

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snowman

[1 sheet of origami] Easy! Cute 'Snowman' folding method. How to make a snowman with origami. It's easy to make!

snowman

Creating origami snowmen as a winter-themed craft is a wonderful choice that brings seasonal joy into the classroom.

When teachers and children make them together, it offers a moment of absorption that makes them forget the cold.

Starting from plain white paper, each child’s creativity gives birth to snowmen of all kinds.

As they work with their hands, they also nurture their imagination and experience the fun of making things.

The finished origami will warm the atmosphere of the classroom, and teachers and parents alike can enjoy the results the children have created.

Through these snowmen, a scene from winter will become a cherished classroom memory.

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Heart bag

https://www.tiktok.com/@miraidesuuu/video/7458608567982083345

Arranging is so much fun! Let me introduce a heart-shaped bag you can make with origami.

What you’ll need: two sheets of origami paper in your favorite colors or patterns, additional origami paper for the handles and decorations, plus glue or tape.

This idea is great because you can make a heart with simple steps and then attach two hearts together with tape or glue to create a bag! Feel free to customize the handles and decorations however you like.

It’s a heart bag that’s perfect both for yourself and as a gift! How about making it for Valentine’s Day?

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Japanese pilchard on holly leaves

[Origami] Easy Sardine with Holly (Hiiragi Iwashi)

Japanese pilchard on holly leaves

As a February origami project, the holly-and-sardine (hiiragi iwashi) is highly recommended.

Children will be engrossed in expressing holly leaves and sardines with colorful origami paper.

By combining the pieces, you can create wall decorations for Setsubun.

The folding steps are simple, but each child’s creativity shines in the decorating.

As teachers and children work together, they can learn about the meanings and customs of Setsubun through making the crafts.

Also, simply changing the colors of the “sardines” and the shapes of the “holly” results in unique decorations full of seasonal flair.

The children’s creations will transform the classroom into a space brimming with the spirit of the season, adding color that makes celebrating Setsubun more fun and meaningful.

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