[Childcare] Play and craft ideas to include in February events

Heart mobile

[Craft Play] Let's make a heart mobile you can use for Valentine's Day decorations

Perfect for Valentine’s decorations! Let’s make a heart mobile using construction paper and twine.

We’ll create two types of parts, so please prepare four heart-shaped pieces of construction paper and two red and two brown strips of construction paper.

First, take the heart pieces: fold all four in half, stack them, and glue them together.

Place the twine in the center, then glue the final edges together so it forms a sphere.

For the paper strips, overlap and glue the ends of the red and brown strips at a right angle.

Then bend the remaining ends to the back and attach them in the same way.

This creates a lattice pattern at the base of the heart.

Make two of these parts, and attach them back-to-back on the same twine as the first heart.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

sasashina

Report a problem

Two-Color Heart You Can Make with Kids

[Origami] A Valentine’s “two-colored heart” to make together with a 3-year-old

Here’s a cute two-tone heart idea using double-sided origami paper! First, fold the paper in half so it becomes a rectangle.

Then overlap the left and right sides to fold it into a square, and repeat the same fold once more to crease it well.

Return the paper to the rectangular shape and place it with the creases at the bottom.

Fold the bottom-left corner up to align with the outer crease.

Open that fold into a triangle and flatten it.

If the left side of the paper looks like a house shape, you’re on the right track.

Next, lift one layer of the top-right corner and fold it down into a triangle along the bottom edge.

Once folded, fold the right edge in to meet the center line.

Lift one layer of the lower-left corner of the part you just folded and fold it into a triangle, then flip the paper over.

Fold the right edge inward to form a square again, and fold down the top edge about 5 mm all together.

Open the topmost layer of the folded-down section and squash the corner into a triangle.

Finally, fold both bottom corners in to meet the center line, and it will form a heart!

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

sasashina

Report a problem

Oni of Setsubun

[Origami] Setsubun Oni-chan Squad [Easy Folding Method]

Here’s an idea for making an ogre using a single sheet of origami paper.

Start by folding the paper into a triangle, then fold both corners inward so they align neatly—up to this point, it’s the same steps as making a paper cup.

Once you’ve done that, flip the origami upside down, and fold the two corners you just made upward.

These will be the ogre’s horns.

They’ll be too thick as is, so reverse-fold the inner sides outward to make the horns thinner.

Next, fold up the bottom point into a triangle, then fold both corners of that triangle inward to finish.

Add a face with a pen, and use patterned washi tape to create the pants, and you’ll have a wonderful ogre.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

sasashina

Report a problem

Picture-book-style heart message card

Simple! Flip-open heart picture-book-style message card: 'Cute Letter Origami'—great for Valentine's Day (kids can make it themselves!) • Origami easy heart memo valentine

This is a heart-shaped message card made with origami.

It has multiple surfaces to write messages on, so you can flip through them and enjoy it like a picture book.

The method is very simple: fold the origami paper into a triangle three times, then cut it into a heart shape with scissors.

Open the paper and, following the crease lines, alternate mountain folds and valley folds to collapse it.

When folding, place the colored side of the origami facing up before folding into a triangle.

Also, when cutting the triangle into a heart shape, you’ll trim off two corners, but be careful not to cut the corner that is the center of the origami.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

sasashina

Report a problem

ogre’s iron club

[Setsubun Origami] Easy Oni's Club with One Sheet ✨ How to make a paper spiked club #dokkaebi #oni #club #bangmangi #Setsubun #howtofold #origami #paper #easy #diy

For this idea, use origami paper measuring 7.5 cm × 15 cm.

First, position the paper so the 15 cm sides are at the top and bottom.

Next, fold it in half by bringing the top and bottom edges together, crease well, and open it.

Then fold the top and bottom edges in to meet the center crease.

After that, fold the right edge over the left edge to fold the paper in half, and create a step by folding back a strip about 1 cm wide from the crease.

This step separates the club (kanabō) section from the handle section.

For the handle, fold the top and bottom of the right-side portion of the paper in toward the center crease, and squash the pulled corner into a triangle.

Finally, fold the four corners of the remaining club section into triangles to round them off, and you’re done.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

sasashina

Report a problem

Oni made with finger paint

Let’s enjoy the process of paints blending together and the cool, tactile feeling as we create! This is an idea I’d love children who think ogres are scary to try.

You will need drawing paper, paints in various colors, plastic wrap, crayons, scissors, and glue.

Using two to three colors of paint makes the color blending more fun.

Letting children choose their favorite paints might spark excitement and help them express their creativity.

If you use pastel-colored paints, it will result in a gentle, soft look—be sure to give it a try.

Handmade toys for Setsubun

@chooobo2

Target practice game 👹 This material is distributed through an Instagram subscription!Made in FebruarySetsubun craft#Nursery school#Nursery School Craft#HandmadeToysToilet paper roll coreSetsubun

Oria – niKu

Let’s make and play! Here’s a fun idea you can use for Setsubun events, too.

It would be a waste to only make crafts for Setsubun—why not incorporate them into a game? In the video, we introduce a game where you launch a paper Ehomaki to hit oni targets made from toilet paper rolls and construction paper.

You can adjust the target designs and the way you play to suit different age groups.

This is a great idea for teachers planning Setsubun events!