[Childcare] Play and craft ideas to include in February events
Speaking of February events, Setsubun and Valentine’s Day come to mind.
Some of you are probably brainstorming event ideas like bean-throwing or cute crafts.
On the other hand, there may be people who struggle to come up with fresh ideas for annual traditions.
For those people, this time we’ll share play activities and craft ideas that are perfect for Setsubun and Valentine’s Day.
Incorporating new ideas is sure to make your events much more exciting.
Be sure to check out these ideas before you start preparing for your events.
- [Childcare] Fun February craft ideas you’ll want to make with 2-year-olds!
- [For 4-year-olds] Enjoy February! A Collection of Craft Ideas
- For 2-year-olds! Fun craft activities and indoor play ideas
- [Quiz] A Collection of Quizzes You Can Use in February Childcare
- [Childcare] Cute to display! A collection of wall decoration ideas you’ll want to make in February
- [Childcare] Fun February Indoor Play Ideas That Work for Both Small and Large Groups
- [For 5-year-olds] Let’s Make It! A Collection of Recommended Craft Ideas for February
- [Childcare] Fun to Make! February Craft Ideas Collection
- Parent–child interactive play. Fun activities popular in childcare settings and at parent–child observation days.
- [For preschoolers] A collection of origami ideas to enjoy February, including Setsubun and Valentine’s Day
- Indoor games that different ages can enjoy! Ideas for fun everyone can get excited about together
- Play activities recommended for childcare in February: ideas to enjoy seasonal events
- Fun Setsubun Activities for Childcare: A Collection of Exciting Games and Craft Ideas
[Childcare] Play and craft ideas to include in February events (31–40)
[Paper Plate] Oni Mask
![[Paper Plate] Oni Mask](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/oU0VgO5YgoY/sddefault.jpg)
Make and wear it! Many teachers and parents are probably thinking about doing crafts for Setsubun gatherings and events.
In such cases, we recommend making wearable oni (demon) masks.
The crafting process nurtures creativity and fine motor skills, and wearing the finished mask gives children a sense of achievement and satisfaction.
By paying attention to safety tips and the order of steps and keeping the atmosphere fun, even children who are afraid of oni can participate more comfortably.
Be sure to give it a try!
Making an oni (ogre) using a toilet paper roll core
Let’s try making Setsubun decorations using recycled materials! Many teachers may be thinking about creating oni (ogre) crafts for Setsubun.
This time, let’s make wonderful pieces using toilet paper rolls that we usually throw away.
You’ll need toilet paper rolls, origami in various colors, scissors, glue or double-sided tape, a pencil, a black permanent marker, and a white correction pen or white permanent marker.
The steps are simple and easy to follow, so even children in infant classes can give it a try while arranging the craft together with their teacher.
Ehomaki made with origami!
When it comes to Setsubun, some people might picture ehomaki sushi rolls.
This time, I’ll introduce a simple ehomaki craft idea using origami.
What you’ll need: black origami paper, various colors of origami cut into small pieces, and glue or double-sided tape.
It’s unique how the small, colorful pieces represent the fillings of the ehomaki.
The finished piece is flat, so it’s perfect for wall displays! Be sure to give it a try.
Tissue paper heart
This is a Valentine’s craft with a heart motif.
Try expressing a heart in various ways in the center of a sheet of construction paper.
For infants, a recommended method is to draw a heart outline and fill the inside with crumpled tissue paper to create a three-dimensional heart.
For children who can use scissors well, try cutting a heart-shaped window in the center of the paper and expressing the heart with a lattice pattern made from strips of construction paper.
As a decoration, making heart-shaped paper cutouts with origami is also recommended.
Create a lovely heart using methods suited to each age group!
Hand-painted oni creation
Let’s try painting an oni (demon) face by hand.
Prepare a black construction paper base and paints in any colors you like.
First, put some watered-down paint on your hand and use it to draw the outline of the oni’s face on the base.
The outline can be round or triangular—anything is fine.
Have the children imagine the kind of oni they think of and draw it.
Once the paint dries, glue on the parts you made from construction paper—face, cheeks, horns, and hair—to finish.
Any paint color is okay, but since the base is black, bright colors work well.
[Childcare] Play and craft ideas to include in February events (41–50)
Making oni masks
Let’s make oni masks to wear for Setsubun! As a first step, cut the base shapes for the oni’s face and hair from construction paper.
Next, cut out the parts for the eyes, nose, fangs, cheeks, and horns, and pre-cut short pieces of yarn for the hair.
Adults can handle the prep, but it might be nice to let the children do it since it’s good practice with scissors.
Once everything is ready, glue each part onto the face base.
After the oni’s face is complete, attach it to the mask base to finish! The mask base should be prepared by an adult in advance.
Fun snow play in your room!
How about enjoying some snow play indoors? You can make “snow” by cutting thin paper like tissue or flower paper into small pieces.
The floor will turn completely white, and every movement will send fluffy flakes dancing—kids are sure to be thrilled! You can even make snowmen: stick double-sided tape on crumpled newspaper and roll it over the paper snow to collect it.
Add round stickers for eyes, and attach a construction-paper carrot nose and a bucket, and you’ll have a row of cute, wintry snowmen decorating the room.
Pack in lots of ideas that kids will love and have a blast with plenty of snow play!