![[Childcare] Fun to Make! February Craft Ideas Collection](https://i.ytimg.com/vi_webp/BRbPJU7eMIA/maxresdefault.webp)
[Childcare] Fun to Make! February Craft Ideas Collection
February is full of unique delights—like Setsubun, Valentine’s Day, and activities that make the most of the cold, such as ice-making—that children look forward to.
However, when it snows or the temperature drops too low, there will be more days when you can’t go outside.
So this time, we’re sharing craft ideas perfect for February.
We’ve gathered lots of fun projects that will excite children and blow away the winter chill.
Be sure to try making them together with your kids.
Note: Since items made by children are treated as artworks, we refer to them as “creations” in the text.
[Childcare] Fun to Make! February Craft Ideas (1–10)
An ogre mask made with torn-paper collage
Let’s make an oni (demon) mask with torn-paper collage that even one-year-olds can join.
If a class of one- and two-year-olds is doing it, adults should prepare the oni face out of construction paper in advance.
Tearing paper into pieces and sticking them onto the hair part of the oni is a fun and recommended task.
Tearing helps develop fine motor skills in the fingers, and sticking lets children enjoy the unique feel of glue.
From age three, it’s also fun to have them draw the face with crayons.
For four- and five-year-olds, creating the entire face with torn-paper collage can be interesting.
Because it’s a task that requires perseverance, it helps build concentration and lets children experience the joy of creating something they’ve imagined in their minds.
Oni’s Den-den Daiko (Demon’s Pellet Drum)
Let’s make a den-den daiko (a hand drum you spin to make sound) out of construction paper! Cut the paper into shapes for an ogre’s face, hair, and horns, then glue them together.
Draw the facial features, and punch one hole on each side of the finished face.
On the back, firmly attach a chopstick with vinyl tape.
Thread a string—tipped with a small ball made by crumpling aluminum foil—through each hole and tie it off, and you’re done! The sound won’t be as clear as a real drum, but the way the silver balls twirl beside the spinning ogre face is super cute!
Oni roly-poly doll
Here’s an idea for a roly-poly oni (ogre) made with balloons from the 100-yen shop! You’ll also use shoji paper and flower paper.
First, inflate a balloon, add a small weight, tie the neck, and make it the base.
Tear the shoji paper, then use glue thinned with water to layer it onto the balloon and shape it.
Once dry, stick on flower paper to add color, and attach eyes, mouth, and horns made from construction paper to complete the oni.
Kids will love how it pops back up when knocked over.
It’s also fun to adapt it for the season into a daruma or animals.
Japanese pilchard on holly leaves
https://www.tiktok.com/@sayacky_be.child/video/7460843711849598226Perfect for Setsubun! Here’s how to make a “Hiiragi-Iwashi” decoration.
What you’ll need: a straw, green wrapping sheet or construction paper, scissors, tape, newspaper, aluminum tape or silver origami paper, and round stickers.
Some children find Setsubun events scary.
In that case, how about making a Hiiragi-Iwashi—something ogres dislike—together with your child? It’s said that the spiky holly leaves and the distinctive smell of sardines repel ogres and keep them away.
Give it a try!
Heart stick
https://www.tiktok.com/@kiitos_staff/video/7462006381416156432The glamorous look is so cute! Let me introduce heart sticks.
You’ll need yarn, scissors, a hole punch, straws, drawing paper, paint, colored construction paper, a sponge, ribbon, a palette, and craft glue.
When you think of Valentine’s Day, many people picture heart motifs, right? In this idea, the heart motif takes center stage, so you can enjoy an adorable vibe! How about making heart sticks as a Valentine’s Day craft?
Valentine’s creations that look just like real cream
https://www.tiktok.com/@lienkashii/video/7333120600497491208Playing pretend shopping gets exciting! Let me introduce a Valentine’s craft that looks like real whipped cream.
You’ll need paper fruit cutouts, shaving foam, craft glue, a spatula, and a paper cake.
The “cream” in this idea is made by mixing shaving foam with craft glue at a 3:1 ratio (foam to glue) to mimic whipped cream.
It’s thrilling to pick your favorite fruits and add them as toppings, isn’t it? Go ahead and make your very own cake!
Origami chocolate
Let’s make everyone’s favorite Apollo chocolates out of origami.
Prepare two sheets of origami paper, one brown and one pink.
Cut each into quarters and use those to make the chocolates.
There are many steps that can be difficult for small children, so it’s best for an adult to help.
Each piece is tiny, so it’s fun to make lots of them.
If you wrap the finished Apollo chocolates cutely and give them to friends or family, you can enjoy even more of the Valentine’s Day vibe.
It’s a cute craft that’s perfect for Valentine’s, so give it a try!
Ehomaki made of paper
When it comes to the sushi rolls eaten on Setsubun, it’s all about ehomaki.
Let’s make ehomaki together and enjoy the festive atmosphere of Setsubun.
For the fillings, use four colors of origami cut in half, and for the rice, use two sheets of kitchen paper.
Roll each of the four colored origami pieces into long, thin sticks, wrap them with two sheets of kitchen paper, and finally wrap the whole thing in black cardstock like seaweed—your ehomaki is complete! The motion of rolling the “seaweed” gives the feeling of actually making sushi, so if an adult demonstrates first, even younger classes can enjoy the activity with a clear image in mind.
In classes for 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds, it’s fun to let children choose their own filling colors to create original ehomaki, and to pretend to eat while facing the year’s lucky direction (ehō).
bean container
Let’s make a cute ogre-themed bean container to enjoy Setsubun bean-throwing even more.
As prep, punch two holes near the rim of a paper cup, thread a chenille stem (pipe cleaner) through, and make a handle.
Then have the children glue on crumpled paper to create hair and add facial parts to finish.
For very young children, it’s best to pre-cut the facial parts so they can choose eyes, a nose, and a mouth and stick them on.
For kids who are used to using scissors, let them cut their own parts and try making ogres with different expressions—angry, smiling, and more.
You’ll get uniquely expressive and fun creations.
Oni Horns
When you think of an ogre’s trademark, it’s the yellow horns, right? Here’s an easy way to make horns you can put on.
First, cut a milk carton into an oval shape, punch holes on both sides, and thread an elastic cord through them.
Adjust the length of the elastic to fit the actual size of the face so it won’t slip off.
Glue yarn hair and cone-shaped horns made from thick paper onto the milk carton, and you’re done.
Since there are many steps that can be tricky for younger children, it’s best for an adult to help and make them together.
Let kids choose their favorite yarn and horn colors and mix them up—the color variations make for fun, colorful ogre horns, which we highly recommend.