[February Wall Decorations] Perfect for Setsubun! A Collection of Ideas You Can Use in Childcare

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.

Are you wondering what design to choose for a Setsubun-themed wall display to brighten up the nursery in February? There are so many quintessential motifs—ogres (oni), tiger-striped pants, bean-throwing, and more.

In this article, we’ve gathered ideas perfect for a February wall, such as three-dimensional oni made with balloons and fun oni pants created with blow painting and stamping.

Techniques vary—from finger painting and wax-resist to tearing and pasting origami paper.

Imagine a wall filled with works that showcase each child’s individuality, and use these ideas as inspiration! Note: Since children’s creations are treated as artworks here, we use the term “seisaku” (制作, creation/production) in the text.

[February Bulletin Board Crafts] Perfect for Setsubun! Ideas You Can Use in Childcare (11–20)

Torn-Origami Ogre

Cotton swab stamping is so much fun! Here’s a wall decoration of an oni (demon) made by tearing origami paper.

What you’ll need: origami paper, construction paper, glue, cotton swabs, and paint.

First, tear the origami paper to the size of the oni’s face.

Once torn, glue it onto the backing paper.

After it dries, use crayons to draw the hair at the top of the head.

Attach the horns and facial features, then dip the cotton swab in paint and stamp dots like beans, and you’re done! Depending on the children’s ages, having them make the parts themselves can lead to unique pieces, so it’s highly recommended.

Raise the rankinglower

kepiko

Report a problem

A Setsubun bean-tossing wall display made with finger paint

Finger stamping is fun! Here’s what you need: construction paper, glue, crayons, paint, a face photo, flower-shaped pieces, and ogre (oni) parts.

First, use crayons to draw lines freely on colored paper, imagining the oni’s pants.

On the background sheet, dip your finger in paint and stamp dots to represent beans.

Glue the flower-shaped pieces wherever you like.

Attach the photo to the oni parts, then glue them onto the background to finish! Kids often color and paste in unexpected ways, so it’s fun not knowing how it will turn out until the end.

Raise the rankinglower

kepiko

Report a problem

Colorful Oni Made with Yarn

Have fun sticking on yarn! Here’s how to make a colorful oni (ogre).

What you’ll need: parts for the oni’s face and hair, yarn in various colors cut into pieces about 5 cm long, stickers, crayons, and glue.

First, apply glue to the hair piece.

Then stick on yarn in the colors you like.

Attach the hair piece to the face piece, and finally use crayons and stickers to make the oni’s face—that’s it! Prepare the parts in advance according to the children’s age.

Raise the rankinglower

kepiko

Report a problem

A wall on Onigashima covered with demon masks

Enjoy it even after Setsubun! Here’s how to make an oni (ogre) mask.

Prepare colored construction paper cut into the oni’s face and horn parts, a construction paper headband, crayons, glue, and so on.

First, draw the face on the oni’s face piece with crayons.

Feel free to draw any patterns you like on the horns, too.

Glue the horns to the face, then attach the face to the paper headband to finish.

When attaching the mask to the headband, be careful that staples or tape don’t get caught in children’s hair.

After the Setsubun event, you can display the masks against a background like Onigashima (Ogre Island) to create a February wall decoration.

Raise the rankinglower

kepiko

Report a problem

Oni Garland

Here’s a fun resist-art project to make an oni (ogre) garland.

It’s perfect for wall decorations, too.

You’ll need: construction paper oni face, hair, horn, and pants pieces; paint; crayons; glue; clear tape; and string.

First, use crayons to draw the face details and patterns on the pants.

Then paint the face, hair, and pants pieces.

Once the paint is dry, glue the face parts in place.

Finally, attach the face and pants pieces to the string with clear tape, and you’re done!

Raise the rankinglower

kepiko

Report a problem

Ogre Pants

Easy to make and adorable! Here’s a wall decoration featuring an ogre’s pants.

What you’ll need: yellow construction paper, black origami paper, and glue.

First, cut the yellow construction paper into the shape of the ogre’s pants.

Next, cut the black origami paper into long thin strips to resemble the pants’ pattern, and glue them on—that’s it! Depending on the children’s ages, you may want to cut the parts in advance.

It can also be fun to tear the black origami paper into long strips by hand and glue them on.

If you stick the finished pants on the wall like laundry on a line, you’ll have the perfect wall display for Setsubun.

Raise the rankinglower

kepiko

Report a problem

February Wall Decorations: Perfect for Setsubun! A Collection of Daycare-Friendly Ideas (21–30)

Cute tissue-paper! Oni mask

An ogre mask featuring tissue-paper hair as a key accent is a perfect item to enliven February’s bean-throwing event! Make the base of the mask with red or blue construction paper.

Crumple tissue paper into balls and glue them onto the base.

To create a three-dimensional hair effect, it’s best to scrunch the paper before attaching it.

Make the eyes and horns using construction paper and crayons.

Once you’ve also made the nose, cheeks, and fangs, stick them onto the mask.

Connect a piece of thick paper with double-sided tape to two rubber bands, and you’re done! Create unique ogres—smiling, crying, angry—and enjoy Setsubun.

Raise the rankinglower

moko

Report a problem