Have fun with one-year-olds! A collection of craft ideas featuring recommended January motifs

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.

January is the season for crafts that let you enjoy the New Year atmosphere with children! One-year-olds love using their fingers and experiencing the feel of paint.

Here, we introduce craft ideas featuring January-specific motifs like kite flying, kagami mochi, and daruma.

Crumple and paste tissue paper, dab with stamps, or roll marbles around.

Each activity is something children can immerse themselves in and thoroughly enjoy.

Savor the lingering New Year spirit while enjoying seasonal crafts with the kids! Since the children’s creations are treated as artworks, the term is written as “seisaku” (制作) in the text.

Have Fun with 1-Year-Olds! A Collection of Craft Ideas with Recommended January Motifs (21–30)

Tanpo Kagami-mochi

Stamp play is so much fun! Here’s a recommended Kagami-mochi craft for 1-year-olds.

You’ll need construction paper, glue, stickers, paint, origami paper, a pen, thick cardboard, cotton, gauze, a wooden skewer or chopstick, and rubber bands.

First, draw and cut out the shapes of a sanpō stand and a mandarin on the construction paper.

Cut two thick cardboard pieces into oval shapes to resemble mochi.

Next, wrap cotton with gauze, insert a wooden skewer or chopstick, and secure it with a rubber band to make a stamp.

Use paint to stamp onto a backing sheet.

Once dry, glue it onto colored construction paper.

Finally, decorate with stickers and more, and you’re done!

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kepiko

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[Stamp] Shishimai (lion dance) production

@user5055055172884
Kishiwada #Kishiwada KanKan Bayside Mall Orange Nursery School #Company-led childcare center Recruiting childcare workers Ages 0 to 2 Visiting Our Park Empty-Handed New Year Production Shishimai (lion dance)#SMAP The One and Only Flower in the World
♪ Original Song – Orange Nursery School – Orange Nursery School

Have fun with cardboard stamping! Here’s a recommended shishimai (lion dance) craft for 1-year-olds.

You’ll need: face parts for the lion made from colored paper, body parts, cardboard stamps, paint, and glue.

First, put double-sided tape on the back of the face parts in advance.

Stick the parts on like a “fukuwarai” game to make the lion’s face.

An adult should help peel off the tape.

Next, dip the cardboard stamp—made by rolling cardboard into a spiral—into paint and have fun stamping! Stamp patterns onto the lion’s body.

Finally, glue the face and body together, and you’re done!

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kepiko

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Have fun with 1-year-olds! A collection of craft ideas with recommended January motifs (31–40)

[Plastic Bag] Kite Flying

Here’s a fun octopus craft you can make with a 1-year-old using a plastic bag! You’ll need: a clear plastic bag, colored pens, kite string, curling ribbon, double-sided tape, and clear tape.

First, let your child draw freely on the plastic bag with the colored pens.

Next, stick double-sided tape on the sealed end of the bag and attach the curling ribbon on top.

Split the attached curling ribbon into thinner strands.

Be sure an adult helps with this part.

Prepare three pieces of kite string: cut two shorter ones to attach to the octopus, and one longer one so it’s easy for the child to hold.

Tie the two shorter strings to the end of the longer “handle” string.

Finally, tape the two shorter strings to the open corners of the bag using clear tape, and you’re done!

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kepiko

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[Handprints and Footprints] Daruma-san

Here’s an idea inspired by the cover of the picture book series “Daruma-san.” Prepare a Daruma made from backing paper and construction paper.

Put ink on the child’s hands and feet, and stamp one hand and one foot on each side of the backing sheet.

Paste the Daruma in the center and add the text: “◯◯’s hands and feet.” Insert the child’s name in the ◯◯.

Since the “Daruma-san” series is a popular picture book among children, many of them will probably recognize it.

Displaying it will likely bring a smile to parents’ faces too!

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sasashina

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Construction Paper Snow Globe

@tensaikids1031
January craft activity for the 1-year-old class ⛄️Genius Kids Club Nursery teacher / Childcare worker Nursery teacher / Childcare worker Production Aspiring childcare worker Childcare Ideas
♬ My Binky – Baby Version – HeyKids Nursery Rhymes

Recommended for 1-year-olds! Here’s how to make a simple yet cute snow globe.

First, prepare white construction paper cut into a circle.

Next, use crayons in any colors you like to draw circles on the paper.

After drawing the circles, stick colorful round stickers on top.

Peeling the stickers is great practice for using little fingers.

Finally, attach the frame and base you prepared from colored construction paper, and it’s done! Kids can draw to their hearts’ content, so give it a try.

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kepiko

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[Paper Plate] Tissue Paper Snowman

Why not make a cute snowman using tissue paper and paper plates? It’s a simple craft, so try it with the kids! First, make a circular cut in the center of the paper plate and fold the cut section upward.

Then, decorate the plate with balled-up tissue paper and draw the snowman’s face—that’s it! For one-year-olds, encourage them to try crumpling the tissue paper and sticking on the facial features.

Please have a teacher supervise while they work.

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miyabi