[January] Enjoy with 2-year-olds! A collection of craft ideas that capture winter and the New Year
January in early childhood education is a season to enjoy traditional New Year’s games and decorations.
For two-year-olds, creating crafts inspired by Japanese culture—such as kites, daruma dolls, and kagamimochi—turns into an experience full of new discoveries.
Hands-on activities like stamping and collage, which let children freely express themselves through textures, expand their imagination and deepen their interest in seasonal events.
Here, we introduce January craft ideas you can enjoy together with two-year-olds.
Savor the joy of making things together while feeling the spirit of January! Because the children’s creations are treated as works of art, we use the term “seisaku” (artwork/production) in the text.
- From New Year’s games to winter crafts! A roundup of January recreation activities to enjoy in childcare
- [For 2-year-olds] A collection of craft ideas useful for winter childcare
- [Childcare] Fun February craft ideas you’ll want to make with 2-year-olds!
- Have fun with one-year-olds! A collection of craft ideas featuring recommended January motifs
- [January Crafts] Fun DIY Ideas for Kids: Perfect for Use in Childcare
- Origami to Enjoy January and Winter! A Collection of Simple Ideas to Use in Childcare
- Ideas for Easy Winter Origami Crafts That Even 2-Year-Olds Will Love
- For 4-Year-Olds: January Crafts! A Collection of Fun Ideas with Winter and New Year Themes
- Childcare: Fun February craft ideas to make with 1-year-olds
- Ideas for indoor play, physical activities, and games suited to the development of 2-year-olds
- [For 3-year-olds] Perfect January Winter & New Year Crafts! A Collection of Fun, Hands-On Ideas
- [Childcare] Fun to Make! February Craft Ideas Collection
- Fun January Crafts! A Collection of Ideas You Can Make and Play With for 5-Year-Olds
[January] Enjoy with 2-year-olds! A collection of craft ideas that feel like winter and New Year (61–70)
Construction Paper Snow Globe
@tensaikids1031 January craft activity for the 1-year-old class ⛄️Genius Kids ClubNursery teacher / Childcare workerNursery teacher / Childcare workerProductionAspiring childcare workerChildcare 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.
Shishimai (lion dance) made with tissue paper and colored cellophane
Here’s how to make a round shishimai (lion dance) craft using tissue paper and colored cellophane! Even one-year-olds can enjoy making it.
You’ll need construction paper, tissue paper, colored cellophane, a clear plastic cup with a lid, round stickers with a spiral pattern drawn on them, crayons or pens, cellophane tape, and glue.
First, crumple the tissue paper and colored cellophane and put them into the cup.
Stick the round sticker onto the cup lid.
Together with an adult, make the lion dance face parts from construction paper.
Once you’ve assembled the parts with glue, attach them to the cup lid with cellophane tape, and you’re done!
A battledore made with rolling marbles
Rolling marbles is so much fun! Here’s a recommended paddle (hagoita) craft for one-year-olds.
What you’ll need: construction paper, construction paper cut into the shape of a paddle, paint, marbles, a box or container, crayons, glue, and New Year’s-themed pieces.
First, place the construction paper inside the box or container and put your chosen paint colors onto the paper.
Next, roll the marbles over the paint.
Using more marbles helps spread the patterns and creates a more unique piece.
Glue the painted paper onto the paddle-shaped paper.
Finally, glue on New Year’s decorations, like a daruma, and you’re done!
Daruma made by sticking pieces on
This daruma origami is perfect for two-year-olds who enjoy sticking pieces of paper.
Paste a face illustration onto a daruma-shaped piece of construction paper.
Let the children have fun drawing facial expressions and coloring the cheeks.
Finally, freely stick on pieces of cut chiyogami to finish.
The step of pasting paper onto the backing is best done together with the children.
It’s an origami idea with a traditional Japanese feel, perfect for winter childcare.
Give it a try!
A shimenawa made by rolling and sticking
@haruharo_made New Year’s Craft / [Shimenawa with Chiyogami] [Materials] • Paper plate • Construction paper • Scissors • Chiyogami (traditional patterned paper) • Glue • Cellophane tape • Double-sided tapeCrafts for 4-year-olds Crafts for 5-year-olds#3-year-old crafts#2-year-old's craftCrafts for 1-year-oldsCrafts for 0-year-oldsProduction#Nursery schoolWall decoration#StayHomeTime#AtHomePlayProduction ideas#Nursery School CraftWinter Craft#KindergartenKindergarten craftNursery teacher / Childcare workerKindergarten Teacherwall surface #ChristmasTreeProduction for children under age (infants and toddlers) Simple craftMade in December # January productionMade in February New Year’s craft #Daruma making Tatsu Production#Mask making Mask#paint Sticker application Round stickerSticker-pasting craft Hanging ornamentdrawing paper #ConstructionPaperArt Poster Board CraftPaint making paper plate Paper plate craft Paper Plate Craft Chiyogami Chiyogami Production#ShimenawaMaking #Shimenawa
♬ One More Last Time – sped up – Henry Young & Ashley Alisha
Perfect for New Year’s! Here’s how to make a shimenawa using chiyogami paper and a paper plate.
First, crumple and open a sheet of brown chiyogami.
Cut out the center of a paper plate.
Cut the removed circle into a bow shape.
Next, apply glue to the paper plate with the center removed and start attaching the chiyogami.
Also cover the bow-shaped piece with chiyogami.
Put double-sided tape on the ends of the bow and stick it to the back of the paper plate.
Finish by gluing on pine, bamboo, and plum motifs, plus zodiac pieces made from colored construction paper.
Let children enjoy crumpling the chiyogami and sticking on the pieces!
New Year’s first calligraphy drawn freely
Perfect for New Year’s! Here are some creative ideas for kakizome (first calligraphy of the year).
Even if we say “kakizome,” this is a free-form version that even children who can’t write characters yet can try.
Depending on age, let them try drawing pictures, writing characters, or simple words.
After they do their kakizome on drawing paper, paste it onto a slightly larger sheet to serve as a backing.
Then attach rolled sheets of paper to the top and bottom to give it a hanging scroll look.
Finally, add pre-made parts like a rabbit daruma, a gold fan, and pieces of washi-patterned origami, and it’s done! For younger children, it’s best to prepare the parts in advance so they can simply stick them on like stickers.
[Chigiri-e] Shishimai (Lion Dance)
![[Chigiri-e] Shishimai (Lion Dance)](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/isfVuxsfx0M/sddefault.jpg)
The shishimai lion dance is a classic January motif.
Try incorporating it into a craft for one-year-olds.
Fold a red sheet of origami paper once to make the lion’s head, then glue on parts like eyebrows, ears, and nose, and draw the face with crayons.
For the body, tear pieces of origami paper and glue them onto a backing sheet.
Attach the head at the top of the body, draw the arms and legs, and add some drawings in the empty space to finish! This idea is originally suited for three-year-olds, but the sticking-and-pasting steps should be enjoyable for one-year-olds too.
Be sure to prepare the pieces to be glued in advance.