[January] Enjoy with 2-year-olds! A collection of craft ideas that capture winter and the New Year

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.

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.

[January] Enjoy with 2-year-olds! A collection of craft ideas that feel like winter and New Year (21–30)

Fluffy creation with colors that rub off

http://www.lemon8-app.com

This is a project that lets kids enjoy making art while playing with the fluffy feel of cotton.

First, scribble on aluminum foil with crayons, then rub cotton over the scribbles.

Like magic, the crayon color transfers onto the cotton.

Attach the colored cotton to construction paper to make the snowman’s body.

Add eyes, a nose, and a hat, then draw the arms and falling snow to complete a cute snowman.

Scribbling with crayons, the surprising way white cotton picks up color, the tactile finger sensations, and watching the snowman come together—all are delightful ideas kids will love engaging with!

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moko

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Crayon Shimenawa

@sakurakusako_a
I made a shimenawa with crayons for New Year! It's pretty fast, so you might want to save it.#oilpastel #OilPastel crayon New Year #NewYearDecorations
♬ NEW KAWAII – So, shall we update? ver. – FRUITS ZIPPER

Let’s make a New Year’s decoration using a drawn shimenawa rope and ornaments! All the parts are flat, but by incorporating shading into the drawings, they’ll look three-dimensional.

First, draw the base shimenawa on white drawing paper.

Start by drawing a large circle, then place teardrop shapes along that line.

Next, fill the inside of each teardrop with a light green.

Once filled, add shading with dark green and white, then rub with a cotton swab to blend the crayon.

You’ll create the decorative parts in the same way, so draw your favorite motifs, such as plum blossoms or a Japanese-style ribbon.

Attach the parts to the shimenawa, punch a hole, thread a string through, and it’s complete!

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sasashina

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Make It with 100-Yen Shop Items! Daruma Otoshi

https://www.tiktok.com/@sayacky_be.child/video/7458612859551894802

How about making the classic New Year’s game “Daruma-otoshi” using items from a 100-yen shop? It’s very easy to make, and you’ll end up with a toy you can enjoy over and over.

First, fill a dessert cup with small stones, put the lid on, and that will be the body of the Daruma.

Create the face base and patterns with tape, stick them on, then draw the eyes and mustache with a pen to finish.

For the mallet, stack and glue four plastic bottle caps together, then attach a wooden chopstick as the handle.

If the Daruma is too light, it won’t stack properly when it falls, so be sure to put plenty of stones inside.

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sasashina

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Cute decoupage gloves

@hoikushisatomi
Creation Using Techniques: Decalcomania GlovesSatomi-sensei Nursery teacher / Childcare worker Kids will love it Production #OuchiMonte Life with children
Original Song – [Childcare Creator] Satomi-sensei – [Childcare Creator] Satomi-sensei

Are you familiar with decalcomania? It’s a technique where you press together paint applied to paper and transfer the accidental patterns that form.

Let’s use this to make decorations for gloves.

First, fold a sheet of colored construction paper in half and apply paint however you like on one side.

Once you’ve applied the paint, press the other half down to transfer the pattern.

Then cut the paper you’ve made into the shape of a glove.

Decorating the glove opening with cotton or similar materials adds a cute, three-dimensional look.

You can also glue it onto a backing sheet and add yarn or other embellishments.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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Cute bubble-patterned! How to make a daruma doll

http://www.lemon8-app.com

Here’s a craft idea using bubble wrap, which is handy as cushioning material.

First, paint the bubble wrap with red paint and transfer the pattern onto red construction paper.

Cut it into a daruma shape with scissors and paste it onto a base.

Add facial features made from construction paper and decorative patterns made from gold origami.

Fill the empty space on the base with flower pieces, and it’s done.

The bubble wrap pattern looks like polka dots and is cute, and the texture makes the daruma appear to pop out.

I think it would also look great in colorful variations.

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sasashina

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Handmade milk carton battledore

@silk_haru3mama
I tried making a battledore out of a milk carton.New Year work New Year's craft New Year’s craft #AtHomePlay Handmade Battledore
Animal Baby – Akari Ueno

When it comes to New Year’s games, hanetsuki comes to mind.

Let’s try making this hagoita using a milk carton.

Open the carton and remove the bottom section.

After removing it, turn it inside out and fold it in half.

If you fold the spout area, it will resemble the shape of a hagoita.

Put a wooden chopstick inside some newspaper, fold the newspaper, and it will become the handle of the hagoita.

Set that into the milk carton and secure it with tape.

Once secured, tape the top and bottom as well as the seam of the carton.

You can also glue some cute patterned origami paper on the outside.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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