![[For 3-year-olds] Perfect January Winter & New Year Crafts! A Collection of Fun, Hands-On Ideas](https://i.ytimg.com/vi_webp/MuP5no2SBu8/maxresdefault.webp)
[For 3-year-olds] Perfect January Winter & New Year Crafts! A Collection of Fun, Hands-On Ideas
Do you find yourself wondering every year what to make with the children in January’s childcare activities? It can be surprisingly hard to find crafts that three-year-olds will enjoy while taking in New Year’s motifs and the feeling of winter.
In this guide, we’ll share ideas you can enjoy together with three-year-olds—from New Year-perfect projects like paper plate spinning tops, kagami mochi, and shishimai (lion dance), to wintery crafts like fluffy sheep and snowmen.
Activities that use hands and fingertips, such as finger stamping, finger painting, and origami, will spark children’s curiosity.
Some of the things you make can also be played with afterward, so please use these ideas for inspiration! Because the children’s creations are treated as artworks, we use the term “seisaku” (production/artwork) in the text.
[For 3-year-olds] Perfect winter and New Year crafts for January! A collection of fun, hands-on ideas (1–10)
Make it with straw stamps! Snowman craft
Let’s make a snowman wall art with straw stamps.
First, an adult draws large and small circles on construction paper.
Using a plate as a guide is fun, too.
Then, draw a snowman’s hat on colored construction paper or origami paper.
Have the child cut it out.
Glue the cut-out pieces onto a darker-colored construction paper.
Once they’re glued, draw the snowman’s face with crayons.
For the straw stamp, cut slits into the end of a straw and spread them out so it forms a flower shape.
Dip it in white paint and dab it on—this creates lovely snowflake-like prints.
Just roll it up and stick it on! Easy-peasy kagami mochi
https://www.tiktok.com/@hoiku.labo/video/7314907471255047425Let’s try making New Year’s kagami mochi out of tissue paper.
It’s just rolling and gluing, so it’s great for small children, too.
First, glue a paper sanpō (offering stand) that you cut from construction paper onto a backing sheet.
Next, tear the tissue paper into vertical strips.
Spread glue on top of the sanpō, then crumple the tissue paper into little balls and stick them on.
Finally, glue on a round “daidai” orange cut from construction paper to finish.
Drawing a little face on the orange is cute, too.
Display it in your entryway or living room to create a lovely New Year’s atmosphere.
Give it a try!
Winter origami! Cute kotatsu
Here is an introduction to making a kotatsu out of origami.
First, fold a sheet of origami paper in half in the color you like.
Since it’s a kotatsu, a patterned paper might be cuter.
Then fold back about one-third.
After folding, unfold it, fold it to half that width, and return it.
On the back side, fold back one-third as well.
Next, fold the back diagonally to create the kotatsu’s slope, and the main body is complete.
Now make the tabletop for the kotatsu.
Use a quarter-size sheet of origami paper for this.
Next, make the mandarin orange, which is essential for a kotatsu.
This one is very small, so have an adult help you.
Make It with Resist Painting! Gloves and Hat
Are you familiar with the crayon-resist technique? It’s a method where you paint watercolor over a drawing made with white crayon, and the paint is repelled by the crayon so the drawing emerges.
Because you can barely see what you’ve drawn in white crayon, applying the paint can lead to surprisingly delightful results.
Try drawing on colored construction paper cut into winter-themed shapes like scarves, hats, and gloves.
If you plan to display the artwork, you can mount it on a backing board afterward.
Cute decoupage gloves
https://www.tiktok.com/@hoikushisatomi/video/7462301602481786120Are 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.
Handmade milk carton battledore
https://www.tiktok.com/@silk_haru3mama/video/7318355998203284737When 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.
Fluffy snowman made by threading yarn
While enjoying lacing, let’s make a snowman perfect for winter.
In this idea, you punch holes into a circular frame cut from white construction paper and thread yarn through the holes.
Once you’ve threaded yarn through all the holes, the snowman’s body is complete.
Then cut a slightly smaller circle from construction paper and glue it on as the head.
Finish by attaching a scarf, hat, arms, and facial features.
Some yarns come in colorful multicolors, so using one of those will give it a bright, festive look.
