From New Year’s games to winter crafts! A roundup of January recreation activities to enjoy in childcare

How to Make a Kite You Can Enjoy Playing With on New Year’s

[Let's make and play] New Year's play (kite flying) #handmade toys #nursery teacher #child-rearing support #Osaka #Aiikuen

Here’s an idea for making spinning tops with acorns—very popular as an autumn craft.

You can buy acorns online, but since they’re often found on the ground in season, it’s great to use ones you’ve collected.

If you do, be sure to wash them and disinfect them with boiling water to prevent bugs before using.

The method is very simple: just make a hole in the acorn and insert a toothpick.

If the acorn is hard and difficult to pierce, have an adult help.

Drawing faces or patterns with a pen makes them extra cute!

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

sasashina

Report a problem

New Year’s fun with traditional games! A milk carton bamboo-copter (taketombo)

[Handmade Toys] Let’s enjoy New Year’s with traditional games 🎍 Let’s make an easy bamboo-copter (taketombo) using a milk carton ^_^

A bamboo-copter is tricky to fly at first, but once you get the hang of it, it’s lots of fun.

Here’s an idea for making one using a milk carton and a straw.

First, cut out one side of the milk carton, then cut it into a strip that’s about one-third the width.

Next, fold the strip in half, and about 5 mm from the valley fold, make mountain folds on both sides.

This completes the wing.

Then, cut a slit into one end of the straw and attach it to the wing as a handle.

If you color the white side of the milk carton with markers, it will look pretty when you fly it.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

sasashina

Report a problem

Make it with origami! A New Year’s mini wreath

[Origami] New Year Mini Wreath – Festive Japanese New Year Decoration

Let’s make a New Year’s wreath that’s perfect for decorating at the start of the year.

Prepare 16 sheets of origami paper: four different patterns or colors, four sheets of each.

Fold each sheet into a square twice, then unfold to create crease lines and shape the parts.

When folding a triangle in half, make sure both sides are even.

Hold the piece so that the overlapping section is on top, and assemble by inserting both the front and back of one piece into the pocket of another.

Repeat to make 16 parts in total.

It may be easier to connect them in sets of four first, and then form the entire wreath at the end.

Attach a string and hang it indoors to enjoy the New Year’s decoration.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

mayumi

Report a problem

paper-clay kagami mochi

New Year’s Craft: Easy-to-make Kagami Mochi for preschoolers aged 3–4

Let’s make a handmade kagami mochi that brings warmth and a sense of the season—perfect for New Year’s decor.

Prepare clay, a clay board, paints, brushes, and a clay spatula.

Divide the clay into three equal parts and designate them as large, medium, and small.

For the mandarin orange part and the leaf part, knead the appropriate paint colors into the clay.

Shape the large and medium portions into the two tiers of the kagami mochi.

Place the mandarin on top, refine the overall shape, and your kagami mochi is complete.

Let it dry thoroughly before displaying it, and welcome a wonderful New Year.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

mayumi

Report a problem

Pop-up! Shishimai Lion Dance Toy

New Year’s games and Setsubun fun! A pop-up Shishimai (lion dance) toy [craft] [handmade toy]

The lion dance popping out of a paper cup is so cute! Let’s get started by preparing a paper cup, chopsticks, yarn, vinyl (plastic) tape, construction paper, double-sided tape, and scissors.

Poke a hole in the bottom of the paper cup big enough for a chopstick to pass through.

Cut a plastic bag to fit the mouth of the cup and tape it around the rim of the cup.

Reinforce it from above with vinyl tape, push the tip of the chopstick through and secure it with tape, then make the lion dance face out of colored construction paper and attach it.

Wrap the entire paper cup with construction paper, and you’re done.

This is a craft that even little kids can enjoy for New Year’s, so give it a try!

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

mayumi

Report a problem

A picture-matching card game playable from age 3

@hoiku.labo

[New Year’s Craft Play] A matching picture card game that kids can enjoy from age 3! 🎍ChildcareNursery teacher / Childcare workerKindergarten TeacherChildcare job openingsChildcare Column#NurseryTeacherThings#IWantToConnectWithChildcareWorkers#Nursery School Craft#DaycarePreparationNursery School PracticumChildcare studentAspiring childcare workerChildcare Job LabNursery teacher skillsJob change activities#JobChange#nursery_teacher_job_changeNursery teacher employmentProduction#CraftworkProductiondrawing paper#ConstructionPaperCraftsPoster Board CraftNew Year’s craft

♬ Ditto – NewJeans

This is a “picture matching card” game that even small children can enjoy.

Beforehand, prepare several pairs of cards by drawing the same picture on two sheets of paper and mounting them onto colored cardstock.

It’s nice to use New Year’s motifs for the designs—for example, kadomatsu, spinning tops, lion dance, Mt.

Fuji, osechi cuisine, and mochi.

Place all the cards face down and turn one card face up.

Players take turns choosing one card to flip over; if it matches the revealed picture, they win that round; if not, it’s the next player’s turn.

It’s a fun way to build observation skills, memory, and communication!

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

hiyori

Report a problem

Perfect for New Year too! A Daruma you can make and play with

@n.annlee321

New Year’s motifs: a daruma doll! I tried making a mayudama rolling game with a daruma design.#tiktok classroomLife with childrenNew Year

♬ Relaxing cute everyday BGM – Hiraoka

In January, it seems many regions hold Daruma markets.

Crafting a lucky Daruma is perfect for a January art project.

Prepare three strips of construction paper cut into small tanzaku-like pieces.

Take one marble and glue the paper strips together to wrap around it.

Draw a Daruma face on a round sticker and attach it to the marble-filled paper to finish.

Because the marble is inside, the Daruma will roll around amusingly when you set it in motion.

If you make a slope and hold Daruma-rolling races, the children are sure to get excited.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

Nakajima Junko

Report a problem