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

Let’s try playing Fukuwarai!

[New Year’s Games] Let’s make a Fukuwarai!

Why not try making a fukuwarai using crayons, scissors, and construction paper? Fukuwarai is a traditional Japanese game said to date back to the mid-Edo period.

First, draw parts like eyes, nose, and mouth on construction paper and cut around each piece.

Then make a base.

For the base, you can either cut pale orange construction paper into a face shape and glue it down, or draw the face with crayons.

Once everything is ready, start arranging the parts.

You can express different emotions—like a smiling face or a sad face—depending on how you place the pieces.

It’s also fun to arrange the parts while blindfolded.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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Make a stylish snowman!

[Winter Bulletin Board] Stylish Snowman Craft by Preschool Teachers (for 4-year-olds)

We usually imagine snowmen as pure white, but let’s get creative and turn them into stylish art.

First, fold a sheet of white origami paper and make several cuts.

The key is to cut it so that when you unfold the paper, it forms a round shape.

You’ll get a circular shape with beautiful patterns.

Children will be excited to see how the snowman’s pattern changes depending on where they cut.

Use the patterned cutouts to make the snowman.

If you stick it onto black cardstock, you’ll have a lovely winter craft.

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Nakajima Junko

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Handmade crafts for New Year’s games

@hoiku.labo

[Playable Craft!] New Year’s games with milk cartons 🥛✨ ⭐️Detailed steps and tips are in the comments⭐️ChildcareNursery teacher / Childcare workerKindergarten Teacher#Nursery school#Kindergarten#Kodomoen#NurseryTeacherThings#IWantToConnectWithChildcareWorkersLife with childrenNew YearNew YearWith wingsBattledoreTraditional children's gamesTraditional gamesChildcare Job Lab

♬ FEEL THE GROOVE – Queens Road, Fabian Graetz

Let me show you how to make a battledore and shuttlecock for the classic New Year’s game hanetsuki.

You’ll make the battledore from a milk carton and a pair of chopsticks, and the shuttlecock from tissue paper and aluminum foil.

First, cut off the bottom of the milk carton to make it a rectangle, then cut a strip about 2 cm wide along the side near the former bottom.

Using the creases on both sides, fold the milk carton flat and secure it with tape.

Trim off both corners on the drinking-spout side to create the striking surface.

Next, fold the 2 cm strip you cut earlier in half, sandwich the chopsticks inside, and attach it as a handle.

For the shuttlecock, stack several sheets of tissue paper, shape them into a rectangle, twist one end to form the base, and shape the rest into feathers.

Make three of these, then wrap the twisted bases together with aluminum foil to finish.

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sasashina

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For New Year decorations! Mini kadomatsu

@soramame.sensei

ChildcareLet's play at homeNursery teacher / Childcare workerProductionTranslationNew Year’s decoration for JanuaryNew Year#New Year's cardWinter Break#WinterBreakProject　#StayHomeTimeTranslation#diy

♬ Oshogatsu Pico Pico Chiptune Version(1376601) – STUDIO incho3

Let me share a handmade idea for a mini kadomatsu you can make with simple steps.

In this idea, you’ll make a kadomatsu, a folding fan, plum blossoms, and red-and-white gohei from origami or construction paper, attach them to bamboo skewers, and create decorative parts.

Then place floral foam in a cup of your choice, insert the skewers, and arrange the parts for good balance.

Finally, fill any gaps with crumpled flower cores to finish.

If the bamboo skewers are too long, it’s best to cut them; however, they’re hard to cut with scissors, so prepare skewers that have been cut to an appropriate length in advance.

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sasashina

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Pote Saburō’s horse-drawing song

http://www.nicovideo.jp

It’s a very unique drawing song where you end up completing a horse while making rice cakes.

The first thing you draw is the shape of a grilled, puffed-up mochi.

That becomes the horse’s face and nose.

From there, decorate with black beans for the eyes and use black sesame seeds to represent the nostrils.

Pour sauce to draw the mane, and finally, stick in two pieces of chikuwa for the ears to complete the horse.

The lyrics are unforgettable once you hear them, so children might memorize them after just one listen.

Enjoy the song and try drawing a cute horse illustration!

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sasashina

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How to make a skeleton Mount Fuji

@haruharo_made

TikTok document New Year’s craft / [Skeleton Mount Fuji] [Materials] • Ribbon • Japanese-pattern paper plate (Seria) • Scissors • Transparent film • Glue • Color filmCrafts 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　 Paint making　　paper plate　Paper plate craft　Paper Plate Craft　Threading (a cord/strap through a hole)

♬ Stylish cafe-style BGM – Hiro Hattori

How about incorporating Mt.

Fuji—known as a lucky charm—into a January craft idea? This is a translucent “skeleton” Mt.

Fuji that looks sparkly and beautiful when displayed by a window.

First, cut a Mt.

Fuji shape out of the center of a paper plate.

Then, from the back, attach the snowcap made from construction paper, and glue on a clear film covered with blue-toned color film.

Finally, add a ribbon at the top of Mt.

Fuji to finish! It’s recommended to prepare several colors of color film, cut them into small pieces, and layer a few to create the effect.

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sasashina

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Let’s make it with cardboard stamps! Cute shishimai (lion dance)

@chooobo2

Shishimai making 🎍#Childcare Crafting#Nursery School Craft# January productionNew Year’s craft

♬ NEW LOOK – MISAMO

If you roll a strip of cardboard into a spiral and dab it in paint, then press it onto paper, it makes the pattern for a shishimai (lion dance) costume! Using that pattern, let’s make a hanging shishimai decoration.

First, take a green sheet of construction paper cut into a rectangle and stamp any pattern you like.

Next, sprinkle on small pieces of gold origami paper to add a festive touch.

Finally, attach a shishimai face made from construction paper to one corner, add a string to the back, and you’re done! A plain backing works fine, but if you stick washi masking tape along the top and bottom, it will look like a hanging scroll and be extra lovely.

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sasashina

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