Lovely childcare

[July] Recommended for 1-year-olds! Fun summer craft ideas

[July] Recommended for 1-year-olds! Fun summer craft ideas

Last updated:2025/5/29

[July] Recommended for 1-year-olds! Fun summer craft ideas

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.
9 years of experience as a nursery school teacherShibata Risa
I am an active nursery school teacher with 9 years of experience. After graduating from university, I worked at a daycare center. The time I spent happily with children—playing piano, singing songs, and doing finger-play—are priceless memories to me. Currently, while raising three children of my own, I work at an after-school day service, engaging with children and providing individualized developmental support. Drawing on my diverse experiences as a childcare worker and as a mother, I hope to express and convey my thoughts through writing.

One-year-olds whose desire to “I want to try it!” is growing stronger by the day.

Here, we’re sharing July ideas packed with clever twists that will get children excited to dive in.

Each activity lets kids express themselves freely, so they can enjoy creating.

Use these as a reference and try incorporating them into your childcare.

As we emphasize activities where children can freely enjoy expressing themselves, we consistently use the term “seisaku” written as 制作 rather than 製作 in the text.

[July] Recommended for 1-year-olds! Fun summer craft ideas (1–10)

Drawing with colored ice

[Summer Craft] Painting with Colored Ice! [For 1-Year-Olds]

Drawing with colored ice

Here’s a drawing activity using colored ice that even a one-year-old can enjoy.

You’ll need red, yellow, and blue food coloring, water, wooden sticks, a white crayon, drawing paper, and an ice tray.

How to make it: First, use the white crayon to draw ocean-themed pictures—like fish and octopuses—on the paper.

Next, put food coloring and water into the ice tray.

Insert the wooden sticks and freeze.

Once the colored ice is frozen, draw on the paper by letting the ice melt little by little as you move it around.

The pictures you drew with the white crayon will appear as the color spreads, making it a fun activity to enjoy with children.

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Stained-glass-style fish

https://www.instagram.com/p/CiC7rj4J-NW/

These stained-glass-style fish shine as they reflect the light, making them a perfect craft to display in the classroom.

Cut construction paper into the shape of a fish, then cut out the center and stick OPP tape on the back.

Prepare several colors of cellophane cut into small pieces, and have the children stick them onto the OPP tape.

Attach the dorsal fin and tail, and it’s done! Choose a sunny spot in the classroom and hang them from the ceiling, and the room will transform into an aquarium! The children will surely find themselves gazing up, watching the fish swim overhead.

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Crab handprint art

https://www.instagram.com/p/CSRb1bQLGIW/

Let the kids join in to create a summery wall decoration! This unique idea was inspired by the silhouette that looks just like a crab when both hands are spread wide and the wrists are joined together.

Trace the children’s hands, cut them out, and arrange them symmetrically.

Stick on eyes near the center, add claws around the thumbs, and it’s done! The big round eyes are especially cute.

With the blazing sun and a refreshing breeze—you can almost picture a summer beach with this fresh, seasonal wall display!

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Yo-yo with a marble run

[Summer Wall Art] Tried making yo-yos with marble paint (for 2- and 3-year-olds)

Yo-yo with a marble run

How about making festival-favorite yo-yos using marble painting? First, cut construction paper into circles.

For infant classes, the teacher should do the cutting; from preschool age up, let the children cut them themselves.

Next, prepare the paints.

Use a container that can hold several colors, such as a palette or an empty egg carton.

Dip a marble in the paint color of your choice and roll it across the paper circle.

To keep the colors from mixing, use a separate marble for each color.

Once the paint is dry, freely stick on round stickers.

Using stickers of various colors and sizes makes it look much more like a traditional yo-yo.

It’s a perfect craft for summer.

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Colorful fish with decalcomania

https://www.instagram.com/p/CttbtV8p_zZ/

Decalcomania is a simple technique that even one-year-olds can try, yet it’s also a delightful way to enjoy color.

Let’s use decalcomania to create fish that swim smoothly.

First, have fun with decalcomania on construction paper.

It’s great if you can involve one-year-olds from the step of placing the paint.

Once the paint dries, cut the construction paper into fish shapes and use round stickers to make the eyes and mouth.

Finally, stick the fish onto another sheet of construction paper to represent the ocean, and you’re done! Give it a try and make these adorable fish swimming in the sea.

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[scribbles] Tanabata decorations

https://www.instagram.com/p/CstDhQRJDUI/

Tanabata decorations where you can write wishes are perfect for a summer craft.

Try making them together with one-year-olds.

First, let them scribble with crayons on white construction paper, then decorate it with round stickers.

Cut it into the shape of Hikoboshi’s body, and paste another piece of paper on top where the wish will be written.

The key is to make the most of the lovely patterns the children create.

Prepare Orihime and Hikoboshi’s faces with construction paper, and let the children make the facial parts with stickers or draw them with crayons.

After that, just glue all the parts together.

You could also interview the parents to write down the children’s wishes.

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[Handprint/Footprint Art] Octopus and Squid Swimming in the Sea

https://www.instagram.com/p/CuCKc3CpBvq/

Let’s make summery octopus and squid crafts using children’s handprints.

First, take one handprint each using red and white paint.

Next, prepare construction paper for the octopus and squid faces.

Have the kids create the faces with stickers or crayons.

Once the handprints are dry, cut them out and use the fingers as legs, attaching them to the face pieces.

For the background paper, stamp patterns using a toilet paper roll and paint.

Since controlling the pressure can be tricky, it’s reassuring for the teacher to help.

To finish, glue on the octopus and squid, along with seaweed and rocks, and you’re done!

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