Lovely childcare

[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)

[Paints and Stickers] Watermelon Bag

With paint and round stickers, you can make a watermelon shoulder bag.

First, prepare a deep paper plate and paint it red.

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

Then the teacher finishes it up: cut the paper plate in half, overlap the rims, and secure them with green vinyl tape.

Punch holes at both ends and thread a vinyl cord through.

Since there are individual differences in body size among one-year-olds, adjust the cord length for each child.

This bag can be used in various situations, such as carrying toys inside or taking it along on walks.

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[Sticker Activity] Shaved Ice Craft for the 1-Year-Old Class

Shaved Ice Craft for 1-Year-Olds: A Construction Activity Using Construction Paper for Childcare Workers

[Sticker Activity] Shaved Ice Craft for the 1-Year-Old Class

For a class of one-year-olds, we recommend an easy shaved-ice craft that uses stickers.

Please have the teacher cut construction paper into the shapes of shaved ice, a bowl, and a spoon, and assemble those parts in advance.

The children will then add the syrup and toppings by placing stickers on the shaved ice.

Use round stickers, or fruit-themed stickers as toppings, to complete the shaved ice.

Once finished, try using the shaved ice crafts as wall decorations.

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[Finger Stamp] 3D Watermelon

[Nursery/Kindergarten] 39 Summer Craft Ideas [July & August]

[Finger Stamp] 3D Watermelon

Let’s make a watermelon craft while having fun with finger stamping with the children.

First, prepare construction paper in colors that resemble watermelon flesh, such as yellow or red.

Have the children make finger stamps with black paint.

Since these represent watermelon seeds, it’s best to have them stamp a lot.

Once the paint dries, cut the paper into a circle and paste it onto green construction paper cut slightly larger.

Lightly fold it in half with the flesh side facing out, and you’ll have a stand-up watermelon decoration.

It’s an easy, approachable idea.

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[July] Recommended for 1-year-olds! Fun Summer Craft Ideas (11–20)

(Footprint) Swimming Goldfish and Goldfish Bowl

Footprint Craft Vol. 1! August/Summer Craft Book “Refreshing Goldfish Bowl” – For Infants 0–1 Year Old – [Nursery/Kindergarten]

(Footprint) Swimming Goldfish and Goldfish Bowl

Making a goldfish bowl with swimming goldfish creates a cool, refreshing look—perfect for a summer craft.

Since it uses footprints, it also becomes a sweet keepsake of a child’s growth.

First, the teacher sticks a paper goldfish bowl and water plants onto construction paper.

Next, take footprints of the one-year-olds on a separate sheet.

Using solid red is fine, or leave the toes white for a cute finish.

Once the footprints dry, cut them out, put double-sided tape on the back, and attach the goldfish fins.

Let the children “swim” their footprint goldfish by sticking them wherever they like.

Add white round stickers to represent bubbles.

To finish, the teacher should attach tissue paper as the goldfish tails.

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Salt painting

Sparkling fun! How to make salt paintings [Nursery/Kindergarten]

Salt painting

Many preschools actively incorporate sensory play in the summer.

So let’s try salt painting, an activity even one-year-olds can enjoy.

First, prepare construction paper.

Let the children draw freely.

The key is to have them draw using glue or paste.

Since one-year-olds still find it hard to control their strength, work together with an adult.

Once the drawing is done, sprinkle plenty of salt to make it stick, then shake off the excess.

Finally, use paint to add color to the salty lines.

It will be a wonderful craft full of discoveries for one-year-olds.

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Colorful-sticker fish

Sticker play suitable from age 1: Let’s make colorful fish with paper plates!

Colorful-sticker fish

Why not make colorful fish with sticker pasting? Round stickers are easy for little hands to peel and stick, so they’re sure to be captivated! If you’re incorporating this into a July craft, turn paper plates into summery fish motifs.

To let the children go all out with sticker pasting, portion the stickers into small amounts and put them in cases so they’re easy to use.

The colorful polka-dotted fish look cool and give an early taste of summer.

Each child’s individuality will show in how they place the stickers, so once they’re finished, it’ll be fun to display their creations!

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Finger-painted ice cream

How about making ice cream art with mess-free finger painting? Put a sheet of drawing paper with paint on it into a zip-top bag, then trace over it from the outside to finger paint! Since clothes won’t get dirty, it lightens the load for parents, too.

Once you’ve created patterns with the paint and let it dry, just cut the paper into ice cream shapes and stick them onto cones.

Imagining the flavors of ice cream with all those mixed colors is half the fun.

Enjoy creating your delicious ice cream art!

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