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 (21–30)

[Transparent Origami] Sparkling Lantern

Lanterns made with transparent origami are perfect for summer events like pretend festivals.

First, prepare two clear plastic cups.

Have the children stuff them with transparent origami paper.

The finished result looks prettier with a variety of colors, so create an environment where they can freely choose the paper.

Align the rims of the two cups and secure them with tape.

Let the children stick star stickers around the outside.

For the finishing touch, the teacher can attach black construction paper bands to the top and bottom—and it’s complete! You can display it as is or hang it from a high place to enjoy.

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Corn with stamps

How about using corn—something kids love—as a summer crafting motif? Both a stamp made with bubble wrap and one made with cardboard are great options.

Prepare the base corn and leaves ahead of time using colored construction paper.

Make one stamp by wrapping a small ball of cotton with bubble wrap and securing it with a rubber band, and another by rolling a strip of cardboard into a coil and taping it.

Use yellow paint as the “ink” for both, and enjoy freely dabbing and stamping away!

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A turtle made with tissue paper

Let’s make a cute turtle using a paper plate and tissue paper.

First, tear the tissue paper by hand.

Be sure to prepare a few different colors.

Next, spread glue on the paper plate and stick the torn pieces of tissue paper onto it.

If you layer lots of pieces so they overlap, you can create beautiful patterns.

Once the glue dries, attach the turtle’s head, legs, and tail.

Finally, add the eyes and it’s complete! The turtle’s look will vary depending on how each child handles the tissue paper.

Be sure to share any fun stories from the crafting process with the parents, too.

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Fluffy jellyfish

Nursery craft: Summer creatures! Cute and fluffy jellyfish (using tissue paper)

Fluffy jellyfish

This is a fluffy jellyfish craft that even small children can enjoy making! It’s appealing because it uses easy-to-find materials from 100-yen shops, like drain nets and tissue paper.

The step where you crumple the tissue paper into balls lets kids enjoy the texture of the materials.

You make it by stuffing the crumpled tissue paper into a drain net and tying it tightly with thread to finish.

If you thread string through the top of the jellyfish, you can also hang it as a decoration! Try filling it with tissue paper in various colors to create your very own original jellyfish.

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T-shirt

Why not make some vibrant, summery T-shirts? If you turn it into an activity where you draw with colored ice, you can enjoy it together with children! First, cut white construction paper into the shape of a T-shirt.

Next, use colored ice to draw freely.

Using a variety of colors—red, blue, yellow, green, and more—will make for fun, expressive artwork.

Once you’ve finished drawing, let it dry.

When displaying them, we recommend hanging them on a string with clothespins to create a nice atmosphere.

You’ll end up with a lovely wall display that looks like laundry sparkling against the summer sky.

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