[For 5-year-olds] Crafts to try in July! Ideas that capture the season
Five-year-olds are getting better at using their hands to do all kinds of things.
At this stage, their desire to try new things really grows.
So here, we’re introducing July crafts that are perfect for five-year-olds.
We’ve prepared lots of ideas, from summer-themed transparent creations to fun Tanabata decorations.
Enjoy a fun time with the children while nurturing their creativity.
Because items made by children are treated as works, we consistently use the term “seisaku” (制作) in the main text.
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[Age 5] Crafts to Try in July! Seasonal Ideas (71–80)
spotted seal

Why not try making a ribbon seal with origami—its round body and beady eyes are so cute! It may look tricky, but it’s surprisingly easy.
If you start by creasing carefully, the rest of the steps will go more smoothly, so pay attention to each crease and work patiently.
There are many small steps, so when working with children, prepare large origami paper and fold together while checking each step—it’ll be smoother.
It’s also recommended to have photos or illustrations of real ribbon seals ready and show them to the kids before drawing the face and body markings.
Give it a try with everyone!
cicada

The cicadas that chirp loudly and energetically—“meen meen!”—are fascinating creatures for children, aren’t they? Let’s try making one with origami.
First, fold the paper into a triangle twice and open it once to make a large triangle.
Fold both side corners up to meet the top point of the triangle.
Then fold those lifted corners down diagonally outward.
Fold while imagining the cicada’s wings.
Next, fold only the top layer of the upper corner downward.
Fold the second layer down as well, slightly offset.
Finally, turn it over and fold both side corners toward the center.
The key is to fold so that the white line stays straight.
Flip it over, and your cicada is complete! Try making a big tree out of construction paper or cardboard and display everyone’s creations on it.
soft serve ice cream

Let me show you how to fold a soft-serve ice cream that’s perfect for hot summer days.
Prepare two sheets of origami paper to make it.
For the cone, make firm creases as you fold.
The step where you inflate the paper and flatten it might be tricky, so take your time and fold along together with gentle guidance.
Align the creases to form the cone shape, and that part is complete.
For the soft-serve top, wrap the folded paper around a pencil to curl it and set the shape—this adds more depth and makes it look more eye-catching.
It’s also fun to try different colors of origami paper.
[5-year-olds] Crafts to Try in July! Ideas That Capture the Season (81–90)
penguin

In the hot summer, let’s make a penguin that loves the cool ice and enjoy a refreshing feeling with the kids.
First, fold the origami into a triangle and open it, then fold the bottom corner up toward the center crease.
Flip it over, place it so it forms a diamond shape, and fold the bottom corner up again toward the top of the diamond.
Next, fold both side corners toward the center crease, turn it over, and fold both sides toward the center again so that all the white areas appear on the front.
Then insert your finger into the white section at the bottom, open it up, and squash-fold it into a triangle.
Repeat this on both sides.
Finally, fold the head down a little, turn the origami over, and fold the beak to finish.
Draw a face to make it cute!
yo-yo

Here’s an idea for making a classic summer festival game toy—a yo-yo balloon—using just one sheet of origami paper.
Fold the paper in half twice to make a smaller square, then unfold it.
Using the crease lines as guides, fold all four corners toward the center.
Next, pick one corner and fold it outward, then fold just the tip of that corner back inward once more.
Fold all four corners slightly inward to round the shape—now it’s starting to look like a yo-yo balloon.
Make small snips with scissors on the left and right sides of the folded-back section, then fold the part above the cuts inward to represent the tied mouth of the balloon.
That’s the end of the folding steps.
Finish by drawing your favorite patterns or adding stickers.
Tomatoes you can decorate with for Tanabata

Let’s make a cute tomato with origami.
Prepare red and green origami paper.
First, cut the green paper into four strips, and glue one strip—green side facing out—onto the top of the white side of the red paper.
Once it’s dry, start folding.
Fold the paper in half top to bottom and side to side to make a square, crease well, then open it.
Place it with the red side facing up.
Fold the top edge down by the width of the attached green strip.
Turn the paper over, then fold the top left and right corners down to meet the center line.
Open the small gaps of the folded corners and squash them into triangles, then make a mountain fold along the border between the green and white sections.
Finally, tuck the remaining white corners inward to round out the shape of the tomato—and you’re done!
Orihime and Hikoboshi

July 7th is Tanabata.
It’s said that Orihime and Hikoboshi can meet once a year.
This time, let’s make Orihime and Hikoboshi using a paper plate and origami.
Fold each character with origami.
The key is to crease firmly, as if ironing along each fold line.
The kimono sections can get thick and may require a bit of strength, so encourage careful, slow folding.
Cut the rim of the paper plate, wrap it with black tape, and attach stars to complete the Tanabata night sky.
Then stick Orihime and Hikoboshi onto the paper plate to create a fun Tanabata decoration.



