Lovely childcare

Craft ideas perfect for June for 2-year-olds

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 for 10 years as a kindergarten teacher and for 7 years as an after-school childcare instructor, then took a post as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I also engaged in activities that shared Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational play, working with many children. Afterwards, through freelance writing, planning, and editing work at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and conveying ideas. Leveraging the perspective cultivated in educational settings and my experience as an editor, I aim to deliver practical information—focusing on fields related to music and children—that values both input and output. Hobbies include instruments, singing, handcrafts, toys, drawing, traditional play, the outdoors, books, DIY, and crafts. Special skill: spinning-top tricks.
Nursery Teacher Mom Writertsukada moe
After working for five years at an after-school childcare club and three years at a nursery school, I began working as a freelance writer. I’m a mother of two children. Inspired by playing the flute in the school wind ensemble in elementary school, I joined a jazz club at university. I’ve also incorporated ukulele and piano performance into childcare. Playing, laughing, feeling sad, feeling frustrated—through all kinds of experiences, I want children to grow.

June brings a lot of rain, and in daycare and kindergartens there are many days when children can’t play outside.

At times like that, how about enjoying some indoor craft activities? Craft time lets children feel a sense of “I did it!”, making it perfect for indoor play.

Here, we’ll introduce several craft ideas recommended for two-year-olds.

There are plenty of fun activities like touching with their hands and coloring.

Through making things, children’s creativity and sense of accomplishment are nurtured.

Let’s treasure what the children create as everyone’s artwork.

Since the things children make are treated as works (art pieces), we use the term “seisaku” (制作) in the text.

[For 2-year-olds] A roundup of craft ideas perfect for June (1–10)

[Sponge] Colorful Snail

Snail Craft (Age 2 and up): A childcare art activity using sponges and paint that can also be used for wall displays

[Sponge] Colorful Snail

Let’s use a sponge to add patterns to a snail’s shell.

First, cut out the base parts—the snail’s body, shell, and eyes—from construction paper.

An adult should prepare these pieces.

Next, apply three colors of paint side by side on a sponge, then place the sponge on the shell cutout and create circular patterns as if drawing a spiral.

You can also dab it like a stamp to make polka dots.

Once the pattern is done, draw the snail’s eyes and mouth, attach the shell cutout to the body, and you’re finished.

By changing the colors and how you use the sponge, you can make a wide variety of snails.

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[Paper Plates] Colorful Umbrella Decorations

[Nursery/Kindergarten] Umbrella Craft Ideas ♪ Cute Hanging Decorations! [Rainy Season & June Crafts/How-To]

[Paper Plates] Colorful Umbrella Decorations

Let’s make a cute umbrella using a paper plate.

First, decorate the paper plate with paint, pens, stickers, or anything you like.

Once you’re done, cut the paper plate in half.

A straight cut is fine, but wavy or zigzag edges make it even cuter.

After cutting, roll each half into an umbrella shape and glue or tape it in place.

Thread a pipe cleaner through the hole that forms when you roll it, then bend it to make the handle—and you’re done! You can make two umbrellas from one paper plate, so why not make several and turn them into a garland or hanging decorations?

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[Paper plate] Mini-mini Umbrella Decoration

Rainy Season Craft: How to Make a Simple Mini Umbrella with a Paper Plate

[Paper plate] Mini-mini Umbrella Decoration

Here’s an idea for making an umbrella out of a paper plate.

Draw lines to divide the plate into eight equal sections, then cut the plate in half.

Fold along the lines to make mountain folds, form a square pyramid, and secure it with clear tape.

An adult should handle these steps.

Have the children decorate the umbrella part with stickers or drawings.

Finally, thread a pipe cleaner through, curve it to make the handle, and it’s done.

You can hang it as is, or hook the handle to display it like a garland—it looks really cute either way.

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[2-Year-Olds] A Roundup of Perfect June Craft Ideas (11–20)

Crumpled tissue-paper snail

[Nursery/Kindergarten] June Craft Perfect for the Rainy Season! How to Make a Snail [Toddler/Infant Class]

Crumpled tissue-paper snail

Would you like to make a snail—often seen in June—using tissue paper? Have the children crumple tissue paper in their favorite colors and pack it into a bag.

Once it’s filled, close the bag and shape it into a shell using tape.

Please make sure an adult handles tying the bag or securing it with tape.

Cut the snail’s body and eyes out of construction paper, attach the bag, and you’re done! Using several colors of tissue paper makes it nice and colorful, so it’s recommended.

Be sure to use a transparent bag so the tissue paper inside is visible.

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[Sticker Pasting] Teru Teru Bozu

[Rainy season] Teru Teru Bozu | Handmade | For children | Crafts | Plastic bag | Poly bag [Daycare/Kindergarten]

[Sticker Pasting] Teru Teru Bozu

Let’s make a teru teru bozu while having fun sticking on stickers.

First, have the children crumple tissue paper into a ball.

Tape it to hold its shape, then cover it with a plastic bag and secure it with a rubber band.

If the plastic is too long, trim it to adjust the length—an adult should handle this step.

Next, use round stickers to make the face, and add patterns to the body as well.

Finally, attach a string for hanging, and it’s done.

Try making an extra colorful teru teru bozu to wish for sunny weather.

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[Stickers] Colorful Umbrellas and Frogs

Let’s try making a cute craft with a colorful umbrella and a little frog.

With this idea, kids can enjoy fingertip stamping and sticking stickers.

Have the children use finger stamps to make a rainy pattern on a sheet of construction paper that will serve as the background.

Next, cut out the umbrella and frog parts from construction paper.

An adult should do the cutting.

Once the parts are ready, decorate the umbrella by adding stickers to make patterns.

You can draw the frog’s face, but it’s also recommended to paste a photo of the child—this makes it look like they’re wearing the frog’s raincoat and it’s super cute.

Finally, glue the umbrella and frog parts onto the background sheet, and you’re done!

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[Finger Painting] Colorful Snails

When June arrives, we often see snails on hydrangeas.

Their cute and curious appearance makes them popular with children.

Here’s an idea for making snails using a finger-painting technique.

First, draw a spiral for the snail’s shell on construction paper.

Then place a mixture of paint and liquid laundry glue on top, and seal it inside a plastic bag.

Let the children touch the bag and spread the paint around as they like from the outside.

Once the painting is done, cut out the spiral and attach it to a body made from a toilet paper roll.

Use several colors of paint to create colorful snails that will blow away the rainy-season blues!

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