Lovely childcare

[5-Year-Olds] Creative Project Ideas to Try in June! Let's Broaden Their Range of Expression

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.
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.

At five years old, children begin to develop an awareness of being the oldest in the class and become leaders who guide everyone else.

They also come up with many things they want to try and challenges they want to take on.

In art activities, encourage them to tackle slightly more difficult projects so they can experience a sense of accomplishment.

Here, we’ve compiled ideas for projects to work on in June.

Even familiar themes can turn into more wonderful works by changing the way they’re expressed.

Because the things children create are treated as artworks, this text uses the term “seisaku (制作)” to refer to these creations.

[For 5-Year-Olds] Creative Projects to Try in June! Expand the Range of Expression (21–30)

[Origami] Hydrangea Flower

Origami Craft: “Hydrangea”

[Origami] Hydrangea Flower

When you think of flowers that bloom in June, many people probably picture hydrangeas.

Let’s incorporate hydrangeas into a June craft.

First, divide a sheet of origami paper into four equal parts.

Fold one piece into a triangle, then fold it into a triangle once more.

Open the triangle to form a square.

Next, with the flaps facing up, fold both sides toward the center.

Repeat the same steps on the back side.

Once you spread the flaps out to the top, bottom, left, and right, the petal part is complete.

Finally, place several petal pieces onto a leaf-shaped piece of origami and glue them down to finish.

If you make lots of flower pieces in various colors, you can create an even more vibrant hydrangea.

Using washi or dyed paper for the leaves can also give it a beautiful finish.

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Paper Plate Resist-Painting Umbrella

[Nursery/Kindergarten] Resist-Painting Umbrellas Made with Paper Plates [Rainy Season Craft]

Paper Plate Resist-Painting Umbrella

Here’s a perfect craft idea for June: a resist painting umbrella.

First, use crayons to draw umbrella patterns on the back of a paper plate.

Once you’ve finished the patterns, paint over them and enjoy the resist effect.

If you thin the paint with plenty of water, it will repel nicely from the crayon.

Cut a slit in the paper plate and overlap the cut edges to form the umbrella shape.

Make a small cut on one end of a straw and open it up; then tape it to the back of the umbrella-shaped paper plate, and you’re done! If you bend the accordion part of the straw, it becomes the umbrella handle.

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[Collage] Hydrangea Craft

[June Project] Hydrangea Collage (Paper-Pasting Art)

[Collage] Hydrangea Craft

Let’s make a hydrangea collage that’s perfect for the rainy season.

First, prepare origami paper in several colors and cut it into small squares.

Next, either cut out a rough, round hydrangea shape from construction paper and paste it onto another sheet, or draw the shape directly on the paper.

Depending on the children’s age, teachers may need to handle the step of cutting the squares and cutting out the hydrangea shape.

Once the prep is done, start pasting the square pieces of origami randomly onto the round hydrangea base! By letting the children work freely, you’ll end up with a wonderfully unique, one-of-a-kind hydrangea.

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Rain art made with colored water

[Rainy Season Craft] Colored Water Rain Art

Rain art made with colored water

On rainy days when you can’t play outside, why not take your time enjoying art indoors? Here’s a rain-themed art activity using colored water.

First, draw a rainy-day picture on construction paper with crayons.

People holding umbrellas, snails, frogs, and hydrangeas are great ideas.

Next, prepare blue, red, and yellow colored water, and use a dropper to place drops of your chosen colors across the paper.

Finally, lift the paper vertically, and the colored water will run down as if rain is falling.

It’s fascinating to watch the water flow downward and see the colors blend together—what an interesting piece of art.

I can’t wait to see how the children react.

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Broad beans you make by sticking (pieces) on

Spring Craft: “Broad Beans” Easy How-To Explained by a Preschool Teacher (for 2–3-year-olds) #shorts

Broad beans you make by sticking (pieces) on

Broad beans, said to be in season from April to June, are perfect for spring crafts.

This time, we’ll introduce a craft that incorporates these beans.

Prepare by cutting the pod and bean shapes out of construction paper in advance.

If the children are comfortable using scissors, it’s also great to let them try cutting the shapes themselves.

Glue the pod and beans onto a base sheet of construction paper, draw faces on the beans, and it’s done.

The steps are very simple, so even young children can enjoy this activity.

The bright green of the broad beans is sure to energize the kids even more.

Give it a try!

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In conclusion

We introduced June craft ideas you can enjoy with 5-year-olds.

June is full of cute motifs like snails, hydrangeas, and frogs.

Encourage 5-year-olds to try various ways of expressing themselves so they can also feel a sense of accomplishment.

Let’s create an environment that allows children to express themselves freely.