[Preschool/Sports Day] Cute Entrance Gate Ideas
The entrance gate displayed at nursery and kindergarten sports days is one of the key items that brightens the event—welcoming children brimming with confidence and motivation as they march in, and serving as a spot for commemorative photos with family and friends.
Many teachers may be looking for ideas for such entrance gates.
So this time, we’re introducing recommended ideas for sports day entrance gates.
From designs featuring children’s favorite animals and insects, to gates adorned with each child’s handprints, portraits, or photos, and even three-dimensional creations using balloons or tissue paper flowers—here’s a collection of cute ideas that will lift everyone’s spirits and spread happiness!
Be sure to make use of them to energize your sports day!
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[Preschool/Field Day] Cute Entrance Gate Ideas (1–10)
Everyone’s handprints
How about arranging handprints that show your children’s growth on the entrance gate? It’s a lively, uplifting idea with lots of cute handprints lined up.
Build the base of the gate by stacking cardboard and similar materials, then cover it with fabric or construction paper.
Cut out the papers with the children’s handprints and create your design.
You can change the handprint colors by class or grade, too! Laying them out like a rainbow will look beautiful as well.
If the handprints alone feel a bit plain, try decorating with animal or character illustrations, or even photos of the children’s faces.
You’ll end up with an entrance gate that’s fun as everyone searches for their own child’s handprint!
animal
How about an entrance gate where animals welcome the children? Let’s make it lively with lots of animals like penguins, chicks, pandas, rabbits, and elephants! Create the animals by cutting and pasting colored paper.
You can also combine flowers made from tissue (flower) paper to craft large blossoms and lay them out together with the animals—so stylish! Animals peeking out from behind big flowers are super cute.
If you laminate the entrance letters and the animal illustrations, they’ll be more durable, so give it a try.
dinosaur
This dinosaur-themed entrance gate makes a huge impact even from afar.
Kids love dinosaurs and other unusual creatures! Creating it together with your child will make the process even more exciting.
Combine cardboard pieces to build the dinosaur base and cover it with colored construction paper.
Adding thoughtful touches like a distinctive mane or belly will make it look even more dinosaur-like.
Rather than aiming for a realistic dinosaur, a unique and cute design will likely delight children more.
You can also add your child’s own drawings or a photo of their face to give it a special, personalized feel.
[Preschool/Sports Day] Cute Entrance Gate Ideas (11–20)
Sea creatures
A fun and lively entrance gate where lots of sea creatures welcome you.
Try decorating the gate with your child’s favorite ocean animals, like whales, crabs, squid, octopuses, jellyfish, sea turtles, and garden eels! You can enjoy crafting together using origami, paper cups, bubble wrap and other packing materials, and construction paper.
Arrange your handmade sea creatures in an arch, and it will transform into a splendid entrance gate! Setting the background to feel like the ocean would be wonderful, too.
Your child can proudly say, “Here’s the creature I made!”
rainbow
Why not try handcrafting a rainbow entrance gate for your sports day, filled with everyone’s dreams? Rainbows pair perfectly with an arch-shaped gate! Add clouds at both ends of the arch, and if you have time, arrange stars or a sun to make it even cuter.
It would also be lovely to decorate it with lively photos or illustrations of the children.
It’s a design that will delight the preschoolers and teachers marching through the gate, as well as their parents.
If you’re undecided about entrance gate ideas, this is highly recommended.
Ghibli
How about expressing Studio Ghibli’s unique world—captivating for both children and adults—at the entrance gate? It would pair well with the heartwarming feel of popular titles for kids like My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki’s Delivery Service, and Ponyo.
For example, you could place the Catbus from My Neighbor Totoro at the top of the gate and use tissue paper flowers to create a forest or woodland scene.
You could also arrange Big Totoro, Medium Totoro, and Small Totoro on the sides.
Featuring distinctive characters from each work is sure to be a hit with the children.
national flag
International flags are essential for a school sports day.
Since many foreign flags have colorful designs, just looking at them can be fun for both kids and adults! Combine cardboard pieces to create the base for an entrance gate, then decorate it with flags.
You could have your child do the coloring of the flags, or let them freely draw their favorite flags or even imaginary ones—it could be a lot of fun! Above all, having your child make it themselves will create lasting memories.
You could also combine animals, flowers, rainbows, and more to make an even livelier entrance gate.