Lovely childcare

[Early Childhood Education] Sports Day craft ideas: medals, cheering flags, and wall decorations.

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.

Sports festivals at nursery schools and kindergartens are important once-a-year events for children.

Each child practices really hard.

Here, we’ll introduce craft ideas that can create fun memories for the kids who are giving it their all!

In addition to medals and trophies, making an entrance gate, wall decorations, and cheering flags will really boost the atmosphere.

We also recommend creating them together with the children.

Let’s have kids and adults enjoy the preparations together and make lots of wonderful sports day memories!

[Childcare] Sports Day craft ideas: medals, cheering flags, and wall decorations (31–40)

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.

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red-and-white cap

Red-and-white caps have always been a timeless symbol of sports and physical education.

Why not incorporate them as wall decorations for your sports day? Since people often create decorations featuring children enjoying the event, adding red-and-white caps to those designs could be a great touch.

Even if you don’t include people, items like relay batons and sports day flags, along with the caps, instantly convey “It’s sports day!” Not only children but also parents will likely recall memories and stories about those caps.

Sharing those nostalgic stories can be a lot of fun, too.

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Drawing: Memories of the Sports Day

After the sports day, how about looking back on your memories while drawing? Set the theme as “Memories of Sports Day” and let them draw freely.

They’ll likely come up with various ideas, such as favorite events or moments that left a strong impression.

Another idea is to make small pom-poms with raffia/suzuran tape and stick them onto the drawing afterward so it looks like they’re holding them.

Enjoy the curious effect of combining three-dimensional elements with a picture.

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Medal made with tissue paper

[Nursery/Kindergarten] 6 Ways to Make Cute Medals [Rosettes]

Medal made with tissue paper

A fluffy medal made with tissue paper! Stack about five sheets of tissue paper, accordion-fold them, then cut in the middle.

Staple the center of the shortened tissue paper and gently open up the layered sheets.

Once you’ve fluffed it into shape, attach it to a round piece of backing paper and add a ribbon to finish.

Using a single color is cute, but mixing different colors of tissue paper also turns out beautifully.

Medals are usually thought of as thin and round—let’s break that image with a gorgeous, voluminous medal to celebrate the children’s hard work!

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Medal made with aluminum foil

Let's Make a Shiny Gold Medal [Craft Channel]

Medal made with aluminum foil

Children are thrilled with gold, silver, and bronze medals! These shiny medals are made from aluminum foil.

Apply glue to a round piece of cardboard and cover the entire surface with aluminum foil.

Color it all over with a yellow permanent marker for gold, or use brown or red permanent markers to transform it into bronze! Attach a ribbon to hang it around the neck, and it’s done.

A sparkling medal given by the teacher becomes a treasure for the children.

Instead of separating them into gold, silver, and bronze, it might be nice to give everyone a gold medal with the message, “Great job, everyone!”

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[Childcare] Sports day craft ideas: medals, cheering flags, and wall displays (41–50)

Countdown

Some kids are counting on their fingers, wondering, “How many days until the sports day?” That sense of nervous excitement leading up to the day is part of the event’s charm.

So how about making something that counts down the days until sports day? You could create a motif with a whiteboard inside it, use magnets to display the numbers, or put stickers on a calendar.

Try choosing a method that fits your location and available space.

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Sparkly Medal

[Origami] How to Make a Sparkling Medal – origami medal

Sparkly Medal

With holographic glitter origami paper, you can make a gorgeous medal that looks just like a gold medal.

After making vertical, horizontal, and diagonal creases in the paper, fold step by step to form the medal shape.

Since it’s harder to crease than regular origami, rub along the folds with your fingernail as you carefully fold.

Finally, write the rank or a “Congratulations” message in the center, and your sparkly medal is complete! The special feel, different from a regular origami medal, is sure to double the kids’ excitement!

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