[By Age Group] Goldfish Craft Ideas! Enjoy Fun Time with Kids
As the weather gets warmer, we tend to imagine summer-themed motifs for our crafts.
Bright red goldfish often evoke the image of goldfish scooping at summer festivals, so many of you may be thinking of incorporating them into your summer projects.
Craft activities need to be tailored to children’s ages and developmental stages, which can make it tricky to decide on the tasks and steps.
In this article, we’re introducing goldfish craft ideas by target age group.
We’ll cover a wide range—from decorations you can enjoy displaying to ideas kids can actually play with.
We hope you find them helpful.
Note: Since the items children make are treated as “works,” we use the term “seisaku” (制作) in the text.
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- [Childcare] A roundup of summer craft ideas to enjoy with 2-year-olds
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- [Crafts] A special feature on ideas to try with three-year-olds in August! Choose from a variety of motifs
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- August Craft Ideas for 5-Year-Olds
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[By Age Group] Goldfish Craft Ideas! Enjoy Fun Times with Children (11–20)
Goldfish scooping toy
Goldfish scooping, a classic at summer festival stalls, is actually easy to make and enjoy at home! Cut a milk carton into a long strip to form a ring, attach a handle made from another piece of the carton, stretch a drain net over it, and secure it with vinyl tape to make a poi (scooper).
Next, draw fish on a milk carton, cut them out, and make your goldfish.
You can also cut goldfish from construction paper and laminate them between layers of OPP tape.
Float the goldfish in water and scoop them up with the poi.
Since the poi won’t tear, even small children can enjoy it.
goldfish
Let’s try folding a goldfish with origami.
Origami goldfish look colorful when made in various colors, and they give a very cool, refreshing impression.
As for how to fold this goldfish, the steps are the same as the origami samurai helmet up to a certain point.
Flatten the helmet sideways and fold back the tail section, and a goldfish will appear.
The horn parts of the helmet become the goldfish’s fins.
If you put lots of colorful goldfish in a glass bowl or add paper that resembles aquatic plants, it will look even more refreshing.
Try getting creative and see what you can make.
A goldfish you can make from a single sheet of origami paper
So cute—it’s like the goldfish is looking right at you! Here’s an idea for a goldfish you can make from a single sheet of origami paper.
You’ll need origami paper in your favorite color, 8 mm round stickers, glue, a pen, and a toothpick.
It’s fun to fold, and it’s also fun to draw the facial expression and add your own design once it’s finished! There are a few steps that are tricky to fold with your fingers, but using a pointed tool like a toothpick makes it easier.
Definitely try making one and display it in your room.
Plump goldfish
@sachimama_asobi Perfect for summer! Let’s make some adorable puffy goldfish 𓂃◌𓈒𓐍 Has everyone been to any festivals yet this year?? I’m planning to go to my local festival this weekend 🥰 I’m so happy festivals are back 🩷 Lately, I feel like I don’t see goldfish scooping at stalls as much—how about in your area? For now, I’m going to get a head start and play goldfish scooping with origami with the kids! Today I tried making puffy goldfish ✨ The plump shape is so cute, right? 😍 It’s easy, so definitely give it a try! +———————————————+ I’m Sachi-mama, raising three rambunctious boys ages 7, 5, and 1 ❀´- I share play ideas and simple crafts with kids using 100-yen items, natural materials, and recyclables. Feel free to like, follow, or DM me! Follow here ▷ @sachimama_asobi +———————————————+#AtHomePlay #AtHomePlayworkPlay with children#I love crafts Handmade Childcare goldfish Goldfish OrigamiOrigamiSunflower ProductionIndoor play origami #origamiHow to fold a goldfish (origami) #How to Make GoldfishDesign paper #SunflowerCraft#GoldfishAreCute
♬ Kimi No Toriko (Douyin Original Version) – Udi
You can enjoy goldfish scooping too! Let’s make plump little goldfish! First, start by folding using the origami balloon method, and complete the front side just like the balloon.
Once that’s done, turn it over and fold the left and right corners down to meet the center line.
Fold up the lower-left corner, apply glue over one side, then fold it in half and stick it together.
Attach round stickers for the eyes.
There’s an air hole on the tail side, so use a straw to blow air into it and inflate.
And there you have it—a plump and cute goldfish! Put some lily-of-the-valley tape (suzuran tape) in a basin to look like water and enjoy playing goldfish scooping!
Goldfish made with balloon stamps
We’ll introduce a colorful, pop, and cute goldfish craft made with balloon stamps.
Prepare paint, brushes, water balloons, construction paper, glue, and scissors.
After cutting the construction paper into the shape of a large jar and goldfish, dip an inflated water balloon in paint and stamp it onto the jar-shaped paper.
Switching colors as you stamp makes it even more fun.
Stick adhesive eyes on the goldfish, place them wherever you like, and you’re done.
Give it a try!
Goldfish you can make in 3 minutes
When summer comes, you feel like folding a cool-looking goldfish out of origami, don’t you? This goldfish is simple and takes about three minutes to make, so please give it a try.
The folding method is very similar to the samurai helmet (kabuto).
Instead of folding the horn parts of the kabuto, imagine folding back the part that goes over the head in the opposite direction.
After that, rotate the origami 90 degrees and fold it back the other way, then cut open and spread out the tail section.
Be careful not to cut your hands when using scissors.
Finish by drawing a cute face.
[By Age Group] Goldfish Craft Ideas! Have Fun with Kids (21–30)
A goldfish you can make by folding six times
This goldfish is one of the easiest origami goldfish to make.
Most goldfish origami usually starts by folding into a triangle, but this one is a bit unconventional because it begins with a square fold.
First, fold the paper in half to make a rectangle, then fold it diagonally along the diagonal.
After that, fold down the white section—this will become the tail fin.
Then make a small fold for the head, and it’s already done.
It’s an avant-garde style of origami, almost like a painting by Matisse or Picasso.