[Childcare] Fun Craft Ideas for Hinamatsuri (Girls' Day)
When you think of Hinamatsuri (Girls’ Day), many people probably picture hina dolls.
Some kindergartens and nurseries make hina dolls together with the children in the lead-up to the festival.
This time, we’ve gathered ideas for making hina dolls.
Many can be made with familiar materials like paper cups and origami, so be sure to try them at school or at home.
Customize the colors and designs to create a one-of-a-kind, original hina doll!
Make lots and enjoy a bright and festive Hinamatsuri.
Because children’s creations are treated as works, we use the term “制作” (production/creation) in the text.
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[Childcare] Fun Hinamatsuri (Girls’ Day) Craft Ideas (11–20)
Hina dolls you can make just by cutting and pasting
Attach a light orange origami paper, representing the face, onto a black origami paper representing the hair, offset at a 90-degree angle.
Fold the overlapping corners of the papers to the back to complete the hina doll’s face.
Next, on the lower half of the origami, paste a washi-patterned origami cut to 1/2 size to represent the kimono.
Cut the same patterned origami into 1/4 to make two squares, layer them with red origami slightly offset, and paste them together.
Attach these to both lower corners beneath the face origami to finish.
Draw the face with a pen to complete it.
Right Minister · Left Minister
Here we introduce how to make the Right Minister and Left Minister with origami.
All you need is a single sheet of origami paper.
Fold the paper into a triangle, then fold it in half again to make crease lines.
Make a slit where the creases overlap to form the face area.
After that, repeat the steps of folding and unfolding to shape the kimono.
Even without intricate detailing, you can evoke a traditional Japanese outfit just with the creases.
Using washi-patterned origami paper enhances the Hinamatsuri atmosphere even more.
Make two using the same method, and you’ll have the Right Minister and Left Minister.
Changing the colors and patterns creates contrast and makes them look better when displayed side by side.
Give it a try!
A fan made from a single sheet of origami paper
In this idea, the step of making creases is important.
First, fold the origami in half, then use that crease to make finer creases.
Next, cut the origami with scissors at the designated sections.
Add more creases to the remaining part and shape it into a fan.
The key point is to connect the corners of the creases and make diagonal folds.
By folding diagonally, the square origami will ultimately transform into a fan shape.
The folded-back white part will be the handle.
Let’s proceed carefully, step by step.
Sakura mochi
Adorable in appearance and popular with children, “sakura mochi” origami is a hit.
Once finished, it looks like a real sweet, making it perfect for pretend play.
Prepare two sheets of origami paper: pink and light green.
For the light green sheet, fold with the white side facing up to create the leaf shape.
By using the creases to tuck the corners inside, you can convey the look of the filling being wrapped.
Adults should help with the finer steps.
For the mochi, use the pink paper; simply fold inward along the creases to form the shape.
Combine it with the leaf, and your sakura mochi is complete.
It’s an easy idea to use in childcare settings, and you can enjoy a Hinamatsuri atmosphere while making it.
Self-standing Hina dolls
Use half-size origami paper to make the doll’s body.
Place the paper with the white side facing up.
First, fold the bottom edge up to the top, offset slightly from the top edge, and fold in half.
Turn the paper over, tuck the left edge into the crease on the right edge, then flatten it in this position.
Fold the bottom corner to the back and the body is complete.
For the head, prepare 15 cm origami.
With the white side facing up, fold the left and right corners inward to make three equal sections.
Next, turn the paper over and fold the top triangular part down toward you.
Then fold it toward you once more around the center of the paper.
Fold the four corners of this section to the back to refine the outline, cut off the unnecessary part at the bottom, draw the face with a pen, and attach it to the body to finish!
Confectionery box
An easy craft to include for Hinamatsuri is a “candy box” you can make with a single sheet of origami paper.
To create the right atmosphere, we recommend using Japanese-patterned paper.
Start by placing the white side up and folding it into a triangle.
Open it, refine the shape, and the key is to reveal the pattern by flipping sections as if turning pages.
There are some detailed steps, but the work itself is simple, so proceed while checking each step one by one.
Once the shape is set, carefully open it so the creases don’t come undone.
Adjust it into a box shape and it’s complete.
You can also fill the finished candy box with hina-arare, making it fun to enjoy even after you’ve finished making it.
[Childcare] Fun Hinamatsuri Craft Ideas (21–30)
Chigiri-e: Making Hina Dolls
These torn-paper Hina dolls are fun even for little kids! Torn-paper collage is a delightful craft technique that lets children use their hands.
It helps develop fine finger movements that are important for growth, so why not incorporate it into your Hinamatsuri crafts? To make this, apply glue to a paper cup and stick on pieces of torn paper until it’s covered.
Add the small decorative parts of the Hina dolls at the end for an even lovelier finish.
You can also put the paper cup and torn paper into a plastic bag and work inside it to make cleanup easier.
Try tearing and arranging origami papers with different patterns!
