[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)
Paku-Paku Hina Doll
These are chattering Hina dolls that overturn the idea that Hina dolls are just for display and admiring! All you mainly need is a single paper cup.
Make deep slits on two opposite sides of the cup, and it will open and close like a mouth! Then draw the face and add a crown or a fan and scepter, and your wide-mouthed Hina doll is complete.
Since it moves, it could be fun to use the dolls you’ve made to create an original story with the children and put on a little puppet show.
You can make the other characters the same way—why not develop a brand-new Hinamatsuri storyline?
Hina dolls made with paper cups and tissue paper
Let’s make a Hina doll using a paper cup and tissue paper for crafts.
First, prepare two paper cups and cut one vertically in half.
The bottom part will be the doll’s head.
You won’t use the opposite side, so it’s fine to make a slit when cutting.
Draw the doll’s face on the cut paper cup and attach a decoration on top of the head.
Place the remaining paper cup upside down (with the bottom facing up), cover it with your preferred tissue paper, then place the head on top and secure it.
Your Hina doll is complete! The tissue paper will form the kimono, so layer several sheets to create a rich, festive look.
You can make the Odairi-sama (the emperor doll) the same way!
Hina decorations using my own photos
A Hina Doll display where you can become a couple with the Emperor and Empress using photos! Glue colored construction paper onto a backing to create the tiered stand, then decorate around it with flower stamps and more.
Next, prepare photos and cut around the faces, and make the Emperor’s face from construction paper for girls and the Empress’s face for boys.
Finally, have the children freely color coffee filters to resemble kimono, glue them on as the garments, and then attach the photos and the construction paper faces on top—and it’s complete! Seeing themselves lined up on the Hina tiers wearing the kimono they made will fill the children with excitement.
Hina dolls made with vegetable stamps
Vegetable stamps that let you enjoy the natural, beautiful patterns while observing the cross-sections of the veggies you usually eat.
Prepare a sponge soaked with paint, apply the paint to vegetables sliced into rounds, and freely stamp patterns onto a round sheet of drawing paper.
Once it’s dry, fold it and add faces, and you’ll have completed a pair of Hina dolls—the elegantly dressed Ohinasama and Odairisama! It’s a perfect craft idea to spark children’s creativity.
Who knows—after seeing the lovely patterns made by vegetables, some kids might even overcome their picky eating!
Fluffy paper-tissue Hina dolls
Here’s a cute decoration idea using tissue paper that feels soft and fluffy to the touch! Start by making it like a pom-pom: accordion-fold the tissue paper, staple it in the center, then fluff it out to create three-dimensional petals.
Next, attach the faces of the Empress (Ohinasama) and Emperor (Odairisama) made from colored construction paper, and you’re done! It’s simple and turns out adorable.
Put some extra care into decorating the paper plate base to give it a festive look! You could even make smaller ones and turn them into a full-fledged Hina display.
Sakura Mochi Made of Paper
A springlike and very appetizing craft: making sakuramochi out of paper.
Crumple up some tissue paper, wrap it with pink crepe paper, and secure it with clear tape to make the mochi portion.
Next, use zigzag scissors to cut green construction paper into a leaf shape, then accordion-fold it to create veins.
Finally, attach double-sided tape or a rolled piece of clear tape to the leaf and wrap it around the pink mochi to finish! Since the mochi is just wrapped up, even children who aren’t yet skilled with tools can enjoy it while feeling like they’re making sweets.
[Childcare] Fun Hinamatsuri Craft Ideas (21–30)
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The center of a paper plate becomes the Hina dolls’ kimono, while the rim transforms into a wreath base! Cut out the middle of the paper plate, cut it in half, and attach origami paper.
Add faces made from colored construction paper, fold the plate, and glue on a fan and a scepter—your Odairi-sama and Ohina-sama are complete! Cut colorful origami paper into small pieces and attach them around the rim of the plate.
Then stick the dolls in the center to finish your Hinamatsuri wreath! Punch a hole, thread a ribbon through, and decorate your room.