Lovely childcare

[Craft] Make and Display! A Special Feature on Ideas for Making Koinobori (Carp Streamers)

20 years of experience as a nursery teacher / kindergarten teacherhiyoko sensei
I’m Hiyoko-sensei, a former nursery school teacher from Hyogo Prefecture. Ever since I was five, my dream was to become a childcare worker, and before I knew it, 20 years had passed since I achieved that dream. Through singing and playing with the children, I kept working with the spirit of someone in their twenties, even as I increasingly felt my physical limits year by year (haha). From here on, I’d like to share helpful information carefully and thoughtfully, drawing on my on-site experience.
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.

When it comes to Children’s Day, many people think of koinobori (carp streamers).

Koinobori are displayed at schools and at home to wish for children’s healthy growth.

This time, we’re sharing ideas for making koinobori.

There are plenty of fun ideas: perfect for wall displays, ones that use handprints and footprints, and even wearable versions! If children arrange them freely with their own ideas, they can create wonderfully unique koinobori full of personality.

Through making activities, let’s also teach the origins and customs of Children’s Day to deepen their interest in the event.

We use the term “seisaku” in the text because the items children create are treated as works or projects.

[Crafts] Make and Display! A Special Collection of Ideas for Making Koinobori (Carp Streamers) (21–30)

Wobbly Paper Plate Koinobori

[Koinobori Craft] Easy even for infants! How to make it using paper plates

Wobbly Paper Plate Koinobori

Here’s a cute wobbling carp streamer craft.

Prepare a round paper plate and cut off about one-third of it.

On the larger remaining piece, let the children freely stick round stickers.

If you cut the round stickers in half, they can represent scales, but if sticking them is difficult, keeping them round is still very cute.

Once decorated, fold the plate in half and add eyes on both sides.

That’s it! Place it on a flat surface and gently press it with your finger—the carp streamer will wobble and it’s lots of fun.

It’s a carp streamer you can both make and play with—give it a try!

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Garland-style koi nobori (carp streamers)

https://www.tiktok.com/@ashumama_kosodate/video/7491610054190238992

Perfect for May origami too! Let’s decorate your room with a garland-style carp streamer.

You’ll need eight 7.5 cm sheets of origami paper.

Fold each sheet into a triangle twice, then choose two and insert the overlapping corners into each other to make one unit.

Do the same with the remaining sheets to make a total of four units.

Next, stack and glue these four units in the same direction to form the carp streamer.

Add an eye, thread a string through the inside, and your garland-style carp streamer is complete! Try making it colorful by deliberately changing all the colors and patterns of the origami paper.

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Koinobori made with drawing paper

[Cute Koinobori] Easy to make with construction paper. Perfect for Tango no Sekku/Children’s Day—give it a try!

Koinobori made with drawing paper

Just cut and paste construction paper! Here are ideas for making a carp streamer (koinobori).

Prepare a 14.5 cm × 10 cm sheet of construction paper for the body and a 14.5 cm × 6 cm sheet for the tail fin.

First, roll the body sheet into a tube and glue it.

For the tail fin, draw two adjacent semicircles along one side of the 14.5 cm edge, cut along those semicircles with scissors, then overlap and glue it to the body.

Cut scales from construction paper in the same color as the tail fin and glue them evenly over the body, then add an eye to finish the koinobori.

Attach the finished koinobori to a thick straw to complete it.

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Easy to display! How to make a 3D carp streamer

[Easy ✨ Origami] How to Make a 3D Koinobori 🎏 [Children’s Day] Wall Decoration / Hanging Ornament

Easy to display! How to make a 3D carp streamer

This is a carp streamer decoration made with washi-pattern origami.

Place the origami with the colored side up and fold the left edge 1.5 cm inward.

The white part that appears on the front will be the carp streamer’s face.

Roll it into a tube to make the body, then cut slits on the side opposite the face to create the tail fin.

Attach a round sticker for the eye on the face, and it’s done.

Make several and connect them vertically with a strip of paper to create a lovely May-themed wall decoration.

Instructions for making smaller carp streamers are also included, so you can represent a whole carp family.

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Kashiwa-mochi are scale-like carp streamers

[Craft Idea] Carp streamers made of kashiwa-mochi scales & irises (May Children’s Day, with templates) (Senior recreation, occupational therapy, day service, childcare, wall decorations) (origami DIY)

Kashiwa-mochi are scale-like carp streamers

Carp streamers that reimagine Kashiwa-mochi—lucky treats for Children’s Day—as fish scales! It’s an innovative idea that makes you feel cheerful just looking at it.

Make the base of the carp streamer from construction paper.

Create the Kashiwa-mochi by using circular origami paper and attaching green origami cut into the shape of oak leaves.

After sticking the two together, make a slit down the center of the oak leaf and overlap the left and right sides to give it a three-dimensional finish—that’s the key point.

Instructions for making irises are also included, so make them together and complete a May-themed wall decoration.

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a carp streamer with a helmet on top

Must-have items for Children’s Day decorations are carp streamers and samurai helmets.

Here’s an idea that combines both: decorate by putting a helmet on a carp streamer.

Carp streamer decorations have a certain cuteness, while helmets give a strong, bold impression.

A carp streamer wearing a little helmet on its head looks so cool—kids are sure to love it.

It would also be great for the children to make their own carp streamers and helmets in any colors they like.

It’ll create a colorful and wonderful wall display.

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Koinobori made with stamps

Let’s make use of scrap materials we usually throw away! Here’s an idea for creating a carp streamer using stamps.

You’ll need: construction paper cut into a carp-streamer shape, a brush, a palette, paints, carp-streamer parts made from construction paper, glue, rubber bands, an empty lactic acid drink bottle, and bubble wrap.

Bubble wrap makes a fun “pop-pop!” sound when you press it with your fingers, but this time let’s use it for crafting without popping it! Attach a cut piece of bubble wrap to the empty lactic acid drink bottle with a rubber band, and your stamp is ready.

Dab your favorite paint onto the construction paper and have fun stamping! You’ll get patterns that look just like the scales of a carp streamer.

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