[January Childcare] Traditional New Year’s Games! A Collection of Ideas to Enjoy with Children

Fukuwarai made with origami

How to fold an Okame (Fukuwarai) with origami [New Year’s game]

Fukuwarai is a game where a blindfolded person places eyes, a nose, and other facial parts onto a picture that only shows the outline of a face.

It used to be a New Year’s pastime, but it seems chances to play it have been decreasing recently.

A Fukuwarai set featuring an Okame face made from origami might be a more casual way to enjoy it.

Use black origami paper, crease it first, and then fold the Okame.

The black side of the origami becomes Okame’s hair, and the white side is the face.

Have the children freely draw the facial features with pens or other tools.

Of course, making separate facial parts and gluing them on will also look great.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

Nakajima Junko

Report a problem

Let’s try playing Fukuwarai!

[New Year’s Games] Let’s make a Fukuwarai!

Why not try making a fukuwarai using crayons, scissors, and construction paper? Fukuwarai is a traditional Japanese game said to date back to the mid-Edo period.

First, draw parts like eyes, nose, and mouth on construction paper and cut around each piece.

Then make a base.

For the base, you can either cut pale orange construction paper into a face shape and glue it down, or draw the face with crayons.

Once everything is ready, start arranging the parts.

You can express different emotions—like a smiling face or a sad face—depending on how you place the pieces.

It’s also fun to arrange the parts while blindfolded.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

Report a problem

Also great for January birthday parties! A fun panel theater

@aoringo.shop

Panda’s New Year Shop – Panel Theater. Perfect for New Year performances and January birthday parties! Includes interactive mechanisms.New YearThe Twelve Zodiac SignsJanuarytranslationHappy New YearHappy New YearNursery teacher / Childcare workerChildcare#KindergartenBirthday partyPerformance / ShowPanel TheaterAoringo Shop#GreenApple Panel Theater

3:03 PM – Sharou

This panel theater is performed using a shop called “Oshōgatsu-ya” (New Year’s Shop) and various New Year-related items.

When you say “Akemashite omedetō” (Happy New Year), the shop’s doors open and the items appear.

It’s a play on words between akemashite (Happy New Year) and akemashite (to open)! You can use any items you like—mochi, a battledore, New Year’s money envelopes, osechi, and so on.

Clearly explain what each item is so the children can understand and get a feel for New Year’s traditions.

If there’s a birthday child, adding a cake will likely delight them!

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

sasashina

Report a problem

Great for New Year’s fun too! Daruma rolling

When it comes to classic New Year’s motifs, “daruma” surely comes to mind.

They’re also very popular as New Year’s decorations, and there’s even a custom of painting in the left eye while making a wish.

In this activity, children make daruma using colored plastic sheeting and then climb on them, jump, and roll around to play.

Is the plastic bag stuffed with newspaper? The plastic is reinforced with tape so it won’t tear, and cute faces are attached as well.

There aren’t any fixed rules for how to play, so let the children interact freely with the daruma.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

sasashina

Report a problem

Handmade crafts for New Year’s games

Let me show you how to make a battledore and shuttlecock for the classic New Year’s game hanetsuki.

You’ll make the battledore from a milk carton and a pair of chopsticks, and the shuttlecock from tissue paper and aluminum foil.

First, cut off the bottom of the milk carton to make it a rectangle, then cut a strip about 2 cm wide along the side near the former bottom.

Using the creases on both sides, fold the milk carton flat and secure it with tape.

Trim off both corners on the drinking-spout side to create the striking surface.

Next, fold the 2 cm strip you cut earlier in half, sandwich the chopsticks inside, and attach it as a handle.

For the shuttlecock, stack several sheets of tissue paper, shape them into a rectangle, twist one end to form the base, and shape the rest into feathers.

Make three of these, then wrap the twisted bases together with aluminum foil to finish.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

sasashina

Report a problem

Challenge in childcare! First calligraphy play

@miraistep.hoikuen

New Year – January Crafts#Nursery schoolNursery teacher / Childcare workerSaitama PrefectureSaitama CityMirai StepNew YearFirst calligraphy of the year#Nursery School Craft#Year of the Snake

♫ Original Song – Mirai Step Co., Ltd. – Mirai Step Co., Ltd.

Kakizome is the first calligraphy of the year, in which people write down their New Year’s resolutions and wishes with the hope of improving their handwriting.

Although it’s an event that assumes you can write characters, it’s the New Year—so why not let children from infants to preschoolers enjoy their own style of kakizome? For older preschoolers who are practicing letters in preparation for school, it’s a good idea to write that year’s zodiac animal in hiragana.

For infants, writing characters is a high hurdle, so encourage them to try it as a drawing activity while letting them feel the texture of the brush and washi paper.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

sasashina

Report a problem

Fluffy giant kagami mochi!

[January Wall Decoration] Fluffy Extra-Large Kagami Mochi [Easy Craft] Kagami mochi

Let’s brighten up your January wall display with a fluffy kagami mochi! You’ll make a kagami mochi, mandarin orange, sanpō tray, urajiro fern, shihōbeni (red-bordered paper), gohei (ceremonial paper), and a ribbon.

For the kagami mochi, stack several sheets of flower paper, accordion-fold them, tie the center with string, then fluff out each sheet one by one.

For the other parts, cut the shapes from colored construction paper or kraft paper and glue them together.

For the sanpō, it’s recommended to crumple the kraft paper once to add wrinkles for texture.

Along with the kagami mochi, adding origami flowers and the zodiac animal will make your wall display even more charming!

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

sasashina

Report a problem