Lovely childcare

Enjoy with everyday materials! Fun ideas for making oden

10 years as a kindergarten teacher / elementary school teacher / junior and senior high school teacher / childminderkepiko
Graduated from Kunitachi College of Music, Faculty of Music (now: Department of Music Culture and Education, Early Childhood Music Education major). In elementary school, my homeroom teacher was Jun Kusaba, a game researcher. After graduating from university, I worked as a kindergarten teacher for 10 years and as an after-school childcare instructor for 7 years, then took a position as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I engaged in activities that introduced Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational activities, working with many children. Later, through freelance writing, planning, and editing at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and sharing. Drawing on the perspective cultivated in the field of education and my experience as an editor, I provide practical information with an emphasis on both input and output, mainly in areas related to music and children. My hobbies include instruments, singing, handicrafts, toys, drawing, traditional games, the outdoors, and books. My special skill is spinning-top tricks.
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.

Oden, a popular winter craft! Why not try a fun project with children using colorful construction paper, felt, and yarn? With paper daikon radish, felt mochi pouches, and konnyaku knitted from yarn, you can create a warm, cozy world of oden using a variety of materials.

It’s a classic winter activity that everyone can enjoy together, whether at home, daycare, or kindergarten.

Let your imagination run wild and create your very own original oden! Note: Because the children’s creations are treated as works of art, the term used in the text is “制作 (seisaku)” rather than “製作 (seisaku).”

Have Fun with Everyday Materials! Creative Oden Craft Ideas (21–30)

Oden made with resin clay

I tried making oden out of resin clay.

Oden made with resin clay

With their glossy, three-dimensional look, these oden pieces look almost real and are sure to whet your appetite.

Let’s try making such realistic oden with resin clay.

Prepare resin clay, paint, coating medium, and resin.

Shape the oden ingredients out of clay; for the chikuwa, wrap the clay around a straw to create a hollow center—that’s the key.

When kneading color into the clay, work it thoroughly.

Add dissolved paint to the resin to make it slightly thick, then pour it over the items on the plate to create the oden broth.

A coat of finishing medium will also enhance the dimensionality of the ingredients.

Kids will likely enjoy shaping with resin clay and doing the painting steps.

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Oden painted in watercolors

Oden painted with watercolors

Oden painted in watercolors

Watercolor paints have a lovely translucence and make creating art feel fun, don’t they? This time, let’s make oden using watercolors.

Kids also enjoy the process of mixing paint with water to create colors.

When painting, it’s best to start with light colors and layer darker ones on top.

Letting children paint freely in the colors they like can help nurture their sensitivity, including their expressive and imaginative abilities.

As a bit of preparation before the watercolor activity, having each child draw their own oden picture in advance might make the painting process smoother.

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In conclusion

A fun oden craft that lets you feel the warmth of the season.

Using familiar materials like felt, origami paper, and construction paper, let’s make your favorite ingredients together with the children.

From choosing materials to shaping and finishing, their creativity and expressive skills will naturally grow.

Enjoy the world of oden with the children, warming both hearts and bodies in the cold season.