[Childcare] Enjoy Setsubun! A collection of handmade ideas you can decorate with and play with
When we think of Setsubun, it’s the seasonal event where we enjoy bean-throwing and ehomaki.
How about decorating your room with a Setsubun vibe using handmade crafts together with the kids? In this article, we’ve gathered fun Setsubun ideas that are easy to try at nurseries and kindergartens, too.
There are plenty of crafts that let you enjoy both making and decorating—like ogre (oni) masks and bean containers made from familiar materials, as well as garlands and tapestries to hang in the room.
Create your own Setsubun decorations and make this year’s Setsubun an even more special day!
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[Childcare] Have Fun on Setsubun! A Collection of Handmade Ideas You Can Decorate With and Play With (41–50)
Making an oni (ogre) using a toilet paper roll core
Let’s try making Setsubun decorations using recycled materials! Many teachers may be thinking about creating oni (ogre) crafts for Setsubun.
This time, let’s make wonderful pieces using toilet paper rolls that we usually throw away.
You’ll need toilet paper rolls, origami in various colors, scissors, glue or double-sided tape, a pencil, a black permanent marker, and a white correction pen or white permanent marker.
The steps are simple and easy to follow, so even children in infant classes can give it a try while arranging the craft together with their teacher.
Hand-painted oni creation
Let’s try painting an oni (demon) face by hand.
Prepare a black construction paper base and paints in any colors you like.
First, put some watered-down paint on your hand and use it to draw the outline of the oni’s face on the base.
The outline can be round or triangular—anything is fine.
Have the children imagine the kind of oni they think of and draw it.
Once the paint dries, glue on the parts you made from construction paper—face, cheeks, horns, and hair—to finish.
Any paint color is okay, but since the base is black, bright colors work well.
Oni mask made from paper plates
Let’s make a simple and cute oni (demon) mask using an everyday paper plate.
Cut the paper plate in half and color the entire surface with paint or paint markers.
Next, use scissors or an awl to make openings for the eyes.
Glue on hair and horns made from construction paper or yarn, then finish by attaching a rubber band to both sides of the mask.
For the nose, make a slit with scissors to create an indentation.
It’s also recommended to use plenty of yarn for extra volume.
Another great idea is to use a plastic bottle cap for the nose to create a more three-dimensional mask.
Making oni masks
Let’s make oni masks to wear for Setsubun! As a first step, cut the base shapes for the oni’s face and hair from construction paper.
Next, cut out the parts for the eyes, nose, fangs, cheeks, and horns, and pre-cut short pieces of yarn for the hair.
Adults can handle the prep, but it might be nice to let the children do it since it’s good practice with scissors.
Once everything is ready, glue each part onto the face base.
After the oni’s face is complete, attach it to the mask base to finish! The mask base should be prepared by an adult in advance.
Oni bean-throwing bag
Let’s make an oni-themed Setsubun bag that’s perfect for festivities.
Cut out the oni outline drawn on construction paper with scissors, then cut out the hair and facial parts as well.
After making the oni’s horn(s), eyes, and mouth, glue them onto the face to complete the oni.
Next, cut construction paper to create the gusset (side) pieces of the bag, snip small notches at the ends, and attach them to the oni face.
Carefully glue the front and back of the face together, then cut a ribbon to an easy-to-hold length and attach it to the bag to finish.
Make a cute oni bean-holding bag and enjoy Setsubun!
cute origami demon
Let’s make an origami oni (demon) that’s perfect for Setsubun.
When folding the oni’s face, make clear creases, and fold the horn area carefully so the tips come to a sharp point.
If you want the oni to have two horns, be careful not to cut too deep when making the slits with scissors.
When opening and puffing out the body section, it’s best to watch the shape and size so they stay even as you open it.
Fold the legs and arms, wrap the body with origami paper decorated with the oni’s underwear pattern, then attach the head to the body to finish.
This is a great Setsubun craft that uses fine motor skills, so give it a try!
Fun! Setsubun Crafts You Can Play With
Let’s make some crafts to play with during Setsubun and invite good fortune.
For the craft where you race to see whether the red ogre or the blue ogre reaches the goal first, draw an ogre on thick paper and cut it out with scissors.
Cut some straws and glue them together in a V shape, thread a string through, and you’re done.
Be careful with the size of the ogre drawing—if it’s too big, it might be hard to play with.
For the craft where you can “defeat the ogre,” attach a string to a clear handle and cover it with clear tape.
Trim any excess with scissors, stick on the ogre you made, and it’s complete.
Try tossing pom-poms to defeat the ogre and have fun.
Since the pom-poms are soft, this is a craft that even small children can enjoy.