Lovely childcare

[Preschool] Cute to Make! A Collection of Valentine’s Craft Ideas

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.

February 14 is Valentine’s Day.

In Japan, there’s a tradition where women give chocolate to someone they like, but recently it’s been shifting toward giving gifts or messages to family and friends as a way to express gratitude.

I think more and more preschools are enjoying the Valentine’s atmosphere as well.

This article introduces Valentine-themed craft ideas for early childhood education.

It’s a collection of ideas you can make with familiar materials like origami paper and recycled items!

Enjoy making Valentine’s crafts together with the children.

Wishing you a wonderful Valentine’s Day.

Because the items children make are treated as “works,” we use the term “seisaku (制作: production/work)” in the text.

[Childcare] Cute to Make! Valentine’s Craft Ideas (21–30)

Handprint and Footprint Card

Handprint and footprint pastel art ♡ Valentine’s card

Handprint and Footprint Card

For Valentine’s Day, how about giving a gift to Mom and Dad? Here’s an idea: a handprint and footprint card.

This involves designing a message card using handprint or footprint art.

For example, press two footprints onto construction paper to form a heart.

Add a message, and it’s complete.

This way, you can feel your child’s growth not only through the message but also through their footprints.

You can do the same with handprints—try shaping them into a heart, too.

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bracelet

[Accessory Introduction] What a 30-year-old office worker wears every day and her lifetime jewelry & watch 💍⌚️ [CHANEL/Cartier/ete/VA]

bracelet

It’s said that children start becoming interested in accessories around the age of two.

So why not try making some by hand? All you need are origami paper and rubber bands.

First, fold an origami heart with a ring attached, and then add a rubber band—that’s it.

This way, you don’t need to worry about sizing, and even if it breaks, you can quickly make another.

Also, if you change the origami heart to a different motif, you can create other accessories too.

A chocolate motif sounds like a fun idea as well.

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Stained glass of a heart

A heart-shaped stained glass that, when displayed by a window, catches the light and shows translucent colors.

The method is simple, so it’s easy for kids to make.

Cut construction paper into any shape you like and cover one side with clear tape.

Then stick small pieces of colored cellophane onto the clear tape.

You can place them freely in any arrangement.

February is Valentine’s season, so shapes like hearts, chocolates, or snowmen are recommended to capture the seasonal feel.

Try layering the cellophane and enjoying how the colors blend—you might discover something new.

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Valentine sun catcher

http://www.lemon8-app.com

It sparkles in the light and looks so cute! Let’s make a sun catcher with a Valentine’s theme.

First, cut your favorite color of construction paper into a heart shape.

Cut out the inside the same way to create a heart-shaped frame.

Next, fold a piece of parchment (or baking) paper in half, and on just one side, glue small pieces of transparent origami paper.

Once you’ve covered enough to fill the inside of the heart, place the paper frame on top of the origami pieces, apply glue to the remaining side of the folded parchment paper, and sandwich them together to adhere.

Trim off any excess sticking out from the frame, and you’re done!

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Valentine wreath

Get into the Valentine’s spirit with a handmade craft! Here’s a wreath idea made using heart stamps.

Make the stamp by sticking a heart-shaped sponge sticker onto the cap of a small lactic acid drink bottle.

For the wreath base, cut a circular frame out of construction paper.

Once you’ve prepared pink or red ink or paint, stamp hearts all over the base until it’s filled.

Finish by adding parts for your favorite animal and a ribbon, and you’re done!

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Two-Color Heart You Can Make with Kids

[Origami] A Valentine’s “two-colored heart” to make together with a 3-year-old

Two-Color Heart You Can Make with Kids

Here’s a cute two-tone heart idea using double-sided origami paper! First, fold the paper in half so it becomes a rectangle.

Then overlap the left and right sides to fold it into a square, and repeat the same fold once more to crease it well.

Return the paper to the rectangular shape and place it with the creases at the bottom.

Fold the bottom-left corner up to align with the outer crease.

Open that fold into a triangle and flatten it.

If the left side of the paper looks like a house shape, you’re on the right track.

Next, lift one layer of the top-right corner and fold it down into a triangle along the bottom edge.

Once folded, fold the right edge in to meet the center line.

Lift one layer of the lower-left corner of the part you just folded and fold it into a triangle, then flip the paper over.

Fold the right edge inward to form a square again, and fold down the top edge about 5 mm all together.

Open the topmost layer of the folded-down section and squash the corner into a triangle.

Finally, fold both bottom corners in to meet the center line, and it will form a heart!

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Tissue paper heart

This is a Valentine’s craft with a heart motif.

Try expressing a heart in various ways in the center of a sheet of construction paper.

For infants, a recommended method is to draw a heart outline and fill the inside with crumpled tissue paper to create a three-dimensional heart.

For children who can use scissors well, try cutting a heart-shaped window in the center of the paper and expressing the heart with a lattice pattern made from strips of construction paper.

As a decoration, making heart-shaped paper cutouts with origami is also recommended.

Create a lovely heart using methods suited to each age group!

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