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 (51–60)

Valentine’s chocolates made with paint and stickers

Why not try making a cute heart-themed craft for Valentine’s Day? First, prepare two kinds of hearts: one pink and one white.

The key is to make the sizes slightly different so that, when layered, the white one forms a border.

Have the children paint on the hearts with brown paint.

Once the paint is dry, add stickers to decorate the hearts even more.

Next, make a pastry chef holding a heart.

Prepare facial parts in advance and let the children glue them on freely.

Once the teacher arranges it so the pastry chef is holding the heart, it’s complete!

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Footprint heart gift

[Valentine’s Craft] Perfect for taking home♪ A footprint heart gift [Ages 0–1] (ASMR-style video)

Footprint heart gift

An idea for a footprint heart that’s sure to delight parents when taken home.

First, prepare white construction paper and make a footprint.

Place the heels together to form a heart shape.

Once it’s done, cut out the footprint section and paste it onto a heart-shaped backing made from red construction paper.

To finish, protect it with a bag or similar so it doesn’t get smudged.

It’s nice because you can look back later and feel how much they’ve grown.

It’s also a perfect idea for Valentine’s Day.

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Candy box

[Craft] Valentine’s Day Project – Candy Box

Candy box

Giving a candy box that looks like a cute piece of candy is also a great idea! You’ll need construction paper, stickers, scissors, glue, and a pencil.

If you prepare two ribbons about 50 cm each, you can make it look even fancier! The steps are very simple: first, fold the origami paper in half several times and make small cuts.

Next, while shaping it with glue, decorate the construction paper with stickers and tie the opening with the ribbons.

Finish it off with a message, and you’re done!

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gift box

[Craft Play] Let's make an easy Valentine's gift box with paper cups

gift box

There are times when you want to give someone chocolates but don’t have a gift box, right? In situations like that, it’s handy to know how to make a gift box yourself.

All you need is a paper cup.

First, make slits all the way around the rim.

Then just fold the cut sections inward to close them, and you’re done.

If you like, add washi tape or draw some illustrations.

Wrapping a ribbon around it also looks great! Since you’ll be using scissors, be careful not to hurt yourself.

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[Childcare] Cute to Make! Valentine’s Craft Idea Collection (61–70)

Heart origami

[In the spirit of Valentine’s Day ❤️] Let’s make a “heart” with origami!

Heart origami

With Valentine’s Day approaching, some teachers and kids are making all sorts of plans.

Whatever you have in mind, an origami heart is sure to come in handy.

This is a simple project: folding a heart out of origami paper.

But it’s versatile in many situations—for example, decorating a wall, attaching to a box of chocolates or a letter, and you can even write a message directly on it.

The structure is simple and quick to fold, so try making lots of them!

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Marble Message Card

[A Must-See for Preschool Teachers!] Valentine’s Craft: Message Cards Made with Marbles #Shorts

Marble Message Card

Shiny marbles that roll with lively energy are a top-recommended item for childcare workers because kids love them.

Making message cards using those marbles is sure to be an activity children enjoy! The method is a bit unique: cut an empty tissue box in half.

Then place a few marbles colored with various paints or inks inside, and roll them around so they move evenly across the surface.

This creates a dynamic, intriguing design.

After that, just add a message and give it—super simple, right?

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fake sweets

Parfait making and Valentine’s crafts

fake sweets

Sweet treats like chocolate take center stage on Valentine’s Day, don’t they? Faux sweets made from paper clay and colored paper are a standout gift that will make people think you have great taste! This time, I’ll explain how to make a parfait.

Here’s how: knead red paper clay to form the base of the parfait, place it in a clear cup, then decorate the sides of the cup with thin strips of colored paper to create the look of fruit sauce.

Finally, drizzle white silicone cream on top like whipped cream, add a strawberry decoration, and you’re done.

Just like that, you’ll have an easy yet authentic-looking creation!

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In conclusion

We introduced some Valentine’s Day craft ideas.

Just looking at heart-shaped ones makes you feel happy, doesn’t it? Kids who love cute things are sure to be thrilled! If you listen to the children’s ideas and let each of them freely choose their favorite colors and materials, they’ll create wonderfully original, charming pieces.

Prepare plenty of decorative items like ribbons, pipe cleaners, and stickers, and lay them out! It’s also a great idea to set aside time for the kids to exchange what they made with friends afterward—it really enhances the Valentine’s atmosphere.

Wishing you a fun Valentine’s Day!