Lovely childcare

[May] A collection of craft ideas to try with 5-year-olds

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.
Nursery Teacher Mom Writertsukada moe
After working for five years at an after-school childcare club and three years at a nursery school, I began working as a freelance writer. I’m a mother of two children. Inspired by playing the flute in the school wind ensemble in elementary school, I joined a jazz club at university. I’ve also incorporated ukulele and piano performance into childcare. Playing, laughing, feeling sad, feeling frustrated—through all kinds of experiences, I want children to grow.

May has pleasant weather, and it somehow makes you feel excited, doesn’t it?

The five-year-olds, now the oldest in the class, may have settled down a bit since moving up a level.

May is also known for events like Children’s Day and Mother’s Day, so we’d love for you to try activities and crafts themed around these occasions and the month of May.

This time, we’ve gathered a variety of fun ideas using different materials and techniques.

These are ideas that five-year-olds will feel motivated to tackle precisely because of their age, so please give them a try.

Because the children’s creations are treated as works (art pieces), we use the term “seisaku” (制作) in the text.

[May] Craft ideas to try with 5-year-olds (11–20)

cardboard camera

Kids Will Love It! Make-Your-Own Camera

cardboard camera

Let me introduce a cardboard camera that’s perfect for a walk.

Prepare cardboard, cellophane, a paper cup, and double-sided tape.

Cut two pieces of cardboard to the size of the camera you want to make.

Take a paper cup that’s cut in half horizontally with slits cut vertically, place it against the cardboard, then cut out a lens shape and fit it in.

Stick colored cellophane over the top, glue the cardboard pieces together, and you’re done! Try adding a yarn strap for walks or changing the cellophane colors and decorating it as you like!

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[Toilet Paper Roll] Koinobori with Pinwheel

[Children’s Day Craft♪] Koinobori made with a toilet paper roll♪ DIY carp-shaped streamer using a toilet roll♪

[Toilet Paper Roll] Koinobori with Pinwheel

Here’s an idea for making a carp streamer with a rotating arrow wheel.

Use a toilet paper tube for the carp streamer and origami paper for the wheel.

First, cut the toilet paper tube at about one-third of its length.

Wrap the larger piece with origami paper, then fold the tube inward on one end to close the hole.

This will be the tail of the carp.

Stick circular stickers on both sides to make the eyes and scales, and the carp streamer is done! Next, make the arrow wheel by gluing the ends of a strip of origami paper together to form a loop, then attach it to a circle cut from gold origami paper.

Glue the carp streamer and the arrow wheel to a straw, decorate a paper cup (the base) with torn pieces of origami paper, cut a slit in the bottom, and insert the straw to finish.

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[Origami] Iris Flower

[Origami] How to Fold an Iris (Ayame) – Easy May Flower Origami Iris [With Voice Commentary] Children’s Day Series #4 / Grandma’s Origami

[Origami] Iris Flower

Iris flowers blooming in the fresh green of early summer.

Let’s try making these early-summer irises with origami.

We’ll fold the paper into triangles and cut slits to create the iris blossoms.

Some steps may be a bit tricky, so please support the children as needed.

They’ll likely feel a sense of accomplishment through trial and error.

Make the leaves and stem from strip-shaped pieces of origami, attach them to the iris flower, and it’s complete.

The long, narrow leaves make it look even more like a real iris.

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[Paper Cup] Cut, Paste, and Make a Koinobori

[Nursery/Kindergarten] Koinobori Craft: Easy How-To [For 3-, 4-, and 5-Year-Olds]

[Paper Cup] Cut, Paste, and Make a Koinobori

Here’s a craft idea for making a carp streamer (koinobori) that you can decorate with indoors using paper cups.

It’s recommended to choose colored paper cups.

First, use round stickers to make the koinobori’s eyes.

For the scales, use origami paper cut into small triangles, origami torn randomly into pieces, or round stickers cut in half.

For the tail, wrap a strip of origami paper cut into long, thin pieces around the rim of the paper cup to create a windsock-like effect—it looks very cute.

Then use a pipe cleaner to attach it to a straw that serves as the pole, and you’re done.

You can also stick gold origami at the top of the pole as a substitute for a pinwheel.

If teachers handle the finer details, the crafting process will go more smoothly.

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Koinobori you can fly and play with

Professor Rinpei’s Make-and-Play Science: Let’s Make a Flying Koinobori (Carp Streamer)

Koinobori you can fly and play with

When we think of koinobori (carp streamers), we usually imagine displaying them for decoration, but this one is a koinobori you can throw and play with! Prepare a piece of thick paper with an outline drawing of a koinobori and place it inside an umbrella bag.

Cut the bag to the size of the thick paper and secure it with clips so it doesn’t move, then use the outline to draw the koinobori on the bag.

Once you’ve drawn the koinobori on both sides, turn the bag inside out.

Insert a strip of thick paper that you’ve cut into a ribbon and formed into a ring into the mouth of the koinobori, and staple it in place.

Finally, wrap vinyl tape around the tip of the mouth three times, and you’re done! Try flying it in a spacious area by throwing it like a ball.

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3D strawberries and a basket

Strawberry Craft: A Preschool Teacher Explains How to Make a 3D Strawberry with a Basket (For Ages 3–5)

3D strawberries and a basket

Let’s make strawberries, a fruit that brings the feeling of spring, and a basket to put them in! Beforehand, the teacher should cut strawberry shapes, leaves and calyxes, and vine shapes out of construction paper.

Don’t forget to add a slit from the calyx side toward the middle on the strawberry-shaped pieces.

Have the children add accordion folds to the leaf-shaped paper to create leaf veins.

Combine two strawberry-shaped pieces to make a 3D strawberry, then glue on the calyx and vine.

After that, draw the strawberry seeds and the strawberry is done! Next, crumple a piece of construction paper to give it wrinkles and attach it to a paper plate in the shape of a handle to complete the basket.

You can also use these for pretend play, like mimicking strawberry picking!

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[May] A collection of craft ideas to try with 5-year-olds (21–30)

Plump goldfish

@sachimama_asobi
Perfect for summer! Let’s make some adorable puffy goldfish 𓂃◌𓈒𓐍 Has everyone been to any festivals yet this year?? I’m planning to go to my local festival this weekend 🥰 I’m so happy festivals are back 🩷 Lately, I feel like I don’t see goldfish scooping at stalls as much—how about in your area? For now, I’m going to get a head start and play goldfish scooping with origami with the kids! Today I tried making puffy goldfish ✨ The plump shape is so cute, right? 😍 It’s easy, so definitely give it a try! +———————————————+ I’m Sachi-mama, raising three rambunctious boys ages 7, 5, and 1 ❀´- I share play ideas and simple crafts with kids using 100-yen items, natural materials, and recyclables. Feel free to like, follow, or DM me! Follow here ▷ @sachimama_asobi +———————————————+#AtHomePlay　#AtHomePlay work Play with children #I love crafts　Handmade　 Childcare　goldfish　Goldfish Origami Origami Sunflower Production Indoor play　origami　 #origami How to fold a goldfish (origami)　#How to Make Goldfish Design paper　#SunflowerCraft #GoldfishAreCute
♬ Kimi No Toriko (Douyin Original Version) – Udi

Why not try making a plump, three-dimensional goldfish? First, fold the origami paper in half, then fold it in half again vertically, and squash-fold it into a triangle.

On one side only, fold up the edge of the triangle to make a square, then fold both ends inward into triangles.

Turn it over and fold the back side differently.

On the back, fold up only one side and glue it firmly.

Blow air through a straw from the side of the fin, and your plump goldfish is complete.

If you make them in various colors, you’ll end up with a very colorful set of goldfish.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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