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

Production of umbrellas

Umbrella Craft: Perfect for the June rainy season! A preschool teacher shows how to make it.

Production of umbrellas

Hold an umbrella in your hand and skillfully control it so you don’t get wet.

By around age five, children may even be able to stand up to a bit of wind.

Let’s enjoy a craft using a roller with this familiar item, the umbrella.

Since this is a free-drawing style project, lots of fun ideas are likely to pop out.

First, temporarily tape down the paper with the pattern you want to bring out, then roll a paint-covered roller over it.

After the paint dries, peel off the temporarily fixed paper, and only that part will remain the color of the background paper.

This uses negative and positive space in the craft.

If you have a craft punch, you can make lots of stars and hearts—make good use of it!

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Taki no namida pin ku

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Handmade microphone

[4-year-olds] Looks just like the real thing?! Handmade microphone!

Handmade microphone

Let me introduce a cute original microphone craft.

Prepare a plastic wrap tube, a capsule toy container, origami paper, and yarn, and let’s make it.

Wrap the origami paper around the plastic wrap tube so that a bit of the paper sticks out on either the left or right side.

On the side where the paper sticks out, tape on the yarn, crumple the extra paper to make it small, and tuck it into the center of the wrap tube—this completes the microphone handle.

Next, place the capsule toy container on top of the wrap tube and tape it so it won’t fall off, and your microphone is complete! Draw a switch on the handle, and add illustrations or stickers as you like to create your very own original microphone.

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[May] A Collection of Craft Ideas to Try with 5-Year-Olds (31–40)

Handmade aluminum balloon

https://www.tiktok.com/@mumumama_ch/video/7470453610678127890

Let’s have fun with aluminum foil! Here are some ideas for making DIY aluminum balloons.

Aluminum foil is commonly used for cooking and storage, right? This time, let’s use the aluminum foil you have at home to make handmade aluminum balloons.

You’ll need aluminum foil, a pen, a round template, stickers, scissors, laminating sheets, tape, and a stick such as a disposable chopstick.

Draw on the aluminum foil, laminate it, then make a hole and blow air into it.

Insert the stick and secure it with tape, and you’re done!

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Koinobori of Kashiwa Mochi

Let’s make a Kashiwa-mochi carp streamer using kashiwa mochi, which is eaten during the Boys’ Festival (Tango no Sekku).

Cut construction paper into a leaf shape, draw the veins with a white crayon, and paint over it with green paint to create a wax-resist effect.

Cut another piece of construction paper into the shape of a carp streamer and draw patterns with crayons inspired by kashiwa mochi.

Place the leaf on top and glue them together.

Attach a face and a samurai helmet folded from origami, then stick them onto the carp streamer to finish.

It also sounds fun to choose parts of the project according to the child’s age and ability!

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Fluffy pancakes

Introducing the Fluffy Pancake Wall Display featuring Shirokuma-chan.

Gather shaving foam, yellow and brown paint, glue, a Shirokuma-chan cutout, a frying pan, pancakes, and orange backing paper, and let’s get started.

Mix yellow and brown paint and glue into the shaving foam, then spread it onto a black frying pan to create pancakes.

Draw Shirokuma-chan’s face with crayons or felt-tip pens.

Once you’ve glued Shirokuma-chan, the pancakes, and the frying pan onto the backing paper, it’s complete! Give this adorable wall art—straight out of a picture book—a try.

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Carnation clip

@sayacky_be.child
Here’s the materials list ▼ (Follow me before you forget!) [Materials] - Paper towels - Magnetic clip (mine is from Seria) - Green pipe cleaners - Gift bags - Ribbon, cards, etc. Handy tools when making - Scissors - Double-sided tape - Water-based markers or paint - Spray bottle - Clear tape - Hole punch Tips - When drying, hanging them with pipe cleaners could look cute. - If shaping leaves with pipe cleaners is hard, you can make them from construction paper instead. - I’ll share easy tips to make it look great in Stories. Everyone, thanks for your hard work as always! Wishing you bright, cheerful days… Nice to meet you! I’m Sayakki, a nursery teacher and mom of two who loves play that lets adults feel like kids again! I share play ideas that connect hearts, clear the mind, and nurture growth for both adults and children. Please follow and check out my other posts too!#Sayakki-World Nursery teacher / Childcare worker #NurseryTeacherMom #HandmadeToys #Childcare Crafting Craft Play #Childcare topic #AtHomePlay #StayHomeTime #Mother's Day Mother's Day Gift Carnation Mother’s Day craft #Mother'sDayGift
♬ Original song – sayacky_be.child – Sayakki’s Play Atelier

Let’s make it with paper towels! Here’s an idea for a carnation clip.

Paper towels are highly absorbent paper commonly used in everyday life, especially for cleaning and cooking in the kitchen.

This time, let’s use paper towels to make a carnation clip! The key is to color them with water-based markers or paints and then mist them with water.

The colors will gently spread, creating a beautiful finish.

Give it a try!

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Kitchen paper bouquet

https://www.tiktok.com/@niconico_mama/video/7223739347223268616

You can even create your own original vivid colors! Here are some ideas for kitchen paper towel bouquets.

Let’s arrange everyday paper towels that are familiar to kids and try making a bouquet.

You’ll need paper towels, water-based markers, a spray bottle, scissors, and pipe cleaners.

After cutting the paper towels into circles and coloring them with water-based markers, shape them with pipe cleaners and spray them with water.

The steps are simple, but the result is beautiful and brilliant.

It’s also nice to add a touch with wrapping.

Take this opportunity to give it a try!

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