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 (51–60)

[Dyed Paper] Vividly Colored Koinobori (Carp Streamers)

Make Koinobori with Dyed Paper: A May Craft for Use in Preschools (For 5-Year-Olds)

[Dyed Paper] Vividly Colored Koinobori (Carp Streamers)

While enjoying dyeing hanshi paper with paint, why not try making a koinobori (carp streamer)? Place the hanshi horizontally and accordion-fold it vertically.

Then fold it into triangles starting from one end, and when it’s tightly rolled, secure it with a rubber band so it doesn’t unfold.

Prepare paint diluted with water and dye only the corners, leaving the center of the triangle uncolored.

It’s fine to dye each corner a different color.

Gently open the hanshi, let it dry, and cut it into the shape of a koinobori.

Stick it onto a backing sheet where you’ve drawn a pole, add the face, and you’re done! Hanshi tears easily, so be careful when cutting or drawing.

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[Paper Plate] Koinobori Wreath

[Children’s Day] Handmade Koinobori Paper Plate Wreath [Craft]

[Paper Plate] Koinobori Wreath

Let’s make a carp streamer wreath using a paper plate.

First, cut out the inner circle of the paper plate and paint the entire plate.

If you’re using scissors, make a slit from the outside edge to start your cut.

Once the paint is dry, place a piece of tape over the slit to close it.

Cut out carp streamers and cloud parts from construction paper.

Arrange and glue the clouds around the rim of the paper plate, then tape a piece of jute twine vertically to the back of the plate.

Draw faces on the carp streamers and use a cotton swab to paint the scale patterns, then attach them to the jute twine.

Finally, add a hanging ring to the top of the paper plate, and it’s complete.

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Making pinwheels

[For 5-year-olds] Making Pinwheels

Making pinwheels

Let’s try making pinwheels—perfect for fun outdoor play in spring! First, prepare five square sheets of construction paper and lightly draw a double circle on each one.

Have the children cut along the lines with scissors.

Once the outer circle is cut out, make slits from the outer circle toward the inner circle, then cut out the inner circle as well.

Punch a hole in the end of each paper strip, and thread them onto a straw that will serve as the handle.

To keep the paper from slipping off, cut a slit at one end of the straw and flare it outward.

After threading on the paper, insert a slightly thicker straw from the bottom to secure it, and your pinwheel is complete! May often brings hotter days around Golden Week, so you might even be able to play with it using a fan!

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In conclusion

We introduced craft ideas to try with five-year-olds in May.

As the oldest children in the class, five-year-olds are now able to take on more challenging steps.

Be sure to choose projects with seasonal motifs that they can enjoy working on.

The pieces they work hard to create will likely help both themselves and others feel their growth.