[Nursery/Kindergarten] New Year Craft Ideas: A Collection of Projects You Can Enjoy Even After Making Them
You want to plan New Year’s crafts at a nursery or kindergarten, but you can’t think of ideas that kids will enjoy while incorporating traditional elements… In times like these, decorations and classic toys made from familiar materials are perfect! Here, we introduce New Year-themed craft ideas ranging from lucky charms like akabeko (red cow), kagami mochi, and shimenawa, to playable crafts such as fukuwarai, kendama, and spinning tops.
They all make use of recycled materials like milk cartons, plastic bottles, and paper cups, so why not enjoy preparing for the New Year together with the children? Since the children’s creations are treated as “artworks,” we use the term “seisaku” (制作) in the text.
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[Nursery/Kindergarten] New Year Craft Idea Special! A Collection of Creations You Can Enjoy Even After Making Them (111–120)
maneki-neko (beckoning cat)
The beckoning cat, or maneki-neko, is said to use its right paw to bring in money and its left paw to invite people.
With all its small details, drawing it might be tricky, but if the teacher prepares the parts, kids can have fun assembling their own maneki-neko! Cut out pieces like the cat’s face and whiskers, and make the koban (gold coin) by gluing gold origami onto a ball of crumpled newspaper.
After that, leave it to the children! Have them glue the parts onto the base in order, then scatter small squares of chiyogami paper around the edges, and the auspicious maneki-neko is complete.
You can also explain the general meanings of each paw and let the kids choose which side their cat will raise!
ema (votive wooden plaque)
Try making a lucky ema plaque! Pre-cut the base cardboard and white drawing paper into the shape of an ema.
Glue gold origami paper onto the cardboard, then stick a slightly smaller piece of white drawing paper on top.
Attach a string for hanging, and you’re done in no time! Next, write your wishes on the white part.
If it’s hard to write after sticking it on, you might want to write on the paper first and then attach it.
Prepare decorative stickers as well for children who aren’t confident with letters or drawing!
battledore (a traditional Japanese decorative paddle used for New Year, also used in the game hanetsuki)
Hagoita, which are traditionally given to women as protective charms, are also associated with New Year’s games.
It’s certainly fun to focus on elaborate decorations, but if you make them sturdy enough to play with friends, you can keep enjoying them long after they’re finished.
Another nice point is that they’re easy to make since you can use recycled materials like milk cartons.
This is a highly recommended craft that lets you fully enjoy the New Year by decorating your hagoita freely and playing to your heart’s content, so give it a try!
Akabeko
Akabeko, a traditional toy born in Fukushima, has long been regarded as a lucky charm to ward off evil and a “good-luck-bringing cow.” Let’s handcraft this perfect celebratory akabeko using familiar materials! Wrap red paper around a milk carton and a toilet paper tube after trimming off any excess parts.
Attach ears and eyes to the tube, then use an awl to make holes in each piece, thread twine through, and secure it with tape.
Once the gently bobbing neck is complete, draw the akabeko’s patterns on the body to finish!
Kadomatsu sensory bottle
Let’s reuse a plastic bottle to make a kadomatsu-themed sensory bottle that’s perfect for the New Year! When you shake the bottle, it sparkles, so kids are sure to love it.
Draw a kadomatsu on a piece of cut clear plastic file with a pen and attach it to the plastic bottle.
Next, prepare two liquids by coloring water and baby oil separately with food coloring.
Pour the colored water into the bottle first, then the oil, and decorate with glitter or other embellishments as you like.
Finish by wrapping twine around the lower part of the bottle, and it’s complete! You can also enjoy adding your own decorations, such as stickers or a small fan.
Fukuwarai (a traditional Japanese “lucky laugh” face-making game)
Fukuwarai, a traditional Japanese New Year’s game, becomes even more fun when children make it themselves.
All you need to do is draw a face outline on construction paper and create parts like the eyes and nose, so it’s easy to get started.
In addition to classics like Okame and Otafuku, you can draw any face you like, which also lets you enjoy playing with fukuwarai made by friends.
While completing the face accurately is fine, it’s also recommended to play in a way that makes the funniest face possible—perfect for a New Year’s craft activity.
In conclusion
New Year’s crafts are a valuable opportunity to nurture children’s creativity while engaging with traditional Japanese culture. By playing with handmade items like karuta cards, spinning tops, and shimenawa decorations, New Year celebrations at preschools and kindergartens will become even more memorable. Enjoy preparing for the New Year with simple crafts made from familiar materials.