Fun November craft ideas for 1-year-olds!
Curious one-year-olds, full of wonder, grow freely as they see, touch, and absorb many things.
For teachers who are thinking, “I want to enjoy autumn-specific crafts with the children!” this is a must-see.
Here, we introduce craft ideas recommended for one-year-olds in November.
We’ve gathered many ideas that incorporate autumn-themed motifs like acorns, fallen leaves, mushrooms, and red dragonflies.
We also introduce fun techniques that boost one-year-olds’ “I want to try it!” spirit, as well as activities that make use of materials offering a variety of textures.
Please use these ideas as a reference to support your autumn childcare.
Because we present ideas for creating works that allow children to express their free imagination, the term “seisaku” is written as 「制作」 in the text.
Fun for 1-Year-Olds! November Craft Activity Ideas (1–10)
Autumn crafts with newspaper stamping
Crumpling up a sheet of newspaper instantly turns it into a stamp.
Let the children enjoy crumpling a big piece of newspaper to start.
Pour paint into a large container like a tub, and stamp with the newspaper.
Using brown and yellow is perfect for depicting autumn foliage.
Attach autumn nuts and insects to the finished tree.
If the children are deeply engaged and having fun, it’s important to step back and simply watch over them.
Create an environment that helps them express themselves freely.
Handprint and footprint stamp production
At daycare centers and kindergartens, it’s common to make crafts using handprint and footprint stamps that let you see children’s growth! If you’re planning autumn-themed projects, how about making mushrooms or squirrels with footprints, and bagworms with handprints? Kids enjoy making handprints and footprints, and if they like stickers, it’s also fun to add patterns with stickers.
Display the finished pieces in the hallway, and parents can see them at pick-up time—they’re sure to be delighted!
Dragonfly in decalcomania
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cwrf9e0JmgM/Are you familiar with the technique called decalcomania? It’s a French word meaning “transfer,” and it refers to a method where you apply paint to just one side of a sheet of paper, fold it in half, and transfer the paint to the other side.
This is an idea for making a dragonfly using decalcomania.
First, put paint on only one half of a piece of drawing paper, then fold it to transfer the paint.
Once it’s done, cut it into the shape of wings, and add a body and eyes.
It’s super easy! Your dragonfly is complete.
Let the children use brushes or their fingers to apply the paint however they like.
If you prepare lots of colors, you’ll start to see their preferences and personalities shine through.
Finger stamp mushroom
Even children who aren’t confident with crafts or drawing can have fun trying finger-stamp mushrooms.
Finger stamping is an art activity where you dip your fingertip in paint and create patterns.
It’s not just about tapping—there are many variations, like drawing lines or making tiny dots with your nail.
All you do here is add patterns to mushrooms using finger stamps, so it’s easy and helps nurture children’s creativity.
It can also be fun to reproduce real mushroom patterns by looking at a mushroom field guide instead of inventing your own designs.
That way, it doubles as food education, too.
A hedgehog made with various stamps
https://www.instagram.com/p/CvZhnitJM1y/Among living creatures, hedgehogs are a cute autumn motif that kids love.
Let’s make a hedgehog with stamping! First, cut the hedgehog’s body out of construction paper.
If you’re working with one-year-olds who can’t use scissors, a teacher or guardian should prepare it for them.
Next comes the kids’ turn: stamp onto the hedgehog’s body using forks or clothespins, however they like.
That’s all it takes to make an adorable hedgehog! If you stick it onto a sheet of paper with a drawn background, it will look even cuter.
Mushrooms in bleeding watercolor
Let’s use wet-on-wet painting to make cute mushrooms for the autumn season.
We’ll start with the stem.
Apply glue all over a sheet of origami paper and attach it to a toilet paper roll.
Fold and glue the excess at the top and bottom inward.
Next, use a coffee filter to make the cap.
Draw patterns on the coffee filter with water-based markers, then mist it with water.
Once it’s dry, firmly glue the stem and cap together.
Your mushroom is complete! Be sure to spray enough water so the ink bleeds nicely.
Prepare several colors of water-based markers and let the children choose their favorites.
Autumn trees with a stamp
An autumn tree painted with a handmade tampo is a craft that lets children enjoy paint in a different way than usual.
The tampo itself is easy to make—even for small children—by simply attaching cotton and gauze to a small container like a plastic bottle.
The unique patterns and soft hues created by the cotton and gauze will spark children’s imaginations and keep them absorbed in the activity.
It’s a great idea for an autumn craft—simple and satisfying, since all you do is press it onto the paper.
