Lovely childcare

[Childcare] For 2-year-olds! November craft activity ideas

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.

In November, when leaves turned red and yellow flutter down, the feeling of autumn is everywhere.

We want children to fully enjoy the charms of the season.

So this time, we’re sharing November craft ideas recommended for 2-year-olds.

We’ve gathered autumn-themed ideas featuring natural items like acorns and fallen leaves, seasonal foods like mushrooms and sweet potatoes, and cute creatures like bagworms and hedgehogs.

There’s a wealth of activities that let children enjoy the textures of various materials while becoming completely absorbed in creating!

Please use these as inspiration and make the most of the artistic spirit of autumn.

Since we’re introducing ideas that make use of children’s free imagination, we use the term “制作 (seisaku)” to mean “crafts” in the main text.

[Childcare] For 2-year-olds! November Craft Activity Ideas (21–30)

[Ages 2 and up] Let’s make a hedgehog with newspaper!

[Preschool Craft] Make a Hedgehog with Newspaper! Easy Preschool Craft♪

[Ages 2 and up] Let’s make a hedgehog with newspaper!

Making newspaper hedgehogs is perfect for two-year-olds who enjoy using their hands.

Prepare construction paper, a hedgehog template, glue, newspaper, and scissors, and get started.

You can cut the newspaper with scissors, but tearing it by hand to represent the hedgehog’s spines or fur is also recommended.

Since two-year-olds aren’t yet familiar with using scissors, be sure to check their grip and how to open and close the scissors before proceeding.

Using tissue paper or origami to make a colorful hedgehog can also be a great way to help them enjoy colors visually.

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A bug made only of masking tape

Let’s create cute bagworms using masking tape.

After making tree branches and animals out of construction paper, arrange them so they look like they’re hanging from the branches and stick them on the wall.

Make the animals’ bodies rounded brown shapes.

Then, randomly stick on torn pieces of masking tape over them to give a bagworm-like look.

Make your favorite animals and decorate the wall with a variety of bagworms.

It’s also nice to add autumn-themed items like scarves or knitted hats.

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sweet potato

Here are some craft ideas themed around sweet potatoes, one of the quintessential foods of autumn.

We’ll introduce three ways to make sweet-potato crafts.

The first is a sweet potato stamp: apply paint to the cut surface of a sweet potato and press it onto purple construction paper.

Even two-year-olds can enjoy the fun of stamping.

The second is a torn-paper collage sweet potato: tear origami paper and glue it onto construction paper.

By separating and layering colors of construction and origami paper, you can create a gradient effect.

It’s also nice that children can play using just their hands without scissors.

The third idea is to paint on scrap paper or newspaper with paint.

Try making these pieces in childcare settings as perfect projects for the month of November!

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A hedgehog made with masking tape

A hedgehog craft idea made with colorful washi (masking) tape.

First, create a hedgehog base using construction paper.

It’s also fun to paint or draw the facial expression with paints or crayons.

Use masking tape to represent the hedgehog’s quills.

The key here is to let children stick the tape freely without deciding on exact positions or how to apply it.

Have them choose their favorite tapes from a wide selection and create their own designs.

Try this idea in childcare settings as a way to nurture children’s expressive skills and imagination.

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Autumn wreath

[Autumn Craft for Ages 2–3] A Preschool Teacher’s Easy Guide to Making a Wreath with Nuts and Seeds!

Autumn wreath

When autumn comes, many of us enjoy taking walks in the park and collecting nuts like acorns and pinecones! Let’s use those natural treasures to make a cute wreath.

Cut a circular shape out of cardboard with a craft knife to create the wreath base.

It might be best for teachers or parents to handle this step.

Have the children use glue to attach materials like nuts, pipe cleaners, and pom-poms.

Display the finished wreaths in the room or around the school and enjoy them!

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Torn-paper collage mushroom

How about decorating the mushroom caps with a torn-paper collage? First, make the mushroom caps and stems out of construction paper, but if the children aren’t used to scissors yet, the teacher should prepare these parts in advance.

Next, take origami paper in colors you like, tear it into small pieces, and make lots of little bits.

Then randomly glue these pieces on to decorate the mushroom caps.

Once you’ve covered them enough, combine them with the stems and you’re done.

If you like, draw a cute face on the mushroom stems with crayons or pens.

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Crayon-resist mushroom painting

Let’s make mushrooms using the crayon-resist technique! On a piece of construction paper cut into a mushroom cap shape, draw patterns with crayons.

Once you’ve finished the patterns, paint over them with your favorite watercolor paint, using plenty of water.

The paint will repel the crayon, and the beautiful patterns will appear! After the paint dries, combine it with a piece of construction paper cut into a stem shape to complete your mushroom.

You can also add a face with round stickers or other materials if you like.

Depending on the children’s ages, teachers should handle the cutting of the construction paper.

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