Lovely childcare

Preschool: Autumn-Themed Craft Ideas Recommended for November

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.
9 years of experience as a nursery school teacherShibata Risa
I am an active nursery school teacher with 9 years of experience. After graduating from university, I worked at a daycare center. The time I spent happily with children—playing piano, singing songs, and doing finger-play—are priceless memories to me. Currently, while raising three children of my own, I work at an after-school day service, engaging with children and providing individualized developmental support. Drawing on my diverse experiences as a childcare worker and as a mother, I hope to express and convey my thoughts through writing.

In November, as the cold gradually sets in, we get to enjoy beautiful autumn foliage and delicious seasonal flavors.

Why not try some fun crafts that capture those delightful autumn moments?

In this article, we’ll share craft ideas for November that let you feel the season.

We’ve gathered a variety of ideas, including autumn foods made with different materials and projects using natural items like acorns.

They’re all activities children can enjoy!

As November gets colder, let’s make the most of autumn indoors!

Because the items children make are treated as works, we refer to them as “seisaku” (productions) in the text.

[Childcare] 10 Autumn-Themed Craft Ideas Recommended for November (1–10)

Mysterious Grapes Made with Pastels

https://www.tiktok.com/@buchiko_hoiku/video/7405748777887337748

How about drawing some simple, fun, and magical grapes with pastels? First, use a sieve to grate the pastels over drawing paper until they become powdery.

It’s recommended to mix several colors like purple and blue.

Next, use the powdered pastels to draw circular swirls.

Brush off any leftover pastel powder on the paper, then cut the paper into the shape of a bunch of grapes.

Finally, attach grape leaves to finish.

The swirling motion with the pastels seems like something even toddlers could enjoy.

For middle and older kindergarteners, trying the step of turning the pastels into powder can be interesting, too.

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Flying dragonfly

https://www.tiktok.com/@chooobo2/video/7397001550553550097

Speaking of autumn, you can see dragonflies gliding smoothly over the rice fields, right? Let’s use everyday materials—toilet paper and rubber bands—to make a flying dragonfly.

Cut four slits into the toilet paper, cross two rubber bands over it, and tape them firmly so they don’t come off.

For the launcher tube made from toilet paper, make it slightly smaller than the dragonfly so it will fly better.

Add wings and eyes to the dragonfly, and it’s done.

Take your dragonfly to a wide open area and let it glide smoothly as you play!

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Chitose-ame bags made with vegetable stamps

@yuru.seisaku7
Production ideas #Nursery School Craft Shichi-Go-San (Seven-Five-Three)
♬ Chu Chu – moumoon

Have you ever ended up with leftover vegetable scraps when cooking? With this craft, you can use those veggie ends to make a cute Chitose-ame bag—an essential for Shichi-Go-San celebrations.

Please prepare the bag base in advance.

For the vegetable scraps, autumn vegetables are ideal: lotus root, okra, bell peppers, and broccoli are great because their cross-sections make clear shapes.

After stamping your favorite designs, finish with a sheet of translucent paper to add a personal touch.

Vegetable stamps are perfect for celebratory occasions!

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[Childcare] Autumn-Themed Craft Ideas Recommended for November (11–20)

Finger stamp mushroom

[Craft Play] Even 0-year-olds can do it! Let’s make fingerprint-stamp mushrooms

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.

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Mixed juice with autumn fruits

Recommended for practicing scissors! November/Autumn craft book: “Let’s make a delicious mixed juice with autumn fruits♪” — For ages 3–4 [Nursery/Kindergarten]

Mixed juice with autumn fruits

Making mixed juice using autumn fruits looks so delicious that it makes you want to drink it just by looking.

To make it, cut origami paper into the shape of a cup, draw whatever you like with crayons, and then stick colored cellophane on top while imagining the color of your favorite juice.

On the base construction paper, glue on the large basket you made and the fruits.

It’s best to use paper that’s easy to hold in your hand—this also makes for good scissor practice.

Once you’ve glued the mixed juice onto the construction paper and finished, displaying it on the wall is a great way to feel the season.

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Making a crown out of fallen leaves

[Autumn Craft] Let's make a crown with fallen leaves!

Making a crown out of fallen leaves

Speaking of autumn, it’s the season when going for a walk feels especially pleasant, isn’t it? So, let’s make a crown using the fallen leaves you pick up on your walk! The method is very simple: cut an A4 sheet of copy paper into three equal strips to create the base for the crown, and then start building it.

Have the children stick the fallen leaves onto the crown however they like.

Finally, adjust it to fit the children’s head sizes and staple it together—your fallen-leaf crown is complete.

It’s a craft that helps you feel the season while connecting with nature.

Use colorful leaves to make a one-of-a-kind crown!

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Acorn maracas

[Upcycled Crafts][Nature Play] Make It in 1 Minute! Acorn Maracas

Acorn maracas

Let’s try making a sound-making toy using acorns.

Since the acorns you can pick up in parks or along the roadside are the materials, there’s no need for any extra preparation and it’s very easy to make.

Besides the acorns, all you need is an empty plastic bottle.

Boil the acorns you collected to sterilize them so bugs won’t hatch.

Put a few of the sterilized, dried acorns into the plastic bottle.

Then screw the cap on tightly so it won’t open.

Shake the bottle, and the acorns will rattle—your simple, homemade toy is ready!

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