[October] Craft ideas for 1-year-olds: Halloween, mushrooms, and more

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.

October is a month when you can feel the essence of autumn, from the colorful leaves to the crystal-clear skies.

We want children to have plenty of experiences during this comfortable season, don’t we?

In this article, we’ll introduce October craft ideas recommended for one-year-olds.

Autumn offers a wealth of materials that can be expressed through crafts—from seasonal delicious foods like grapes and pears to sensory elements like bell crickets and the moon that you can see and hear.

From these, we’ve gathered many craft ideas perfect for October.

Be sure to let children experience lots of autumn through crafting!

Because the things children make are treated as works of art, we refer to them as “seisaku” (creations) in the text.

[October] Craft ideas for 1-year-olds: Halloween, mushrooms, and more (11–20)

Jack-o’-lantern made with salt painting

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Salt painting you can enjoy from age 1. Even Halloween ghosts aren’t scary ☺️#HandmadeToys Production Nursery teacher / Childcare worker #CapCut
Taisho Romance – YOASOBI

Do you know about salt painting? This activity uses salt, glue, and paint—it’s fun and so tactile that you’ll want to touch it.

The method is very simple: draw a picture on construction paper with glue, then sprinkle salt over it so it sticks.

Using a cotton swab, drop watercolor paint diluted with water onto the salted glue, and you’re done! You can enjoy watching the colored water soak in and the colors blend.

The sparkling salt stimulates imagination and expression, making it extra enjoyable.

You can start from around age one, so give it a try!

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mayumi

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Colorful Monsters You Can Make Without Getting Your Hands Dirty

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[Halloween Craft♪] Mess-free! Monster Sensory Play 👾🎃Childcare Nursery teacher / Childcare worker Kindergarten Teacher Childcare job openings Childcare Column #NurseryTeacherThings #IWantToConnectWithChildcareWorkers #Nursery School Craft #DaycarePreparation Nursery School Practicum Childcare student Aspiring childcare worker Childcare Job Lab Nursery teacher skills Job change activities #JobChange #nursery_teacher_job_change Nursery teacher employment Production #Wall Creation Translation #paint Sensory play Trick or Treat Halloween # Halloween Craft Halloween
♬ Halloween comical horror song – PeriTune

Art activities with paints can get hectic when you’re busy helping the kids afterward.

This project lets children enjoy using paint without getting their hands dirty.

Place a sheet of drawing paper with drops of paint on it inside a food storage bag.

Then spread the paint from the outside of the bag.

Once the paint is dry, draw a face to complete your monster.

Children can enjoy the sensation of paint spreading on the paper through the bag and the fun of adding color.

It’s suitable even for infants from 0 years old, so give it a try!

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mayumi

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A bat made with handprints

Here’s an idea for making handprint bats that’s perfect for Halloween.

First, stamp your left and right handprints onto construction paper.

Cut them out and place them facing opposite directions.

Then attach a bat head made from construction paper in the center, and you’re done.

It turns out super cute, so displaying it will make your Halloween even more fun.

Plus, when you look back later, you can be surprised and think, “Your hands were this small back then!”—that’s another charming point of this idea.

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yamamoto

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Autumn of art, drawing freely

We often have plenty of chances to draw.

So here’s an idea that lets you feel the autumn season.

First, draw freely—finger painting or decalcomania are both great.

Once the artwork is finished, mount it on brown construction paper to make it look like it’s in a frame.

After that, add a paper cutout of a child so it looks like the child is doing the drawing.

That alone is wonderful, but for the finishing touch, decorate it with fallen leaves and more.

It’ll create a perfect “autumn of the arts” atmosphere.

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yamamoto

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Jack-o’-lantern made with a footprint

In October, many children look forward to Halloween.

So here’s a craft I’d like to introduce: “Jack-o’-lanterns made from footprints.” There are two main steps.

First, prepare white paper and orange paint.

Then apply the paint to the feet and press footprints onto the paper in a row.

This should create a silhouette that looks like a pumpkin.

Finally, add eye and mouth pieces to the pumpkin, and it’s done.

One of the charms of this idea is that when you look back at it later, you can feel how much the child has grown.

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yamamoto

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Easy ghosts with paper towels

Here’s a quick and easy ghost-making idea.

All you need is a cup and some paper towels.

First, draw lines on the paper towel with water-based pens in any colors you like.

Any color combination or shape works.

Then drape the paper towel over an upside-down cup and sprinkle water on it to make the colors bleed.

You’ll see it transform into dreamy, ethereal hues.

After that, draw a face on it and you’re done.

Using a spray bottle when you moisten it can make the process even more fun.

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yamamoto

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[October] Craft ideas for 1-year-olds: Halloween, mushrooms, and more (21–30)

Two types of Mushichan only for infants and toddlers

Here are two fun bagworm craft ideas using twisted tissue paper and paper tape loops.

First, cut a square piece of tissue paper and round off one side with scissors.

Gently twist the side you didn’t cut, and glue it onto a base for the bagworm made from construction paper.

Prepare tissue paper in various colors to make a colorful “mino” (the bag).

Attach a face made from construction paper to finish.

For the paper tape version, cut the tape to a suitable length, glue one end to the base, then overlap the other end to form a loop and secure it.

Cover the whole body in rows, and finish it the same way by adding the face.

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sasashina

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