[Childcare] Fun for October! Craft ideas recommended for 4-year-olds
Four-year-olds become even more dependable in autumn.
You’ll probably start to hear conversations like, “Next year you’ll be in the oldest class!” Their crafting activities also gain depth, as they grapple with how to express their own ideas and offer imaginative suggestions that make the most of their creativity.
This time, we’ve put together October craft ideas we’d love to try with four-year-olds.
We’ve prepared a variety of ideas—from seasonal materials and motifs to projects that draw out their originality.
Please use them as a reference.
Since the children’s creations are treated as works, we use the term “seisaku” (production/art-making) in the text.
- [October] Craft ideas for fall you can use in childcare
- Craft activity ideas for 4-year-olds
- [For 4-Year-Olds] Recommended in November! Autumn-Themed Craft Activities
- [For 4-Year-Olds] Fun to Make! A Collection of Halloween Craft Ideas
- Craft ideas for 4-year-olds to try in autumn! Enjoy creative activities with seasonal motifs and events.
- Exciting September crafts for 4-year-olds! A special collection of fun ideas with autumn-themed motifs
- [Childcare] Perfect for October! Autumn crafts to enjoy with 5-year-olds
- [Childcare] For 5-year-olds! Autumn craft ideas
- [For 4-year-olds] Ideas for group games and craft activities that can be done indoors
- Recommended for 5-year-olds’ September crafts! A collection of ideas to enjoy autumn
- [Crafts for 3-Year-Olds] A Collection of Fun Ideas for Autumn! Let's Incorporate Seasonal Motifs
- [Childcare] Perfect for 3-year-olds! October craft ideas
- October origami for preschoolers: a collection of seasonal ideas
[Childcare] Fun for October! Recommended Craft Ideas for 4-Year-Olds (11–20)
Making a cosmos flower with origami
Here’s a craft idea inspired by a classic autumn flower, the cosmos.
Fold a sheet of origami paper three times to make a long, narrow strip, then unfold it and cut along the creases with scissors.
If it’s hard for a child to cut straight, draw guide lines to help.
Glue the ends of each cut strip together to make loops, then glue the loops together to form a cosmos flower.
Start by arranging four loops in a cross, then fill in the gaps with the remaining loops for a neat finish.
Stick a yellow round sticker in the center and attach the flower to a backing sheet.
Finally, use crayons to draw leaves, the sky, or anything you like, and you’re done.
Try using pink origami paper in different shades to make it extra pretty.
Make a cute bagworm with kraft paper and washi tape!
I’ll show you how to easily make a bagworm using kraft paper, yarn, and masking tape! First, roll up the kraft paper to form the body.
Wrap yarn around it and stick pieces of masking tape on randomly.
Next, draw a face on the face parts you made from colored construction paper, then attach it to the body with double-sided tape.
Finally, tape a string to the back of the face with clear tape, and you’re done! If children will be handling it, twine is recommended.
It looks super cute if you also make a tree branch out of cardboard and hang it, so give it a try!
Witch hat for Halloween
Here’s an idea for making a chestnut in just seven folds.
First, to create the creases, fold the origami paper in half into a square twice.
Once folded, open it with the colored side facing up.
Fold the bottom edge up to meet the center crease, then flip the paper over and fold both top corners in toward the center.
Finally, fold both bottom corners toward the center to finish.
Turn the origami to the front, and if you draw small black dots on the white part with a pen, it will look even more like a chestnut—highly recommended.
If you want a rounder shape, lightly fold the corners to the back.
Cute, freshly baked sweet potato
Let’s fold an autumn treat—sweet potatoes—using a single sheet of origami paper.
As you fold, be sure to make crisp creases.
By freely adjusting the angles, each person’s sweet potato will have its own unique shape, making it even more fun when you finish.
For the white areas, it’s recommended to add color using crayons or paint.
Fold in the corners to give your sweet potato a plump, rounded shape.
It could be fun to display them on an autumn-themed wall, or put them in a basket or bag and use them for pretend shopping play.
Autumn Origami! How to Fold a Mushroom
Prepare two sheets of origami paper, round stickers, and glue to make a cute, original mushroom.
We’ll create it in two parts: the cap and the stem.
For the cap, fold the paper into a triangle, then fold the corners to shape it like a mushroom cap.
For the stem, make a triangular crease, then fold the left and right corners toward the center twice.
Tuck the tip into the crease, adjust the shape, and round it out to complete the stem.
Glue the cap and stem together, add the round stickers, and enjoy making your own original mushroom!
Bagworm made with a coffee filter
https://www.tiktok.com/@soiflhoiku/video/7305376784868969735After enjoying free drawing with markers on a coffee filter, turning it into a bleeding/absorption painting is a fun craft idea.
Once you’ve made the bleeding effect, let the coffee filter dry and cut it into leaf shapes with scissors.
Attach them with double-sided tape to the base of a mino (a straw raincoat) made from construction paper.
Then stick on the face and hat, also made from construction paper.
Finally, draw the face with a pen or crayon, and it’s complete! The patterns and marker colors create unique variations in each mino, which is really fun.
Childcare: Fun for October! Recommended craft ideas for 4-year-olds (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.