[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.
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[Childcare] Fun for October! Recommended craft ideas for 4-year-olds (41–50)
Origami of acorns and chestnuts
After folding the origami into a triangle twice to make creases, open it up and fold the top corner down to meet the center.
Fold the top edge down to align with the horizontal crease, then fold it down once more along the crease and fold the entire paper into a triangle.
This folded section will become the acorn’s cupule (cap).
Turn the paper over, fold the left and right corners inward so they overlap at the center, then slightly fold in the five corners to refine the shape.
Flip it back to the front, and you’ll have a cute acorn.
This idea works best with double-sided origami paper.
[Childcare] Fun for October! Recommended craft ideas for 4-year-olds (51–60)
Easy way to make grapes
We’ll make this using sheets of origami paper cut in half.
First, fold the origami paper in half vertically, then fold all four corners in toward the crease.
Next, fold it in half so the fold is perpendicular to the first crease.
This will create two 90-degree corners; fold those corners inward toward the center to make creases.
Open it back up, then tuck along the creases to form a square.
Next, take the corner on the closed side of the square and make two small folds; when you open the square, it will look like two quadrilaterals connected together.
Finally, fold the corners to make an octagon, and you’re done.
Make four of these and glue them together to create a bunch of grapes.
Some steps may be a bit hard to understand, so please watch the video carefully as you work.
Since you’ll be making several of the same piece, the children will likely get better at it as they go!
Origami bat
Fold the origami paper twice to make a small triangle, then make a slit under the top corner, parallel to the base.
Make the slit from the side opposite the fold, being careful not to cut it off.
The upper triangular section you slit will become the bat’s head, and the lower part will be the wings.
Open the paper back into the large triangle, and fold the slit section toward the central crease to form the head shape.
Fold the same parts back to create the bat’s distinctive ears.
Use a zigzag (mountain–valley) fold for the junction between the head and body.
Finally, fold the remaining wings several times to add creases and give it a three-dimensional finish, and you’re done.
Perfect for Halloween! Halloween pumpkin
You can make an essential Halloween pumpkin with simple steps.
Fold the origami paper in half twice to make a square, then squash the pocketed sections to form two triangles.
Fold both side edges of the triangles toward the center line, flip the paper over, and fold the protruding corners inward.
Next, fold the left and right corners of the triangle toward the center line, then fold the newly created corners into small triangles to round the shape.
Finally, fold down the top corner, and fold it back so a little tip sticks up—your pumpkin is complete!
Cute when lined up! Owls
After folding the origami in half into a triangle twice to make creases, open it up and fold the bottom corner up to align with the center.
Then, fold the bottom edge up along the horizontal crease to form a triangle.
Fold the top corner down to the point where the color changes, and turn the paper over.
Fold the left and right bottom edges toward the vertical center crease, then fold the two top edges so they align just slightly outside the center line.
Fold the two top corners down, and fold the tip up so it sticks out slightly at the top.
Finally, fold the bottom corner up, draw patterns and a face with a pen, and you’re done.
Also recommended for walls! Origami cosmos
Here’s an idea for making cosmos flowers with paper cutting.
Fold a piece of origami paper into a triangle three times to create crease lines, then unfold it back to the state of being folded once.
Fold the bottom edge on the right to line up with the leftmost crease, and fold the bottom edge on the left to line up with the center crease.
Fold the remaining right section along its crease, and fold again along the next remaining crease to stack the paper.
Draw petal lines and cut them out.
When you open it, you’ll have an 8-petal flower.
Slightly overlap the spaces between the petals by folding them, and place a yellow round sticker in the center.
Finally, curve the tips of the petals to give it a three-dimensional finish.
Cute acorns that can also be used on walls
Prepare an origami sheet in any color you like and fold it into a triangle twice to make creases.
Open it up with the colored side facing up, then fold one corner to the center.
Fold the base of the triangle you just made up to align with the horizontal crease, then fold it up once more along the same crease.
Turn the now-triangular origami over, and fold the left and right corners inward to meet at the center.
Fold the resulting tips into small triangles, and your acorn is complete.
Try making lots of colorful acorns to brighten up your autumn wall display.