[Childcare] February Setsubun Bean-Throwing! A Fun Collection of Oni Craft Ideas
As Setsubun approaches, creating oni-themed crafts becomes one of the fun activities at nurseries and kindergartens.
For two-year-olds, the experience of making something with their own hands is a very important time.
Coloring, sticking on parts, enjoying the feel of different materials—through these kinds of activities, their interest in seasonal events deepens significantly.
Here, we’ve gathered plenty of oni craft ideas perfect for Setsubun, from masks and bean containers to unique play items.
Make this year’s Setsubun even more fun together with the children! Note: In this article, we use the term “seisaku” (制作) to refer to children’s creations as “works.”
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[Childcare] February Setsubun Bean-Throwing! A Fun Collection of Oni (Demon) Craft Ideas (81–90)
Ogre Pants
When you think of an oni’s trademark, it’s striped underpants! Let’s make oni pants using a paper weaving craft.
First, cut yellow construction paper into the shape of pants and make jagged vertical slits.
Next, prepare several long, thin strips of black construction paper and weave them horizontally through the slits to create a lattice pattern.
Threading the paper is fun to watch as it changes and also helps develop dexterity and concentration.
Finally, glue down the black paper to finish the striped pattern.
It’s a craft that gives a sense of accomplishment in proportion to the focus you put in.
Oni bean-throwing style ball toss
Let’s turn bean-throwing into a ball-toss game! Stand a cardboard box upright, and attach jagged, tooth-shaped pieces cut from white construction paper to the top and bottom to make a wide-open ogre’s mouth.
Then add an ogre face made by gluing together construction paper, and in no time you’ll have a ball-toss basket.
Play by throwing balls made from crumpled aluminum foil or newspaper.
You can also make it more fun by adding rules, like attaching paper cups around the cardboard and awarding bonus points when a ball lands in one.
Oni bean holder
Before bean-throwing, let’s make a bean holder! Poke holes on both sides of a paper cup and thread a chenille stem through to make a handle.
Glue on hair made by crumpling tissue paper around the rim of the cup, and attach twisted chenille stems as horns.
Finally, draw an ogre face on the side of the cup, and it’s done! It’s kind of funny that the container for throwing beans to drive away ogres is a cute ogre-themed holder, isn’t it? A sharp kid might think, “Huh?” and notice the irony.
An ogre’s club made from a plastic bottle
When it comes to Setsubun crafts, many are based on the demon’s face, but aren’t you forgetting the essential club? Roll three sheets of newspaper together into a rod and insert it into a plastic bottle.
To secure it, wrap vinyl tape around from the bottle’s mouth to the end of the newspaper rod.
Wrap colored vinyl (available at 100-yen shops) around the bottle portion, trim the excess, and tape it in place.
Attach small pom-poms or similar items to recreate the club’s bumpy texture, and you’re done!
Ogre horns made from a milk carton
Transform into an oni with horns! Cut a milk carton to fit your child’s head, punch holes at both ends, and thread an elastic band through.
Next, draw spiral patterns on a circle cut from colored paper, cut it in half, and roll each half into a cylinder to make horn pieces.
For the hair, bundle yarn wound into coils.
Finally, apply glue to the base you made earlier, attach the hair and horns, and you’re done! Put it on and become the very oni you usually drive away by throwing beans!
In conclusion
We’ve introduced lots of ideas for enjoying Setsubun in childcare.
Oni masks and bean holders made from familiar materials like paper plates, milk cartons, and paper bags are sure to make bean-throwing on the day even more exciting.
Finger painting to enjoy textures, snipping yarn, and other parts of the making process itself become special experiences for children.
Be sure to enjoy creating together and spend a memorable Setsubun!