[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] Setsubun in February: Fun Oni (Demon) Craft Ideas (41–50)
Wall decorations featuring 17 oni as the main characters
This is a Setsubun wall art piece that’s complete with just a single sheet of poster paper.
It depicts 17 ogres fleeing from holly and chili peppers used as talismans, along with plum blossoms and kumquats that evoke the coming of spring.
The plum blossoms and kumquats look lifelike, and each ogre has a unique expression, making it engaging to look at.
It’s made using only construction paper and origami paper, with simple steps, so people of a wide range of ages can enjoy creating it.
How about working together to produce one large collaborative masterpiece?
Handmade demon decoration made of felt
Let’s make an oni (demon) decoration out of felt—it’s fun to cut and paste the pieces together.
Cut the felt into a semicircle, shape it into a conical body, and glue the felt in place.
Stuff the oni’s torso with cotton to give it a three-dimensional shape.
Apply glue to the bottom, cap it with felt of the same color, trim around the edge, and the oni’s body is complete.
Add patterns by attaching felt to the horn area, and finish by creating the eyes and mouth.
You can also play with different colors for the face and body to make it extra cute.
Give it a try for Setsubun!
Make it with origami! Oni wreath
Let’s make a wreath using familiar origami.
Prepare eight square pieces of origami paper and fold them into the same shape.
After making the crease lines, the key is to fold evenly, carefully aligning with the lines.
When assembling the parts into a wreath shape, it may be easier if you picture where the ogre’s hair and horns will go.
Slip a sheet of Japanese-patterned origami into the background, attach the ogre origami, and you’re done.
It becomes a lovely wreath that lets you feel the transition from winter to spring, so please give it a try.
Handmade ogre ornament made of yarn
The yarn oni ornament is a cute decoration perfect for February, capturing the warmth of yarn.
Prepare an egg-shaped case from a 100-yen shop as the base for the oni.
Spread glue over the egg-shaped case, then wrap yarn around it in a spiral to make the oni’s pants.
As you wrap the yarn, press it firmly with your hands so it adheres well with the glue.
After wrapping about one-third, start from the opposite side and wrap red yarn in a spiral.
Once you’ve finished wrapping the yarn all the way, make the hair, horns, and mouth, attach them, and you’re done.
Try changing the yarn colors to create different oni characters!
Oni mask made from paper plates
Let’s make a simple and cute oni (demon) mask using an everyday paper plate.
Cut the paper plate in half and color the entire surface with paint or paint markers.
Next, use scissors or an awl to make openings for the eyes.
Glue on hair and horns made from construction paper or yarn, then finish by attaching a rubber band to both sides of the mask.
For the nose, make a slit with scissors to create an indentation.
It’s also recommended to use plenty of yarn for extra volume.
Another great idea is to use a plastic bottle cap for the nose to create a more three-dimensional mask.
Fun! Setsubun Crafts You Can Play With
Let’s make some crafts to play with during Setsubun and invite good fortune.
For the craft where you race to see whether the red ogre or the blue ogre reaches the goal first, draw an ogre on thick paper and cut it out with scissors.
Cut some straws and glue them together in a V shape, thread a string through, and you’re done.
Be careful with the size of the ogre drawing—if it’s too big, it might be hard to play with.
For the craft where you can “defeat the ogre,” attach a string to a clear handle and cover it with clear tape.
Trim any excess with scissors, stick on the ogre you made, and it’s complete.
Try tossing pom-poms to defeat the ogre and have fun.
Since the pom-poms are soft, this is a craft that even small children can enjoy.
Oni bean-throwing bag
Let’s make an oni-themed Setsubun bag that’s perfect for festivities.
Cut out the oni outline drawn on construction paper with scissors, then cut out the hair and facial parts as well.
After making the oni’s horn(s), eyes, and mouth, glue them onto the face to complete the oni.
Next, cut construction paper to create the gusset (side) pieces of the bag, snip small notches at the ends, and attach them to the oni face.
Carefully glue the front and back of the face together, then cut a ribbon to an easy-to-hold length and attach it to the bag to finish.
Make a cute oni bean-holding bag and enjoy Setsubun!