[Nursery/Kindergarten] Crafts you can play with after making them

A fish-shaped Cartesian diver

How to Make a Cartesian Diver [Online May Festival 2020]

Do you know a Cartesian diver? In Japanese it’s called “fuchinshi.” It’s a really fun craft where a little fish sinks and floats in water, so let’s make one! You’ll need a plastic bottle—ideally a rounded one that once held a carbonated drink.

You’ll also need 2–3 small fish-shaped soy sauce bottles (the kind you see in lunch boxes), 2–3 nuts (metal hex nuts) that fit snugly onto the fish’s spout, and water.

First, remove the cap from each soy sauce bottle and attach a nut to the spout.

Next, float the fish in a cup of water and let it take in small amounts of water until about half of the fish sticks out above the surface.

Fill the plastic bottle completely with water, drop in the fish you prepared, and screw on the cap—that’s it! When you squeeze the bottle, the fish will sink; when you release it, the fish will float back up! Feel free to customize it by drawing on the fish or coloring the water.

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hiyoko sensei

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milk carton cube

A cube puzzle made from milk cartons is recommended because it’s simple, reusable, and makes good use of waste materials.

Combining three pieces to form a cube seems easy but is surprisingly challenging, so it could be effective for children’s learning as well as brain training for the elderly.

It’s also easy to make, making it great for recreational activities.

This three-dimensional puzzle game uses simple, readily available materials, can be made quickly, and helps develop imagination while exercising fine motor skills.

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Hoshino Takashi

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[Ages 3 and up] Hamburger Play Set

[Made from Cardboard] Burger Play Set [Craft]

Let’s make a hamburger set out of cardboard and play together.

All you need are flat cardboard and hook-and-loop fasteners.

Sketch shapes to match the ingredients—circles, squares, etc.—on the cardboard and cut them out.

Use paints to create your favorite ingredients like tomatoes, lettuce, fried eggs, and bacon.

Don’t forget to make the buns, too.

If you attach hook-and-loop fasteners on both sides, you can enjoy stacking them in various ways.

You could even make a lot and open a pretend burger shop.

Have fun making delicious hamburgers!

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tsukada moe

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Bubbly soap bubbles

[Simple Craft] We made a bubble blower using a plastic bottle and straws, and the foam was so intense that it was a blast

Big visual impact! Let’s make a bubbly foam bubble blower.

First, prepare 45 straws cut to about 3 cm in length.

Once they’re ready, cut a clear file folder into a strip and line the straws up on it.

A hot glue gun is recommended for attaching them.

When finished, roll the piece up into a coil.

Finally, cut a 500 ml plastic bottle to about one-third of its height, insert the part you just made, and you’re done.

When you blow bubbles with this, you’ll get a breathtaking display.

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yamamoto

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Kaleidoscope of Flowers

I tried making a flower kaleidoscope.

Would you like to try making a flower kaleidoscope with beautiful, intricate movements? Despite its complexity, it’s actually very easy to make.

The main materials are thin curling ribbon, bamboo skewers, straws, and round stickers—all available at 100-yen shops.

Stick ribbons cut to equal lengths onto the round stickers, thread them onto a bamboo skewer, secure the tip with a bead or similar, then slide a straw over it—and you’re done.

By moving the straw up and down or side to side, you’ll get a variety of expressions.

Using multicolored ribbons makes it especially pretty when you spin it.

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utatane

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Chomp Chomp Castanets

How to Make Castanets from a Milk Carton! Easy DIY Musical Instrument Craft [For Preschool Teachers]

Let’s handcraft castanets—star performers in any ensemble—using a milk carton.

Cut the milk carton into pieces sized for the top and bottom parts of the castanets, and glue construction paper on the outside.

From here, it’s the kids’ turn! Have them freely draw animals or their favorite characters on the construction paper.

Tearing paper for collage or decorating with stickers will also make it look great.

Next, use an awl to make holes, thread a chenille stem (pipe cleaner) cut to a length that fits a finger, and attach plastic bottle caps on the inside so they make a clicking sound.

Your original castanets are complete!

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yuri

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Spinning octopus

Angel Land Fukui: Let's Make a Spinning Kite

How about making a “Whirly Kite” that’s easy to put together and spins in a curious way? You’ll need colored pens and kite string, colored construction paper, scissors, a hole punch, and so on.

First, draw lines to divide the paper into three equal horizontal strips and cut along the lines.

Don’t cut off the ends—leave them connected to make one long, narrow strip.

Punch holes at both ends and thread the string through.

Then draw whatever pictures you like and create your own cute, original kite.

When it catches the wind and lifts, the kite spins around in a fun way that will keep kids entertained without getting bored.

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hiyori

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