Recommended for 5-year-olds’ September crafts! A collection of ideas to enjoy autumn
September marks the season when autumn crafts begin.
We’ve gathered plenty of craft ideas you can enjoy with five-year-olds, from Respect for the Aged Day and moon-viewing themes to projects using natural autumn materials.
Crowns made with fallen leaves, mushroom prints using vegetable stamps, and clappers made from milk cartons—each craft is full of seasonal charm.
Why not enjoy craft time unique to autumn while drawing out your child’s imagination? We’ll also introduce the appeal of each project and key points for working on them together with children.
Because the children’s creations are treated as works of art, the term “制作 (seisaku)” is used in the text.
Recommended September crafts for 5-year-olds! A collection of fall fun ideas (1–10)
Leaf impression craft
Here’s a craft idea you’ll definitely want to try after picking up fallen leaves on a walk! Use a simple painting technique called stamping.
Paint the side of the leaf where the veins are visible with poster paint or an ink pad, then press it onto drawing paper.
The veins will appear as if they’re raised, and you’ll have a beautiful leaf print artwork! It’s also fun to imagine different motifs from the shapes of the leaves and draw around them.
If you leave it to a 5-year-old’s creativity, the result might be something wonderfully unexpected!
How to fold an easy cosmos flower
Let’s introduce how to fold a cosmos flower.
Prepare one sheet of origami paper, crease it, and cut it into four equal parts.
Using the creases as a guide, shape each quarter into a cosmos petal.
Once all are folded, glue the four petals together at the center.
For the stem, prepare another quarter sheet of origami paper and fold it along the center.
Finally, glue the flower and the stem together, and you’re done! The steps are simple, so give it a try.
Full moon rabbit made from a single sheet of origami
Perfect for moon-viewing events! Here’s an idea for a full-moon rabbit made from a single sheet of origami paper.
Autumn is the season for tsukimi (moon viewing), right? Some of you might prepare pampas grass and moon-viewing dumplings at school or at home and enjoy the beautiful moon.
This time, let’s make a full-moon rabbit that’s just right for such an event.
What you’ll need: yellow origami paper, scissors, glue, and a pen.
Some steps are a bit tricky, so it’s best to work together with a parent or teacher for safety and ease.
Be sure to give it a try on this occasion!
dangling bagworm
Here’s a craft idea inspired by autumn-themed bagworms (minomushi).
Let’s make colorful minomushi using paper cups and origami! If you thread a string through the paper cup, it becomes a hanging decoration, perfect for enjoying a fall atmosphere by hanging them along the eaves or hallways of a nursery or kindergarten.
Teachers should handle the step of threading the string through the cup, while children tear the origami paper and stick the pieces onto the cup.
For the finishing touches, add round stickers for the eyes, and decorate further with masking tape or other stickers to make them even more festive! Kids will enjoy the tactile sensation of tearing paper, and it’s great practice for developing fine motor skills—give it a try!
Perfect for decorations! How to fold a dragonfly
When it comes to symbols of autumn in Japan, dragonflies come to mind, don’t they? This time, let’s introduce a dragonfly made of origami that’s perfect for autumn crafts.
Prepare two sheets of origami paper, some eyes, and a felt-tip pen, and let’s get started.
For the dragonfly’s body, make creases vertically and horizontally, then fold toward the center line to form a square shape.
When puffing up and shaping parts of the origami, the key is to use your fingertips as you fold.
Next, prepare the remaining sheet of origami to make the wings.
For the sections where you open the paper outward while folding it down, take your time and fold carefully.
Glue the body and wings together, then adjust the body’s shape at the end.
Attach the eyes, and it’s complete.
Moon-viewing craft with paint stamping
As a craft activity for September’s moon-viewing, here’s an idea using a tampo (stamping dauber)! You can make a tampo by wrapping gauze or fabric around absorbent cotton or a sponge.
The round marks you stamp with the tampo look just like moon-viewing dumplings (tsukimi dango), so why not incorporate it into your project? For five-year-olds, in addition to stamping the dango, they can draw the moon and pampas grass (susuki), and even make the sanpō (offering stand) by cutting construction paper.
Let’s enjoy crafting and make the moon-viewing celebration extra exciting!
Naruko Craft Using Milk Cartons
Kids are guaranteed to be fascinated by the click-clack sound of naruko! Let’s give them an easy way to experience this traditional Japanese instrument.
Using everyday materials like a milk carton, you can make naruko with ease.
When crafting with children, make sure adults handle any steps that require a utility knife.
Have the kids decorate the body of the naruko by drawing pictures or adding stickers! The click-clack sound is recreated using plastic bottle caps.
They’re perfect as cheer items for sports day, so why not give it a try?