September: Autumn crafts! Ideas you can use in childcare

9 years of experience as a nursery school teacherShibata Risa
I am an active nursery school teacher with 9 years of experience. After graduating from university, I worked at a daycare center. The time I spent happily with children—playing piano, singing songs, and doing finger-play—are priceless memories to me. Currently, while raising three children of my own, I work at an after-school day service, engaging with children and providing individualized developmental support. Drawing on my diverse experiences as a childcare worker and as a mother, I hope to express and convey my thoughts through writing.

In September, when the season gradually shifts from the hot summer to autumn, there are many chances to feel the change of seasons through nature and living creatures.

This is a must-read for teachers at daycare centers and kindergartens who are thinking, “We want to incorporate crafts that let children feel autumn!”

Here are some recommended craft ideas for September.

We’ve gathered a wide range of ideas—from those that incorporate familiar autumn elements for children such as fallen leaves and acorns, to ones that use unique techniques that stimulate the five senses.

With a bit of adaptation, these activities can be enjoyed by children from infants to the oldest kindergarteners, so please make good use of them.

Since we emphasize project ideas that make the most of children’s free imagination, we use the term “制作 (seisaku: creation/production)” rather than “製作 (seisaku: craft/production)” in the text.

[September] Autumn crafts! Ideas you can use in childcare (91–100)

Tissue paper mushroom

Let’s make colorful and cute mushrooms using tissue paper! First, cut out a large mushroom stem (stipe) from construction paper.

Depending on the children’s ages, the teacher can prepare these in advance.

Next, have the children choose their favorite colors of tissue paper and crumple them into small balls.

Once they’ve made enough, place the balls on a sheet of plastic wrap and wrap them up while shaping them into a mushroom cap.

When it’s done, attach it to the construction paper stem to finish! If you like, draw a face on the stem for extra fun.

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SAKI

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A whirling-spiral vineyard

This is a fall craft making grapes using spiral swirls! Cut construction paper into long, thin strips and roll them up to make the grape berries.

Depending on the children, you can prepare pre-cut strips or have them cut along drawn lines—adjusting the starting point of the task works well.

Next, apply glue to a triangular (inverted) grape base and stick on the rolled spirals.

Add leaf parts made by flattening some of the rolled spirals, and you’ll have a three-dimensional bunch of grapes! Decorate by sticking them on the wall or hanging them from parts that look like grapevine branches.

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yuri

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Moon Viewing with the Raccoon Dog and the Dragonfly

Wall decorations for moon viewing are perfect for autumn when the Harvest Moon (Jūgoya) arrives! Prepare parts like pampas grass, moon-viewing dumplings, dragonflies, and the moon, and create a moon-viewing scene on the wall.

If you want to make a display that children will love, be sure to add animal motifs like raccoon dogs (tanuki) and rabbits! Teachers can prepare the pieces in advance, and then have the children stick them on or draw the facial features to complete it together.

It’s also a great idea to read a picture book and explain, “This is what moon viewing means.”

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yuri

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Moon-viewing art with stamps and footprints

For both children and seniors, September is synonymous with moon-viewing, isn’t it? This wall display art is perfect for September: “Moon-Viewing Art with Cotton Swabs and Footprints.” As you can see from the photos, this piece blends real photographs with construction-paper art.

Even a flat artwork instantly becomes more striking when you incorporate real photos, so it’s highly recommended.

Like in the example, a rear-view photo works well, and a front-facing photo would be great too.

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Ryo

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Torn-paper collage mushroom

How about adding patterns to a mushroom cap using torn-paper collage? First, cut out the mushroom cap and stem from construction paper.

If the children are old enough to use scissors, let them do it themselves; if not, the teacher should prepare the pieces in advance.

Next, tear colored origami paper into small pieces.

Then randomly glue the pieces onto the mushroom cap to decorate it.

Once you’ve covered it enough, attach the cap and stem to complete the mushroom.

If you like, draw a cute face on the stem with crayons or pens.

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SAKI

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Torn-paper collage sweet potato

These torn-paper roasted sweet potatoes are perfect for an end-of-autumn craft.

Use red, purple, and brown construction paper or origami paper, tear it by hand, and glue the pieces onto a sweet-potato-shaped base.

If you crumple and soften the paper before tearing, it becomes easier for children to rip—give it a try! For added dimension, you can also shape a sweet potato out of newspaper and then cover it with colored paper.

This craft idea brings out children’s expressive creativity and is sure to make autumn events even more enjoyable.

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miyabi

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Dragonflies made with wet-on-wet painting

How about an idea for making dragonflies using wet-on-wet painting? Wet-on-wet painting is done by wetting drawing paper with water and letting watercolor paints bleed.

You can use any colors you like, but if you want an autumn feel, red, yellow, and orange work well.

Once the paint dries, cut out wing shapes with scissors, then attach them along with eyes to a straw that will be the body, and you’re done.

If you gently move the straw up and down, the wings will flutter beautifully.

Display them on a wall, and you can create a lively swarm of colorful dragonflies.

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sasashina