Lovely childcare

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 (21–30)

Origami of acorns and chestnuts

Origami “Acorn” [Preschool craft activity • classic • childcare origami]

Origami of acorns and chestnuts

After folding the origami into a triangle twice to make creases, open it up and fold the top corner down to meet the center.

Fold the top edge down to align with the horizontal crease, then fold it down once more along the crease and fold the entire paper into a triangle.

This folded section will become the acorn’s cupule (cap).

Turn the paper over, fold the left and right corners inward so they overlap at the center, then slightly fold in the five corners to refine the shape.

Flip it back to the front, and you’ll have a cute acorn.

This idea works best with double-sided origami paper.

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Also recommended for walls! Origami cosmos

[Easy Origami Cosmos] How to make it in 1 minute: Paper Craft, Autumn Wall Decorations (for nursery teachers and caregivers) How to Make a Cosmos Flower—Paper Craft Origami

Also recommended for walls! Origami cosmos

Here’s an idea for making cosmos flowers with paper cutting.

Fold a piece of origami paper into a triangle three times to create crease lines, then unfold it back to the state of being folded once.

Fold the bottom edge on the right to line up with the leftmost crease, and fold the bottom edge on the left to line up with the center crease.

Fold the remaining right section along its crease, and fold again along the next remaining crease to stack the paper.

Draw petal lines and cut them out.

When you open it, you’ll have an 8-petal flower.

Slightly overlap the spaces between the petals by folding them, and place a yellow round sticker in the center.

Finally, curve the tips of the petals to give it a three-dimensional finish.

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[September] Autumn crafts! Ideas you can use in childcare (31–40)

A ginkgo leaf you can make from a single sheet of origami paper

[Preschool Craft] A “Ginkgo” that can be easily made with a single sheet of origami

A ginkgo leaf you can make from a single sheet of origami paper

Let’s express the ginkgo leaves that color the autumn scenery vividly using origami.

First, fold the paper into a triangle to make a crease, then unfold it and place the paper so the crease runs horizontally.

Fold the two left edges toward the crease, then rotate and place the model so that the newly formed point faces downward.

Broadly speaking, the upper triangular part will be the ginkgo leaf, and the lower part will be the petiole (leaf stem).

From here, you’ll gradually shape it by adding fine creases, so make each fold carefully and press firmly with your fingers to set crisp crease lines.

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Fun in autumn! Roasted sweet potato origami

[Origami] Roasted Sweet Potato

Fun in autumn! Roasted sweet potato origami

After folding the origami into a square and creasing it, open it up and place the paper so the crease runs horizontally.

Fold the top and bottom edges to the crease, then fold all four corners inward to complete the roasted sweet potato.

This alone gives plenty of autumn vibes, but let’s add one more touch.

Tear the roasted sweet potato you made in half, and insert a yellow “roasted sweet potato” made the same way inside.

Now you’ve made a half-eaten roasted sweet potato.

It also works as a wall decoration and seems like an idea that could contribute to children’s food education.

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Three-dimensional cosmos

[Origami] Cosmos – Easy 3D Tutorial | Autumn Flower Origami | Kid-Friendly Instructions | September, October, November Origami [Origami]

Three-dimensional cosmos

Here’s an idea for making a cosmos flower by combining identical parts.

Fold a sheet of origami paper in half into a triangle, then fold it in half into a triangle again, and place it so the triangle points downward.

Take the top layer’s left edge and fold it to meet the right edge, then fold it back again to align with the center line.

Slightly fold the right corner of the folded section inward, open that section up, and use the creases to shape it into a petal.

With one part completed, make eight parts total and assemble them by overlapping, tucking in any excess as you go to form the cosmos.

Adding a round sticker in the center makes it easy to represent the flower’s core.

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3D persimmon origami

Persimmon decoration made with easy origami (with audio commentary)

3D persimmon origami

After folding the origami in half twice to make a small square, place the center of the origami facing down and use scissors to round off the left and right corners.

Open the origami, make slits, then bring the four corners to the center and glue them—this completes the persimmon fruit part.

For the calyx, use 7.5 cm origami paper.

Fold it into a triangle twice and open it, then fold it into a small square like the fruit and cut off both side corners.

Open the paper, fold the four corners toward the center, then fold them back and create a stepped fold.

Pinch the corners while pressing toward the center to hollow out the middle of the paper.

Finally, glue it to the fruit, and it’s complete.

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Grape craft for ages 1 and up

@hoikushisatomi
From around age 1: Just roll and pop it in! Simple fine-motor play craftNursery teacher / Childcare worker Kids will love it #NurseryTeacherDailyLife work #OuchiMonte Translation #grapes
♬ Whistling you want to go for a walk – Ken Nakagawa

A cute bunch of grapes that’s finished by crumpling tissue paper, putting it into a bag, and shaping it.

Change the color and you’ve got muscat grapes, too.

Cut grape leaves out of construction paper and stick them on.

Using tissue paper in the same color family with different shades will make it look even more vibrant.

Once it’s done, you can display it as is to enjoy an autumn mood, or stick it on the wall and have a grape-picking game.

Since the tissue paper gets packed into the bag, it doesn’t need to be perfectly crumpled.

Let the kids enjoy the feel of the tissue paper while they work on it.

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