Lovely childcare

[For 4-Year-Olds] Feel the Spring Up Close! Fun and Easy Craft Ideas You’ll Love

20 years of experience as a nursery teacher / kindergarten teacherhiyoko sensei
I’m Hiyoko-sensei, a former nursery school teacher from Hyogo Prefecture. Ever since I was five, my dream was to become a childcare worker, and before I knew it, 20 years had passed since I achieved that dream. Through singing and playing with the children, I kept working with the spirit of someone in their twenties, even as I increasingly felt my physical limits year by year (haha). From here on, I’d like to share helpful information carefully and thoughtfully, drawing on my on-site experience.
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.

Spring is when colorful flowers bloom and insects begin to move about energetically.

Many teachers may be thinking, “I want children to feel the charms of spring!”

So this time, we’ve gathered spring-themed craft ideas recommended for four-year-olds.

Packed with fun projects that incorporate spring motifs familiar to children—like cherry blossoms, dandelions, butterflies, and ladybugs!

These ideas focus on enjoying self-expression while expanding their imaginations, as well as experiencing a variety of techniques and materials, so be sure to check them out.

Because the children’s creations are treated as artworks, the term used in the text is “制作” (seisaku), meaning “art/craft production.”

[For 4-year-olds] Feel the spring up close! Fun and recommended craft ideas to make (121–130)

3D tulips made with coffee filters

Here’s a craft idea for making a three-dimensional tulip using a bleeding art technique.

First, cut the bottom off a coffee filter with scissors and draw patterns on it using water-based markers.

The remaining filter will become the petals.

The piece you cut off will be the leaves, so color it green.

Spray or mist with water to let the colors bleed, then let everything dry.

Once dry, place the cut side up and tape it onto a green straw.

Attach the cut filter piece as leaves as well.

Stick the straw into a sponge and place it in a paper cup.

Finally, fill the gaps in the paper cup with crumpled brown paper to finish.

If you separate your water-based markers into warm and cool colors, the petals will look especially beautiful.

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Dandelions made with stamps

Get a head start on spring ✨ Creative play with recycled materials 🎨 #shorts #childcare #paints

Dandelions made with stamps

Easy yet wonderfully festive! Let’s make dandelion flowers with a stamp! The method is very simple.

Prepare a toilet paper roll and cut many slits into one end.

Imagine dandelion petals as you cut a lot of fine slits.

Fold the cut fringes outward, and your stamp is ready! Draw the dandelion stem and leaves on a base sheet of construction paper, then dip the toilet paper roll stamp in yellow paint and start stamping over it.

The toilet paper roll stamp is large and easy to grip, so even infants can enjoy it.

It’s a craft you can make using familiar recycled materials, so give it a try!

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Dandelion with straw stamps

Let’s try making dandelions using a straw stamp.

First, make fine vertical cuts on one end of a straw.

Open out the cut sections, and your stamp is ready.

Dip the stamp in paint and press it onto drawing paper to create dandelions.

Once the paint dries, use a pen to color in a round center for each dandelion and draw the stems.

Next, cut a paper cup in half vertically and attach a ribbon made from a pipe cleaner.

Glue this to the stem area to finish.

Instead of a paper cup, you can also fold origami paper into a triangle and stick it on to turn it into a bouquet.

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broccoli

How to fold an origami broccoli [Vegetables] Origami Broccoli

broccoli

Let’s make vegetables with origami! Here’s an idea for broccoli.

What you’ll need: green origami paper and colored pencils or crayons.

Broccoli is something children often see at home or in school lunches, so it’s probably a familiar vegetable to them.

This time, let’s try making broccoli out of origami! There are many steps, so some children might find it difficult, but working together with a parent or teacher can make it fun.

Try to keep the broccoli’s round shape in mind as you make it.

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Movable dandelion doll

[Movable] Hello♪ Tanpopo-san 🌻 #diy #easycraft #April #Daiso #handmade #craft #handmade #nurseryteacher #shorts #play #communication

Movable dandelion doll

Let’s make something with familiar materials! I’ll show you an idea for a movable dandelion doll.

You’ll need a straw, two yellow food cups, a craft paper cup, decorative materials like stickers, craft glue, felt, and round stickers or construction paper.

First, punch a hole in a food cup and insert a straw with slits cut into its tip.

Draw a face on a round sticker or a piece of construction paper and stick it in the center of the flower.

Decorate the craft paper cup, make a hole, and insert the straw—then it’s done.

Adding felt leaves makes it even cuter.

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