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 around you! Fun and recommended craft ideas to make (51–60)

Three-color dango made with origami

@hoikushi_bank
Perfect for cherry-blossom viewing: origami dango!#Nursery school #Kindergarten Production Nursery School Practicum #Indoor Play Nursery teacher / Childcare worker Childcare student Origami #odango #Indoor Play
♬ 이 지금 – IU

Speaking of spring, cherry-blossom viewing comes to mind.

Here’s a perfect spring craft: how to make three-color dango with origami.

You’ll need three colors of origami paper for the dango and some bamboo skewers.

First, fold a balloon using the basic balloon base in origami.

Once you’ve made all three colors, simply skewer them one by one to finish.

You can enjoy the origami process itself, and then use what you’ve made for pretend play.

Taking a spring walk with the dango you made together with the kids could be fun, too.

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Giant cherry-blossom wall

https://www.tiktok.com/@inokuchirunbini/video/7221821366301920520

Let’s create with our whole bodies! I’d like to introduce a giant cherry blossom wall that everyone can make together.

You’ll need large sheets of drawing paper taped to fit the wall size, brown construction paper, paint, paper cups, brushes, and pink paper cut into pieces.

It’s a wonderful idea to spark children’s creativity.

Painting on drawing paper many times larger than their own bodies is sure to be exciting! It’s also fun to use thinly shredded pink paper as cherry blossom petals.

You can just picture the children’s smiling faces as they dynamically enjoy a flurry of paper confetti! Adjust the paper size to match your classroom or room dimensions.

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Spring flowers made with blow painting

Blow painting with straws! Spring craft flower drawings

Spring flowers made with blow painting

We’ll introduce a spring craft using blow painting to create spring flowers.

Prepare drawing paper, crayons, paint, brushes, and water.

First, draw the leaves and stem of the flower on the paper and decide where the blossom will go.

Drop a bit of paint with a brush slightly above the crayon-drawn stem, then blow through a straw to spread the paint.

The paint will fan out, forming petal-like shapes and other delightful, unexpected patterns.

When blowing through the straw, hold it a little away from the paint and blow with some force—that’s the key.

Give this spring craft a try!

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Let’s look for spring! Making a magnifying glass

'Craft: Magnifying Glass' — Let’s make our own original magnifying glasses and go explore lots of springtime nature!

Let’s look for spring! Making a magnifying glass

Here’s how to make a magnifying glass that’s perfect for spring walks and bug hunting.

Prepare two pieces of thick paper with circular cutouts, construction paper, clear cellophane, tape, and colored pens.

Fold a rectangular piece of construction paper to add strength and form the handle of the magnifying glass.

Attach the handle firmly to the bottom of one of the circular cutouts so it won’t come off.

Place the cellophane over the circular opening and trim any excess with scissors.

Finally, glue the second circular cutout on top, and your magnifying glass is complete.

Draw with colored pens to create your own original design!

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[Age 4] Feel the arrival of spring up close! Fun and recommended craft ideas (61–70)

A bookmark made with cherry blossom petals

I tried making a bookmark with cherry blossom petals 🌸—super easy with an iron!

A bookmark made with cherry blossom petals

Let’s try making a bookmark using cherry blossoms.

First, freely arrange cherry blossoms on top of a piece of milk carton cut to bookmark size.

Stack a towel, the bookmark, and a pressing cloth in that order, then press firmly with an iron from above to make pressed flowers.

Be careful not to overheat, as the flowers can scorch—check frequently while ironing.

Once the flowers have adhered to the milk carton, apply packing tape over the top, and glue your favorite patterned wrapping paper to the back.

Finally, punch a hole at the top and tie a ribbon to finish.

It also looks cute if you use other flowers like white clover or dandelions.

Please handle the iron with great care.

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Strawberry cake made with paper cups

[Kindergarten/Preschool] Spring Craft / Easy / How to Make a Strawberry Cake ♡

Strawberry cake made with paper cups

The strawberries look so realistic and delicious.

Let me show you how to make a strawberry cake using a paper cup.

Get a paper cup, paint, tissue paper (hana-gami), crayons, red and green construction paper, and glue ready.

Use the paper cup as the cake base and paint it.

While the paint is drying, make the strawberries with the construction paper.

When drawing the center of the strawberries with crayons, I recommend coloring with pink first and then layering white crayon on top to add a three-dimensional effect.

Once you’ve glued the tissue paper onto the paper cup to look like whipped cream, stick the strawberries on top and you’re done.

It’s also fun to try different colors of tissue paper and paint.

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Cherry blossom petals made with coffee filters

@hoiku.labo
[No paint needed, easy♪] Cherry blossom petals made with coffee filters 🌸Childcare Nursery teacher / Childcare worker Kindergarten Teacher Childcare job openings Childcare Column #NurseryTeacherThings #IWantToConnectWithChildcareWorkers #Nursery School Craft #DaycarePreparation Nursery School Practicum Childcare student Aspiring childcare worker Childcare Job Lab Nursery teacher skills Job change activities #JobChange #nursery_teacher_job_change Nursery teacher employment Production #Craft #Wall Creation #CoffeeFilter #Wall Creation Spring childcare crafts
♬ Strawberry – Prod. By Rose

Color with water-based markers! Let me show you how to make cherry blossom petals using coffee filters.

You’ll need white coffee filters, water-based markers, scissors, a spray bottle, and old paper such as newspaper.

First, color the coffee filters with water-based markers.

You can draw spirals, or straight vertical and horizontal lines—either works.

Using two or three colors lets you enjoy how they blend! Next, spray the coffee filters with water.

Finally, once they’re dry, cut them into petal shapes, and you’re done.

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