[For 3-year-olds] A roundup of craft ideas to enjoy in summer! Introducing various motifs and techniques
Summer is full of fun events at nurseries and kindergartens, like water play and festivals! But there are also days when it’s too hot to play outside.
On those days, how about enjoying some crafting? Through making things, children can discover new ideas, get inspired, and feel happy.
Here, we’ve gathered summer craft ideas recommended for three-year-olds.
With a variety of themes and techniques, kids can create projects they’ll enjoy.
Please use this as a reference and have fun enjoying summer together with the children! Because the children’s creations are treated as works, we use the term “seisaku” (制作) in the text.
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[For 3-year-olds] A roundup of craft ideas to enjoy in summer! Introducing various motifs and techniques (31–40)
Plump goldfish
https://www.tiktok.com/@sachimama_asobi/video/7260304263862127880Let’s make a cute, plump goldfish.
Up to a point, this follows the same steps as folding a balloon.
Fold the origami so that two triangles overlap, then fold the two corners of one triangle up to meet the top corner.
Fold the left and right corners of the diamond formed in the center toward the center line, then fold down the two corners you just lifted and tuck them inside.
Turn the paper over, fold the left and right edges of the triangle toward the center line, and on the left side only, fold the bottom corner up at a right angle.
Glue it to the right side as is to form the tail fin.
Blow air into the balloon section to inflate it, add eyes, and your goldfish is complete.
Sponge stamp ice cream
https://www.tiktok.com/@hoiku.labo/video/7379432042959834386Let’s make ice cream using sponge stamps! First, take a sheet of drawing paper and dab the paint-covered stamp to create patterns.
You can use any colors you like.
Once the paint is dry, cut the paper into the shape of ice cream.
Cut brown construction paper into a cone shape, draw the cone pattern, and paste it onto a backing sheet.
Then stick the stamped ice cream on top of the cone, add patterns in the empty spaces with crayons, and you’re done! You can make several scoops and stack them to create two- or three-scoop ice cream, too.
How to fold an easy uchiwa (paper fan)

Here’s a fan craft idea you can also use for summer wall decorations.
Place the origami paper with the colored side up, fold it into a triangle, then open it.
Fold the two left edges in to meet the crease.
Rotate the paper so that the folded corner is at the bottom.
Fold the two corners at the center of the paper outward to form triangles.
Tuck the corners slightly to the back to round them, and do the same to round the top corner.
Fold up the lower corner of the white area, then fold it back down leaving about 1 cm to create a pleat (accordion fold).
While flattening the corners of the pleated section into triangles, fold the left and right edges toward the center line.
Tuck the bottom corner to the back, and your fan is complete.
Fluffy ice cream

Recommended when you want to make a three-dimensional piece! Here’s a fluffy ice cream idea.
Mix shaving foam with glue and a coloring agent to make foam.
Use a bit less glue than shaving foam to keep it fluffy.
Cut construction paper into a cone shape, draw a pattern, and attach it to the base.
Pile the foam on top of the cone to represent the ice cream, then add stickers or drawings in the blank spaces on the backing paper to finish.
Sprinkling powdered pastel on the foam as a topping might make it look pretty.
Collage Ice Cream

Here are some ice cream craft ideas that also let you enjoy making collages.
Cut the cup or cone bases out of cardboard, then decorate them by drawing patterns with pens or using colored paper.
For the ice cream scoops, basically cut circles out of construction paper, and have fun adding various toppings with small pieces of colored paper or stickers.
It’s also cute to make “collage ice cream” by gluing torn newspaper or flyers onto the round paper scoops.
Once your ice cream is done, attach it to the base to finish.
[For 3-year-olds] A roundup of craft ideas to enjoy in summer! Introducing various motifs and techniques (41–50)
Summer item! Straw hat

Let me show you a simple way to fold a summery, breezy straw hat.
First, fold the origami paper into a triangle to make a crease.
Open it up, then fold the two left edges to meet the crease.
Next, fold the remaining corner inward to form an isosceles triangle.
Flip the paper over and fold up the base of the triangle by about 2 cm.
Fold that section down in half, then fold it up again in half to create the brim.
Fold down the top point of the triangle to shape the hat, tuck in both corners to round it out, and you’re done!
Easy whale origami

Here’s a simple and cute summer whale origami.
Prepare one sheet of origami paper and fold it in half.
Fold the corners toward the center line.
After folding it in half along the center line, turn it over, fold up the corner, and create the whale’s mouth by tucking the right tip inward.
Finally, fold in the whale’s tail to finish.
Use a felt-tip pen to draw the eyes and cheeks to make your own original whale! Display your finished whale on the wall and enjoy the summer.



