[For 1-year-olds] Fun to make! A collection of winter craft activity ideas for use in childcare
Winter is full of exciting events for children, like Christmas, New Year’s, Setsubun, and Valentine’s Day.
Many teachers are probably looking to enjoy winter-themed crafts together with their children.
In this article, we’ll introduce winter craft ideas for one-year-olds.
Along with ideas tied to seasonal events and holidays, we also feature motifs unique to winter—like snowmen and mittens—that are rich in seasonal atmosphere.
We’ve gathered craft ideas that use unique techniques to keep one-year-olds fully engaged, so we hope you enjoy creating together this winter.
Since the children’s creations are treated as works, we refer to them as “seisaku” (productions/crafts) in the main text.
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[For 1-year-olds] Fun to Make! A Collection of Winter Craft Activity Ideas You Can Use in Childcare (41–50)
Soramame-kun’s Bed
Here’s an introduction to making a fava bean bed craft that’s perfect for May.
Gather paint, sponge stampers (tanpo), construction paper, cotton, colored pens, and glue, and let’s get started.
Stamp paint onto construction paper cut into the shape of a pod to create the fava bean’s bed.
Use colored pens to freely draw grass on the base sheet of construction paper.
Glue the pod onto the base, add the cotton, and the fava bean bed is complete.
Kids can enjoy the feel of the cotton and the color variations created by dabbing with the sponge stampers.
Give it a try!
[For 1-year-olds] Fun to make! A collection of winter craft activity ideas for childcare (51–60)
Electric Shock Demon
When it comes to origami crafts recommended for one-year-olds using origami paper and crayons, “Torn-Paper Oni” is a great pick.
How about making oni-themed origami for Setsubun season? Tear origami paper into small pieces and glue them onto a backing sheet, then draw the hair with crayons.
Add horns and facial parts made from construction paper, and finally stamp beans using cotton swabs to finish.
Tearing paper and drawing freely with crayons provide great fine-motor stimulation.
It’s a winter craft idea that encourages children’s free expression.
Tree made with finger painting
A Christmas tree made with finger painting that you can create without getting your hands dirty.
Let’s make a tree together with a one-year-old; the illustration changes each time you make it.
Squeeze colorful paint—mostly green—onto construction paper.
Cover it with plastic wrap, then spread the paint and cut it into the shape of a tree.
After decorating the tree’s base and the star, finish by adding pom-poms.
It’s a craft idea that lets children enjoy choosing paint colors and the tactile feel of covering and pressing the plastic wrap.
Christmas art with handprints and footprints
Creating Christmas art with handprints and footprints is a fun idea you can enjoy with children before the holiday! It’s suitable even for infants from 0 years old, so please feel free to use it as a reference.
Green handprints can become Christmas trees, red footprints can turn into Santa’s outfit, and brown footprints can transform into reindeer! The decorating step—sticking on round stickers and more—is enjoyable even for little ones.
Christmas art that children help make themselves will surely become a cherished memory.
Torn-Paper Origami Lion Dance
Would you like to try making torn-origami shishimai (lion dance) crafts that 1-year-olds can enjoy, along with ema-themed origami decorations for New Year’s? On a backing sheet cut into the shape of an ema plaque, have the children glue on pieces of origami paper they’ve torn, and create the shishimai’s face.
Finally, punch a hole with a hole punch, tie it off with tape or string, and it’s done.
This is an origami idea where kids can have fun tearing paper and sticking it on.
Give this Japanese-style decoration a try—you can hang it on doors or walls, too.
Snowman wreath
How about a snowman wreath as a winter craft to brighten up your walls? It’s a fun idea that even one-year-olds can enjoy! First, cut thick paper into a wreath shape and glue on a paper doily.
Next, stick crumpled tissue paper onto areas with double-sided tape.
Decorating with cut origami paper, round stickers, and washi tape will make it even more festive! Finish by adding a snowman made from construction paper, and it’s complete.
Feel free to adapt the activity—like using glue or scissors—according to the children’s interests and abilities, and enjoy creating together!
A reindeer made with just one fold
Introducing an origami reindeer that’s finished with just one fold.
As the animal that pulls Santa’s sleigh, reindeer are perfect for getting into the Christmas spirit—make them together with kids! Fold a sheet of origami paper into a triangle, then stick on eye and nose stickers to complete the reindeer’s face.
Attach it to a template or backing sheet to create an adorable reindeer.
You can also draw your own illustrations to match the facial parts on the origami.
It’s a fun idea for kids, with simple steps like sticking stickers and making a single fold.