[For 4-year-olds] Winter craft ideas to enjoy at daycare and kindergarten
Children who attend kindergarten and nursery school are likely looking forward to celebrating Christmas and winter events together with their friends and teachers.
In the chilly winter, some people may be looking for events that can be enjoyed not only outdoors but also indoors.
In this article, we’ve compiled a collection of recommended winter craft ideas for four-year-olds in childcare settings.
We’re also introducing activities that involve using their hands and thinking about what to make as they work, which can help nurture concentration and thinking skills through play.
Try making these items that are fun to create and fun to play with!
Because the children’s creations are treated as works, we refer to them as “seisaku” (制作, craft/creation) in the text.
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[For 4-year-olds] Winter Craft Ideas Enjoyable at Nursery Schools and Kindergartens (21–30)
A cozy hat made with crayon-resist painting
@shokaaijien Winter CraftTsunashimaShohana Nursery School#Nursery schoolNursery teacher / Childcare worker#IWantToConnectWithChildcareWorkerswall surface4-year-old child#knit beanieSnowman
Winter Begins feat. Noriyuki Makihara – Every Little Thing
A warm knit hat is perfect for the cold winter, isn’t it? For this craft, draw patterns on a plain knit hat base using a white crayon.
When you paint over it with your favorite color of paint, the paint will resist the crayon and the patterns will appear.
For the pom-pom, cut origami paper vertically by hand and glue it on to finish.
If you add snowflakes or other decorations around the hat on construction paper, it will create an even cozier winter feel.
Give this a try for a winter craft and make your own warm, original knit hat.
Daruma wall decoration made with lacing
@haruharo_made TikTok Document New Year’s Craft / Daruma Lacing Materials: • Yarn • Construction paper • Scissors • Cellophane tape • Glue • Hole punch • Paper plate • Round stickersCrafts for 4-year-olds Crafts for 5-year-olds#3-year-old crafts#2-year-old's craftCrafts for 1-year-oldsCrafts for 0-year-oldsProduction#Nursery schoolWall decoration#StayHomeTime#AtHomePlayProduction ideas#Nursery School CraftWinter Craft#KindergartenKindergarten craftNursery teacher / Childcare workerKindergarten Teacherwall surface #ChristmasTreeProduction for children under age (infants and toddlers) Simple craftMade in December # January productionMade in February New Year’s craft #Daruma making Tatsu Production#Mask making Mask#paint Sticker application Round stickerSticker-pasting craft Hanging ornamentdrawing paper #ConstructionPaperArt Paint making paper plate Paper plate craft Paper Plate Craft Threading (a cord/strap through a hole)
♬ Mela! – Ryokuoushoku Shakai
Daruma dolls are believed to bring good fortune, such as prosperity in business and good health, and have long been cherished as lucky charms.
It is said that the wish associated with a Daruma also changes depending on its color.
To make a lucky Daruma, cut a round hole out of the center of a paper plate.
Use a craft punch to make holes along the inside of the circle, then thread yarn through the holes to create the Daruma.
Finally, thread the yarn so that it connects the punched holes together, and your Daruma is complete! Using red yarn is a nice touch.
Once your Daruma is finished, add the face and belly, and display it as a lucky decoration.
[For 4-year-olds] Winter craft ideas (31–40) that can be enjoyed at daycare or kindergarten
Let’s play with a handmade Fukuwarai
Let’s play fukuwarai with family and friends over the New Year holidays.
First, paste a piece of construction paper cut into a face shape onto a backing sheet, and draw the hair freely with crayons or pens.
Next, draw the facial features on a separate sheet and cut them out.
For small parts like the eyes, it’s a good idea to outline them with a border—this makes them easier to cut with scissors.
It’s fun to see how the expression of the face you drew changes depending on how you place the parts.
If you borrow a friend’s set of parts and mix them in, you’ll get a completely different expression, so you can keep playing again and again without getting bored and everyone will have a great time!
Pitter-patter Reindeer
Here’s a craft idea for making a reindeer that toddles down a slope.
First, make the reindeer’s body with thick paper (cardstock).
Cut the cardstock into a rectangle and make two slits on each side.
Once the slits are made, fold the middle section as a valley fold and the two sides as mountain folds.
Trim one side of the middle section shorter to create a tail, and attach a reindeer head made from another sheet of construction paper to the opposite side.
The remaining four strips will become the legs, so cut their tips slightly diagonally.
Doing this will make it toddle as it walks! Draw the reindeer’s face, decorate it as you like—such as adding a chenille-stem scarf—and it’s complete.
Kite Flying Made with a Plastic Bag
Kite flying is perfect for outdoor play during the New Year, isn’t it? So let’s make a kite using a plastic shopping bag! First, cut off the handles, the tied section, and the bottom of the bag to make it into a tube, then cut along one side to open it flat.
Next, use a pen to mark a chevron (V-shaped) guideline and cut along it to form a symmetrical, trapezoid-like shape.
Then, reinforce the kite body with drinking straws and attach a string, and you’re done.
You can also let the kids draw freely on the kite’s surface! If you make sure to reinforce key points—like the straw supports and the holes where the string passes through—you’ll end up with a sturdy kite that can be enjoyed for a long time.
A penguin toy that moves side to side
A unique toy that recreates a waddling penguin’s movements.
It’s easy to make with a paper cup, so it would be perfect for a winter craft activity at a daycare or kindergarten.
First, decorate a light blue or blue paper cup with the penguin’s belly, beak, eyes, and so on.
Next, attach a rubber band to a battery, then slot the rubber band into two slits cut into each side of the cup—and you’re done! To play, simply wind the battery and set it on the floor or a table.
The penguin’s unpredictable movements are sure to get both the kids and the teachers excited!
Snowflake made with origami
Beautiful, eye-catching snowflakes that look festive when displayed on a wall.
Although they’re symmetrical, geometric patterns, you can enjoy making them even with a 4-year-old using origami cutouts.
First, fold the paper into a triangle twice, then open it once.
Fold the left and right sides together, and fold it in half again.
Leaving the folded “loop” side uncut, draw any shapes you like, then cut along the lines with scissors and unfold to reveal a lovely snowflake pattern.
Be careful not to cut off the looped (folded) edge.
Finally, when you open the paper, the excitement of “I wonder what shape it became?” is part of the fun—and it also helps develop thinking skills.
