Lovely childcare

[Childcare] Winter Projects You’ll Want to Try! Recommended Craft Ideas

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.
Nursery Teacher Mom Writertsukada moe
After working for five years at an after-school childcare club and three years at a nursery school, I began working as a freelance writer. I’m a mother of two children. Inspired by playing the flute in the school wind ensemble in elementary school, I joined a jazz club at university. I’ve also incorporated ukulele and piano performance into childcare. Playing, laughing, feeling sad, feeling frustrated—through all kinds of experiences, I want children to grow.

Winter is packed with events like Christmas and New Year’s.

With one fun event after another, children are surely full of excitement.

Plus, winter-specific activities and warm, cozy motifs add color to everyday life.

In this article, we’ll introduce craft ideas to enjoy during the winter season.

If your ideas have been getting repetitive or you’re looking for a hint, please use this as a reference.

Since the things children make are treated as works, we use the term “seisaku” (production) in the text.

[Childcare] Projects to Try in Winter! Recommended Craft Ideas (91–100)

Cute with origami! Kadomatsu made of origami

[One sheet of origami] Easy Kadomatsu tutorial 🎍 How to make a paper Kadomatsu #Seollal #NewYear #NewYear’sDay #PlumBlossom #NewYear’sMorning #Nandina #HappyNewYear #Craft #FoldingMethod #Origami #Origami (Chinese) #Paper #PaperFolding (Korean)

Cute with origami! Kadomatsu made of origami

Recommended for those who want to make simple New Year’s decorations! Kadomatsu are New Year decorations made with pine and bamboo that are set up at entrances during the holiday, right? Many children have probably seen them while out on walks or outings.

This time, let’s finish it using just one sheet of green origami paper.

The key points are to make firm creases along the lines and to align the corners.

There are many steps where you create a crease and then use it to form the next one, so it would be great to enjoy making it while keeping these points in mind.

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You can make it with origami! Kagami mochi origami

[New Year Origami] Easy and Cute Kagami Mochi Origami / Origami Kagami-mochi

You can make it with origami! Kagami mochi origami

Kagami mochi is characterized by stacked rice cakes and a bitter orange on top.

It looks lovely whether you stick it onto a surface or let it stand on its own, and it’s great for preschool craft projects! You’ll need white origami paper, light yellow origami paper, orange origami paper, green origami paper, colored pens, glue, and so on.

It’s exciting to make each part—the mochi, the daidai (bitter orange), and the sanpō (the wooden stand)—separately and then assemble them.

Since the origami sizes differ for each part, please follow the video to check the sizes as you make it!

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Newspaper Rip-Rip! Eurhythmics with a Snow Song

[January Eurhythmics: Tearing Newspaper + Snow Song Eurhythmics] 🎵 A eurhythmics session that includes a snow-themed craft set, all doable while seated ✨ Parent–child eurhythmics and rhythm play

Newspaper Rip-Rip! Eurhythmics with a Snow Song

Here’s a eurhythmics activity that starts with a newspaper play element.

Give each child a sheet of newspaper and, at the cue of “1, 2, 3,” have them tear it into pieces.

Once it’s torn into small bits, pretend they’re snow and have fun letting it fall from above to the tune of the children’s song “Yuki” (Snow).

After the eurhythmics session, pack the used newspaper pieces into a clear bag to make a snowman.

It’s a winter-themed idea from start to finish, so please enjoy it with the children.

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How to make a fun Fukuwarai

Fukuwarai Craft Full of Stimuli for Growth☆ January/Winter Craft Book: “We Made Funny Faces” ~For 2- and 3-Year-Olds~ [Nursery School/Kindergarten]

How to make a fun Fukuwarai

Here’s a craft idea for “Fukuwarai,” a traditional New Year’s game.

This version uses a daruma motif, letting you enjoy the game while you make it.

First, glue a daruma body—cut from construction paper—onto a backing sheet.

Then cut out the parts for the eyes, nose, mouth, eyebrows, and cheeks.

Put on a blindfold and enjoy playing Fukuwarai by placing the parts on the face.

Glue the parts where they land, and decorate the empty areas of the backing sheet with flowers.

Finally, use crayons to draw the flower centers and the daruma’s patterns to complete your craft.

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Let’s make a Fukuwarai and play!

[For 4-year-olds] Laugh together! Let’s make and play Fukuwarai!

Let's make a Fukuwarai and play!

How about enjoying a classic New Year’s game, fukuwarai? Have the children draw and make the base sheet and facial parts however they like using construction paper and crayons.

By creating them themselves, the kids can grasp what the finished face should look like, and after playing fukuwarai they won’t be able to stop laughing! It might be even funnier if you make it as a self-portrait.

It’s perfectly fine if the fukuwarai face doesn’t turn out “well,” so why not encourage the kids by saying, “Make a funny face on purpose!”

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