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] Great winter projects! Recommended craft ideas (21–30)

Sponge Stamp: Valentine’s Chocolate

Valentine’s crafts using sponge stamps turn out super cute, so I highly recommend them.

First, take a light pink sheet of construction paper and stamp colors like red, deep pink, and pale yellow using a sponge stamp.

When making your sponge stamp, try to shape it so the stamp prints as a circle.

Once you’ve filled the paper with stamps, cut it out into a heart shape with scissors.

Then glue the heart onto another sheet of paper, draw a motif like a bear, and you’re done! It would make a lovely gift for parents or guardians.

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Paper-tearing collage Shishimai (lion dance)

Let’s make a shishimai (lion dance) figure—famous as a lucky New Year’s charm—using origami.

Start by attaching the facial parts onto a sheet of red paper, then use crumpled tissue paper to create a three-dimensional mane.

Use white drawing paper for the body, and glue down small torn pieces of origami in a collage style.

Since a shishimai’s body features a green arabesque pattern, using green origami or green patterned origami will make it look more authentic.

Add black pieces for the legs, and your shishimai is complete.

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Mini Christmas tree made of pine cones

[Christmas Craft] How to Make a Cute Mini Christmas Tree with Pine Cones! [Nursery School/Kindergarten]

Mini Christmas tree made of pine cones

Using pine cones, you can make adorable little mini Christmas trees.

If you’re using pine cones you picked up, boil them and let them dry to prevent bugs.

Paint the pine cones with acrylic paints; mixing green and yellow gives a nice finish.

Next, use white paint to create a snowy effect.

The trick is to dab the paint with just the tip of the brush, without using water.

Finally, decorate them—use beads and pom-poms to make them cute.

They look lovely as room decor and also make great gifts for parents or guardians!

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Handmade karuta

[Kindergarten/Daycare] January New Year Handmade Karuta Art/Pottery

Handmade karuta

We’d like to introduce a handmade karuta set that’s perfect for New Year craft play! Children can learn hiragana and other characters, and by drawing pictures that match the chosen character, they can also develop their thinking and imagination.

You can let the kids pick their favorite characters, too.

The method is very simple: prepare colored construction paper with the characters, then cut out and paste on the pictures the children have drawn.

You can also come up with the reading cards’ sentences together with the kids to make this karuta game even more enjoyable.

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Warm Futon Production

[Kindergarten/Daycare] December: Good Night with a Cozy Futon – Painting/Craft

Warm Futon Production

When cold days continue, we start longing for a warm futon, don’t we? Here’s a very fun craft activity you can make while having the children think about the futon they sleep in every day.

Leave a margin along the edge of a sheet of construction paper, make vertical slits, and then interweave another sheet of construction paper.

Have the children draw a self-portrait and paste it on top of the futon.

You could also ask whether it’s nap time or nighttime and change the background paper color accordingly.

Once they’re finished, having everyone present what kind of futon they made is sure to get the group excited!

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