When I was a nursery school teacher, as Children's Day approached, I used to say this to mothers.
You can have fun at home with your children doing simple crafts. You can use materials you already have at home.
With a smile, and a bit of a senior attitude. The mother said, "I'll try it!" And with that, I felt like I had been truly helpful.
And then, when I became a mother and experienced Children's Day 。
My daughter is 2 and a half. When I said, “Today is a special day, so let’s play together,” she ran away saying, “No!”
In the end, the 'perfect craft kit' I had prepared that day remained untouched. My daughter was delighted just by throwing rolled-up newspapers at each other. I want to bow my head deeply to my past self who used to tell other mothers, 'I can do it right away.' I can't do it right away, not at all. But even if it's not perfect, the time spent laughing with my child becomes a cherished memory. I feel like my own failure taught me that.
Enjoy Children's Day with your child! Age-specific ideas for nursery schools and homes.
During my time as a nursery teacher, I used to explain to mothers how to spend their time according to their child's age.
"Choose activities that allow your child to stretch themselves just a little, according to their developmental stage, to foster a sense of accomplishment."
I heard this many times in training. It was also in developmental psychology textbooks. I knew it as knowledge.
So, when I tried to choose 'just the right activity' for my daughter, it was really difficult.
I've had experiences where crafts I prepared thinking "A 2-year-old should be able to do this" didn't interest them at all. Conversely, they became engrossed in activities I thought were "too early." It was nothing like the textbook.
So now, I think this: Age is just a guideline. Isn't the most important thing whether the child in front of you thinks 'I want to do this!'?
Ages 2-3: Fun crafting activities using hands-on work
Nursery school In the 1- to 2-year-old class, Tango no Sekku (Children's Day) I often did crafts using my hands during the...
Children in this age group start to enjoy actions like "grasping," "pasting," and "tearing." Therefore, activities like tearing colored paper and pasting it, or sticking on stickers, are suitable.
Here are some recommended handmade crafts:
- Tear and paste colored paper. Koinobori (carp streamer) （Drawing paper draw shapes on it, and the child just tears and pastes them)
- Helmet made with stickers (freely stick colorful stickers on a cutout of a helmet shape)
- Handprint/Footprint Art (paint hands and feet and stamp onto paper).
When I was a nursery teacher, I used to tell mothers, 'Value the process over the completion.' Now that I'm a parent myself, I finally understand the true meaning of those words.
Crafts for 2-3 year olds rarely turn out as parents envision. My daughter, instead of sticking colored paper onto a koinobori (carp streamer), was sticking it all over her arms. When I asked, 'Where did the koinobori go?', she replied with a beaming smile, 'I'm the koinobori!'
Even if it doesn't take the form of a finished product, if you enjoyed the time, that's enough. Really.
Ages 4-6: Recreation to enjoy while learning about Tango no Sekku (Children's Day)
After the age of 4, a storm of 'Why?' and 'How come?' begins.
Children's Day is no exception. "Why is it May 5th?" "Why carp streamers?" "Why wear helmets?"
When I was a nursery teacher, I was good at answering children's questions like these. “Long ago, people wished for boys to grow up healthy.” “The carp is a fish strong enough to climb waterfalls.” I explained the origin of Tango no Sekku in an easy-to-understand way.
However, just explaining it won't be enough for children at this age. They prefer "doing" to "listening."
Therefore, ideas that combine physical activity are effective:
- Carp streamer quiz : 'What color is the top carp on the carp streamer?' 'Who wears the helmet?' etc., related to the Tango no Sekku festival Riddles share ideas
- "Waterfall Climbing" Game — Create a river on the floor with tape and jump upstream. It gets exciting if you say, “You can become strong like a carp!”
- Helmet-making race — Compete to fold a large samurai helmet out of newspaper. For older children, Origami You can try it while looking at how to fold it
In nursery schools, we also incorporated such recreational activities in the toddler classes. Instead of 'teaching' the origins, children 'experience' them through play. That way, it stays in their memories.
It's also important to change the rules according to the developmental stage. For younger children, use simple rules, and for older children, slightly more complex rules. If there are older siblings in the household, asking them to support the younger child can also be a good experience.
5 May activities that are exciting indoors, no props needed!
“What games can we play at home without any props?”
This is a question I was often asked when I was a nursery teacher. Mothers, on sudden rainy days, or when you're not feeling well, you sometimes think, "I want to do something right now, but I don't have the energy to prepare!" right?
Now that I'm a parent myself, I understand that feeling all too well.
I want to play seasonal games, but I don't have time to buy materials. For those days, I've compiled ideas for playing with things you have at home or without using anything. All of them are easy to prepare.
Here are 5 activities related to Children's Day in May that can be enjoyed with no preparation needed:
- Target practice with rolled-up newspaper (Details later)
- Race while pretending to be a carp streamer (Details later)
- "Kashiwa Mochi Shop Pretend Play" : Roll up tissues Kashiwa mochi (rice cake with oak leaves) Use it as, play shopkeeper
- "King wearing a helmet" charades — Imitate someone wearing a helmet. Children love it when adults do it exaggeratedly.
All of these can be played in the living room without taking up much space. Even without special tools, children get absorbed when you turn simple things into games. The possibilities for fun are endless.
Target practice with rolled-up newspaper (with photos)
When my daughter was 2 years old, this was what she was most into.
All you need to prepare is newspaper or flyers.
How to play:
- Roll up flyers into a shape that can be thrown (starting the rolling process with your child can make it fun in itself)
- Place a cardboard box or laundry basket as a "target."
- Throw from a distance; if it goes in, you get points.
If you want to make it a Children's Day version, draw pictures on the target. If you make the mouth of the koinobori a big circle and create a story like 'Let's feed the koinobori!', even 2-3 year olds will be engrossed.
When I was a nursery teacher, I used to record this play as "play that promotes throwing motion development." Now I just think of it as "play that gets everyone excited." You honestly stop caring about development. As long as the parent and child can laugh, that's enough.
Taking photos with your smartphone makes for good memories when you look back on them later. The messy floor, the proud child, and yourself with a rolled-up piece of paper somehow on your head.
Race as a Koinobori (with fun twists for kids)
This can be played with just your body, no tools needed.
Rules:
- Decide on a start and finish line (by taping or placing cushions).
- Instead of saying “Ready, set, go!” try saying, “Swim like a koinobori!”
- The child runs with both arms spread wide and flapping (like swimming).
That's all. But when children get into the pretend play element of 'becoming a carp streamer,' they seem to enjoy it many times more than a simple race.
Ideas for ingenuity:
- It gets exciting if you narrate, “The wind is blowing! Swim faster!”
- Place a picture of 'the sky' (or a blue cloth or cushion) at the goal, and create a story like 'Let's swim to the sky!'
- If parents also participate as a "big carp streamer," toddlers will be delighted.
At the nursery school, this kind of 'pretend play' was always a hit. If you record it on video, it's really funny to look back on later. The sight of the children fluttering around with serious faces is endearing no matter how many times I see it.
Handmade Crafts and Toy Making Ideas for Children's Day Made by Parents and Children!
"What will you do for Children's Day?"
This is a question I often get from mothers.
When I was a nursery school teacher, I used to say, "It's okay not to do anything special. As long as you spend time together." That feeling hasn't changed. However, I've come to understand the desire to "do something" much better.
When I started my parenting diary, I decided to 'write properly every day.' But I couldn't keep it up. Every time I saw a notebook with rows of blank pages, I felt like a bad parent.
What changed was when I changed the rules. "Only once a week, only 5 minutes on my smartphone." When I limited it to that, after six months, small records had accumulated. Even if it's not perfect, the words left behind become cherished memories.
I think handmade crafts are the same. Rather than being pressured to make a 'proper work of art,' it's important to 'try it together.' Even if the finish is messy, the time spent together becomes a parent-child memory.
Koinobori made with paper cups (a popular craft at daycare centers)
This is a classic craft we used to make every year in the 2-3 year old class at the nursery school.
Materials needed:
- Paper cups 1-2 pieces
- Origami or colored paper (crayons are okay if you don't have them)
- glue・ Scissors (For parent's use)
- masking tape and rubber band (for decoration)
Instructions:
- Lay a paper cup on its side and use it as the "body of the koinobori."
- Cut a V-shape into the mouth area (opposite the bottom) to create a tail shape.
- Tear origami paper and paste it on to look like scales (child's task).
- Draw eyes with a marker or paste on round cutouts of colored paper.
- Attach straws or chopsticks to make handles, and they become toys you can wave
The key is the "scales" part. If you leave this to the children, you can create original colorful koinobori (carp streamers).
When I was a nursery school teacher, there was a boy who kept sticking only black origami paper onto a paper cup koinobori. When I said, 'It's a black koinobori,' he replied with a serious face, 'It's a night koinobori'.
Children have their own worldview. Don't interfere with it. I hope this is helpful.
Summary of how to fold a kabuto with origami
Speaking of Children's Day, it's the kabuto (helmet). The origami kabuto is a classic folding method that any nursery school teacher knows.
Basic folding method:
- Fold origami into a triangle
- Fold the left and right corners up towards the top point (this creates a diamond shape)
- Fold the top two pieces downwards (these will become the "horns" of the helmet)
- Fold the bottom part in half, then fold it up again to create the brim.
- Turn it over, fold the bottom triangle inward, and it's complete.
If you make a large kabuto out of newspaper, it will be large enough to wear. Newspaper kabuto were popular every year at nursery schools.
For 4-6 year olds, you can also fold along with them while watching a video. Trying things out together, like "Like this... oops, I did it the wrong way!" is also a good time for parents and children.
Taking a photo wearing the finished kabuto (helmet) makes a wonderful Children's Day memento. It's nice to display it as a work of art, but children are happier 'playing by wearing it'.
By the way, I don't think there's a right way to keep a record of growth. For me, it's a weekly memo and an acrylic stand in the living room. The acrylic stand, made with a photo from my daughter's Shichi-Go-San celebration, is displayed where I can see it every day. It has a different charm than a photograph. It's three-dimensional and can be held and admired. Having a physical form makes memories feel more tangible.
And, MyStella's personalized picture books are also recommended. "Welcome to a Beautiful World" allows you to include your child's name, birthday, and even family structure, and can even preserve echo photos and messages from parents. It's a gentle story about traveling the world with a mysterious guide. It's a book that delivers the thought "Thank you for being born" as a story. Something a little different, that becomes a memory while playing together, is "Find! Discover! A Mysterious World Trip" is.
The time spent traveling the world with a protagonist whose name is the child's own, exchanging phrases like "Are you here?" and "Ah, I found you!" between parent and child, becomes a record in itself.
It's wonderful to leave behind photos and objects, but I think these kinds of "memories that remain as experiences" also have a subtle but lasting impact later on.
For Children's Day, perhaps it would be nice to give something with the wish for their future growth. The experience of having their own name appear in a story can also contribute to a child's self-esteem. I feel this not as a nursery teacher, but as a parent.
I want to bow my head to my past self. I wish I hadn't so readily said, 'I can do it right away.'
It can't be done right away. I understand the desire to do something special all too well.
So now, I won't presume to teach you anything. I just want to say this.
Even if it's not perfect, the time spent together remains. Even if it doesn't result in a finished product, the memories of laughter won't disappear.
Let's all take it at our own pace.
...By the way, for this year's Children's Day, my daughter crumpled up the origami kabuto in 3 minutes. When I said, 'It's broken,' she replied with a beaming smile, 'Make a new one!' In the end, I remade it 5 times. That's fine too.
- How to choose age-appropriate ideas for enjoying Children's Day with parents and children?
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Choosing activities where children can stretch themselves a little according to their developmental stage creates a sense of accomplishment, but in reality, age is just a guideline, and it's most important to prioritize what the child wants to do.
- What are some Children's Day crafts recommended for 2-3 year olds?
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At this age, children enjoy actions like gripping, sticking, and tearing, so crafts involving tearing colored paper and sticking it, or using stickers are recommended. For example, Koinobori, kabuto, and handprint/footprint art.
- What are some Children's Day activities for children aged 4-6?
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At this age, children start asking "Why?" and "How?" so it's good to teach them the origins while incorporating activities like riddles, waterfall climbing games, or helmet-making races that involve physical movement.
- What are some Children's Day activities that can be done indoors without any tools?
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There's target practice with rolled-up newspaper, racing as if you're a carp streamer, playing 'racing as if you're a carp streamer,' playing shop as a kashiwa mochi vendor, and charades as a king wearing a helmet. All of these can be enjoyed with no preparation.
- What are some handmade craft ideas for Children's Day that parents and children can enjoy together?
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Recommended crafts include paper cup koinobori and kabuto, origami kabuto, and also photos and picture books as records of growth. It's important to enjoy the process of making things together rather than focusing on the finished product.
