Ideas for indoor play, physical activities, and games suited to the development of 2-year-olds
Around the age of two, children’s vocabularies grow and they begin to assert their feelings more strongly.
As their walking stabilizes, they’re also able to perform a variety of whole-body movements.
Here, we’ll introduce recommended indoor activities that suit the physical and mental development of two-year-olds.
From active, full-body movement games to group games that involve playing with friends, and activities that let children freely express themselves—there are plenty of options that give kids a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction from “I did it by myself!”
Use these ideas as a reference and enjoy a fun time together indoors.
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Ideas for indoor play, physical activities, and games suited to the development of 2-year-olds (1–10)
Newspaper play
Endless ways to play! Try all kinds of activities using newspaper.
Enjoy the crinkly texture and sound, tear it up with a satisfying rip, or crumple it into a ball and toss it—newspaper is perfect for indoor play with countless possibilities.
Because kids use their hands a lot, it’s also great for developing fine motor skills.
Flexibly follow children’s free ideas and interests, and keep expanding the play together.
When you’re done, gather the torn pieces into a big bag to make a ball, or try crafting teru-teru bozu (little weather charms) or fish—it’s lots of fun, too.
Tunnel play
Kids love activities that get them moving, don’t they? Let’s try some tunnel play using various items you can find at daycare, kindergarten, or at home! You can cut holes in newspaper sheets or use the frame of a vaulting box, and add variety by setting them up vertically or horizontally.
You could also make lots of tunnels with things like string or plastic bags and turn it into an obstacle course—kids are sure to love it.
Mukkuri Kuma-san
The song is cute, and since the “oni” is called a “bear,” it’s an easy-to-approach game of tag even for little kids.
First, choose the “oni” (it).
The oni crouches down and closes their eyes.
The others join hands in a small circle and walk around the crouching oni while singing.
When the song ends, at the cue “Mr.
Bear, wake up!,” the bear (oni) chases everyone and tries to tag them.
The first person tagged becomes the next oni.
It’s not just about running around—the song is fun too—so it’s perfect for indoor play.
Practice the song together before giving it a try.
Ideas for indoor play, physical activities, and games suitable for 2-year-olds (11–20)
Playing shop
Some children may admire the way their parents or guardians shop in everyday life.
That’s where pretend shopping comes in.
In this activity, children split into shopkeepers and customers, then switch roles afterward.
We hope they enjoy making the store’s products, creating the bags and money used for shopping, and exchanging them during play.
The excitement will start even before they begin, with thoughts like, “What kind of shop should I run?” Let’s all enjoy shopping together.
Moving Game
In the Moving House game, when the teacher signals “Moving house!”, the children move to the opposite side of the classroom.
The goal is to avoid being caught by the teacher standing in the middle.
You can enjoy various variations, such as increasing the number of teachers, moving by crawling, or moving quietly.
Another appeal of this game is that it helps develop quick reactions and decision-making skills.
We hope the children play with excitement, thinking, “Can I escape well?”
Crawling under the rope
Have the teacher make something like a finish line tape, and try passing through it! You can run or walk—either is fine.
The act of setting a goal and heading toward it piques children’s curiosity.
It might be even more exciting if you place some obstacles in between!
clay play
Clay play, which kids love, makes time fly by when they’re absorbed in it.
It’s one of those activities you’ll want to set aside plenty of time for.
First, let’s come up with themes and ideas to help children expand their imaginations.
For example, they can make animals using acorns and twigs, or create decorations for jars.
They can also mix paints into the clay to make different colors, add spoons to turn them into ice cream, or make vegetables and fruits—also lots of fun.
Using what they’ve made later for pretend play will open up even more ways to enjoy it.