[Childcare] Recommended play ideas for caring for 2-year-olds

Playing with plastic bags

Super Easy: 10 Fun Plastic Bag Activities Kids Will Love!

Versatile for all kinds of play! Here are some ideas for games using plastic bags.

These are unique activities you can enjoy with two-year-olds.

Plastic bags are light and sturdy, making them great for easy, varied play.

In the video, we introduce 10 different ways to play, such as inflating a bag to feel the breeze and making a ball using a bag.

Using familiar materials like plastic bags can help nurture creativity.

Let’s spend time full of smiles with the children!

Mukkuri Kuma-san

[Group Game] “Mukkuri Kuma-san” | How to Play “Mukkuri Kuma-san”

Here’s a game called “Mukkuri Kuma-san” that both kids and teachers can enjoy together.

The rules are very simple: the teacher plays the bear and pretends to sleep.

The children sing as they quietly approach the sleeping bear.

When the song ends, the bear wakes up and jumps to their feet, and the children run away.

The teacher playing the bear chases the children.

The child who gets caught becomes the next bear.

For children who don’t understand the rules, it may help to teach them slowly and carefully while demonstrating each step.

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mayumi

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Sledding

Let's play with towels! Age-based sled play #physicalplay #childcare

Here’s a sledding-style activity using everyday towels.

Prepare two towels, each large enough for one child to sit or stand on.

Have the child ride on one towel, and hold the other towel in their hands while the teacher pulls, moving as if it were a sled.

If the towel is tied once and the child holds the tied section, it’s easier to grip even with weaker hand strength.

Balance is key during this sled play.

Whether the child stands or sits should be chosen based on their developmental stage, prioritizing the safer option.

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mayumi

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Moguradon’snursery rhyme

November nursery rhyme “Mogura-don”

Let me introduce a mole-themed nursery rhyme game that friends or parents and children can enjoy together.

Everyone forms a circle and holds hands.

One person sits in the center as the mole.

When everyone calls out, “Mole, wake up!” the mole answers, “Okay!” and wakes up.

At the same moment, the people around should try to run away so they don’t get caught by the mole.

The mole chases and tags someone.

Next, the person who was tagged switches roles and becomes the mole.

You can make it even more fun by discussing and changing the lines you say during the game.

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mayumi

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Hoop Daruma-san ga Koronda

[Age 3] Daruma-san ga koronda♪

More ways to play! Here are some ideas for playing “Red Light, Green Light” using hula hoops.

You’ll need two balance beams, a hula hoop, a ball, and flat markers.

“Red Light, Green Light” is a game that’s been loved for generations.

Since the rules are easy to understand, many preschools and childcare centers likely include it in their activities.

Using hula hoops, balls, and balance beams expands the possibilities, so it’s highly recommended.

Once children are comfortable with the basic rules, give these variations a try!

Bomb Game

[Guaranteed to be a big hit with toddlers] An ultra-easy “Bomb Game” you can play

Here’s a heart-pounding, thrilling bomb game! The word “bomb” might sound scary, but in this game we use a soft rubber ball as a pretend bomb.

The rules are super simple: if you don’t get hit by the ball the teacher throws, you win.

Start with an easy difficulty so anyone can win, and add variations as everyone gets used to it.

If you add a wrist snap to put spin on the ball before throwing, the bounce after it lands becomes unpredictable—guaranteed to get everyone excited!

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hiyoko sensei

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Tail tag

[Childcare] Recommended Group Games for 2-Year-Olds [Nursery/Kindergarten]

“Tail Tag” is a classic game in early childhood settings.

The standard rules can be hard for two-year-olds, so try splitting into a team that wears tails and runs away and a team that chases, like a game of tag.

When a child grabs a tail, they tuck that tail into their own pants and switch to the runner role.

Conversely, the child who lost their tail becomes a chaser.

Some children may feel upset and cry when their tail is taken, but that’s an important experience too.

It helps them practice shifting gears, learn that sometimes you lose a game, and think, “I’ll try harder next time.” I believe it’s a play activity that fosters children’s emotional growth.

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sasashina

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