Lovely childcare

[For 2-year-olds] Let’s get moving! A collection of ideas for physical play and movement games

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.

By the time children are around two years old, they can do a variety of movements and their play becomes more dynamic.

Are there any teachers who want their children to play a lot but are struggling with a limited repertoire of activities?

It would be wonderful if teachers could promote children’s development by playing together with them as they grow each day.

With that in mind, we’ve gathered recommended physical activities and games for two-year-olds.

We’ve included ideas that don’t require equipment and ones you can do indoors, so please use them as a reference.

[For 2-year-olds] Let’s get moving! A collection of exercise play and game ideas (1–10)

giant ball

https://www.tiktok.com/@nacchi_asobi/video/7475009257109376264

Let me introduce a giant ball that kids will be super excited about.

The method is very simple: inflate a garbage bag and tie it off to make a large ball shape.

Wrap duct tape around it, and you’re done.

If you change the colors of the tape as you stick it on, it becomes a visually fun ball as well.

Hold it, throw it—use your whole body and play freely with the giant ball.

Another plus is that, since it’s made of plastic, it won’t hurt even if it hits your head or body.

It might also be fun to make several of the same kind and play with them like a maze.

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Super Energetic ExerciseHiromichi Sato, Sugamo Children’s Choir

[Super Energetic!] 01 Super Energetic Exercises (Ages 2 and up)

Super Energetic Exercise Hiromichi Sato, Sugamo Children’s Chorus

Let me introduce a super-energizing exercise that makes you feel lively when you move your body.

To the rhythm of the song, become a crow or a sparrow—spread your arms wide and do big jumps and small jumps.

Become a little monkey and move both hands, copying up, down, left, and right motions to get your whole body moving.

Make a ghost pose, look back over your shoulder, and twist your body.

For the dinosaur moves, swing both arms and legs wide as you move forward, and practice balancing by hopping on one foot.

It’s a super exciting exercise that lets kids have fun while moving their hands, feet, and whole bodies!

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Color ball play

Color Ball Play! [Ages 1–2] | Taishogawa Yūiku-en [Daycare/Kindergarten Event]

Color ball play

Play with colorful balls that children love is so appealing.

When you dump the balls out of the box all at once to make a wave of balls, the kids are thrilled by the movement of the colorful balls.

Using color balls sparks interest in colors and, by tracking them with their eyes, also helps develop eye movement.

Grasping, holding, and throwing the balls stimulates fine motor skills and arm movements.

Counting the color balls out loud together—how many there are—also creates a great opportunity to learn numbers.

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[Age 2] Let’s Move Our Bodies! A Collection of Exercise Play and Game Ideas (11–20)

Circle-Triangle-Square Game

@user5410675310492 ♬ Yattemiyou – WANIMA

Let me introduce a circle-triangle-square game that makes outdoor play even more fun.

Draw circles, triangles, and squares on the ground.

The leader calls out a shape, and the other children run to that shape and get inside it before the leader can tag them.

It’s also fun to place colored cones inside the shapes and have the children run to the shape or color that’s called or associated.

With a bit of creativity, the game can be expanded in many ways.

It’s a recommended game that tests explosiveness, decision-making, and thinking skills.

Give it a try!

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horizontal bar

Two-year-olds and bar play! What should you do to improve their motor skills?

horizontal bar

We’d like to introduce horizontal bar activities that even 2-year-olds can enjoy.

Getting children familiar with the bar from a young age lets them experience how to use it and what eye-level height feels like.

For hanging play, when adults demonstrate first, children watch, imitate, and feel motivated to try it themselves.

In the “adult-knee step” game, the adult crouches under the bar to make a step with their knees; the child stands on the knees, grabs the bar, and achieves a stable position.

This helps children get used to the bar’s height and makes providing assistance easier.

In the “watch and copy” play, the adult actually demonstrates a forward roll on the bar.

Watching and imitating is a very important point.

Let’s enjoy the bar safely, keeping a distance where adults can fully support the child.

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Ball Collecting Game

@dukids3
A ball-collecting game that even 2-year-olds can play! They did their best to gather the balls into their own territory 🌟Naha Okinawa #English Translation #nursery Naha Nursery School Okinawa Nursery School　#bilingual Job Opening #international Naha International Okinawa City Nursery School Aspiring childcare worker Recruiting childcare workers Employment Okinawa relocation #dukids #DewKids Translation Parenting Au pair　Okinawa childcare worker　Translation　Omoromachi　Uruma City Nursery School　Okinawa International Ball play
♬ Merry × Merry Xmas★ – E – Girls

Here’s a ball-collecting game that even 2-year-olds can really enjoy.

The rules are very simple: scatter colorful balls on the floor and have the children put them into hula hoops placed on the floor.

The person who gathers the most balls in their hoop wins.

You can play individually or make teams of two or three and play a team match.

Grab the balls, put them in the hoops, run around, and move your bodies a lot.

It’s recommended to play in a spacious area to prevent children from bumping into each other.

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Sledding

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

Sledding

Here’s an activity that uses everyday towels for a sled game.

Prepare two towels, each big enough for one child to sit on.

Have the child sit on one towel, and hold the other towel with their hands while the teacher pulls them, moving like a sled ride.

Since small children have weaker grip strength, it’s easier and more enjoyable if they hold onto a section of the towel that has been tied once.

Balance is key during the sled game.

Whether the child stands or sits should depend on their developmental stage—choose the safer option for them to enjoy.

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