[For 2-year-olds] Let’s get moving! A collection of ideas for physical play and movement games
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.
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[Age 2] Let's Get Moving! A Collection of Physical Activity and Game Ideas (21–30)
Ball passing
Let’s try playing “Ball Pass,” a game you can enjoy with just one ball.
First, have the children line up in a single file.
Give the ball to the child at the front and keep passing it along to the next child.
If the ball makes it to the last child without being dropped, you’ve succeeded! It’s fun to change where the ball passes—over the head or under the legs—or split into two teams and turn it into a competition.
Because different passing methods engage different movements, try incorporating it into everyday play.
Moving House Game
Let’s move to a distant base! Here’s an idea for a “Moving House” game.
In this game, the cue word is “Moving House,” and children simply move from one mat to another.
Once they get used to it, teachers or guardians can try to interrupt them along the course.
The fun part is seeing whether they can complete the move while avoiding the teachers or guardians! It’s also a great idea for deepening bonds among the children by giving them a shared goal.
Thunder God has arrived.
Let me introduce the rhythm game “Kaminari-don Has Arrived.” In this game, you hide the body part that the Thunder God (Kaminari-sama) says, so he can’t take it.
The person playing Kaminari-sama calls out a place while singing, and the children should cover that place with both hands.
Any place is fine.
Since Kaminari-sama is famously known for taking belly buttons, starting with the belly button is classic.
You can also choose easy-to-understand places like ears, mouth, or head.
If the kids manage to cover it before it’s taken, everyone can shout “Safe, yes!” to celebrate—that’s part of the fun.
Crawling through a tunnel
Crawling through a tunnel is surely a familiar game children have enjoyed since infancy.
You can make a tunnel with cardboard and play, or an adult can spread their legs so the child can crawl underneath.
There are also songs for tunnel-crawling, so it’s fun to play while playing those.
If an adult is being the tunnel, try adding variety by changing the width with how far you spread your legs, or suddenly making a tunnel while walking.
Crawling helps strengthen the core, so it’s also recommended to play this with children who have already learned to walk.
Signaling Game
It’s also great for a quick play during small breaks! Here’s an idea for a traffic light game.
Traffic lights are important indicators for learning traffic rules.
When crossing roads where cars and bicycles are moving, they play a crucial role in keeping yourself safe.
This time, let’s use the colors of the traffic light to play a game.
Move forward on “green,” step back on “yellow,” and stop on “red.” Through these simple rules, children can get a feel for the basic rules of “waiting” and “moving.”
Abuku-tatta
Let’s try playing “Abuku Tatta,” a traditional game that combines a nursery rhyme and tag.
This game needs one person to be “it,” so when playing with two-year-olds, a teacher or caregiver should take that role.
The “it” player crouches down to make themselves small, and the children hold hands and form a circle around them.
While singing the nursery rhyme “Abuku Tatta,” enjoy the call-and-response with the “it” player.
At the end, when “it” says “the sound of a ghost,” they will start chasing everyone—so run away so you don’t get caught! This game helps nurture children’s listening skills, concentration, and quick reaction time.
circuit play
Popular both as an everyday play activity and a staple event at sports days, “circuits” come in many forms, often using balance beams and vaulting boxes.
Walk across the balance beam without falling.
Cover a vaulting box with a mat to make a mountain to climb.
Jump over obstacles with both feet, or do a crab walk along tape on the floor.
Circuit activities help develop balance and overall body control.
You can tailor the content to the child’s age, or make it just a little more challenging than their current level.
And when they succeed, be sure to give them plenty of praise.