[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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[For 2-year-olds] Let’s get moving! A collection of ideas for exercise play and games (41–50)
Goldfish Migration Circuit
Let’s reach the finish line together! Here’s an idea for a Goldfish Migration Circuit.
You’ll need handmade scoops (poi), two kiddie pools, goldfish made from colored plastic bags, and red-and-white flags.
Many children may feel nervous about the different atmosphere of sports day.
Joining the event together as parent and child can help ease those nerves.
This event requires parent–child cooperation! Work together, cheering each other on, to successfully move the goldfish.
The cute costumes are another highlight!
Musical chairs
When it comes to classic kids’ games, “musical chairs” has to be one of the top picks.
Children walk around a circle of chairs to the music, and when the music stops, they hurry to sit down.
There’s always one fewer chair than the number of participants, so someone is left without a seat.
You repeat this until the child who manages to sit in the final remaining chair is the winner.
For two-year-olds, it can help for adults to join in and guide them by saying things like, “There’s an empty chair over here.” Be careful not to let things get too intense—pushing can happen and someone might get hurt, so keep a close eye on them.
Pineapple Dance
Here’s a “Pineapple Dance” that even two-year-olds can do.
The song is “THE RAPID – Pineapple.” It’s an upbeat, rock-style track, and the choreography is very simple.
That said, it’s hard for two-year-olds to dance it perfectly, so let them watch adults having fun with it.
There are lots of moves that make you want to try them—stretching your arms in front of or to the sides of your body, curling up tight, and kicking your feet around—so they’re sure to enjoy it! It ends with a tight self-hug, and when kids do it, it’s so cute you can’t help but swoon!
Eurhythmics play
Let’s play with eurhythmics—moving our bodies to music! Any song is fine, but starting with animal-themed songs may make it easier to understand.
For example, if the children’s song “Zō-san” (Mr.
Elephant) is playing, you could use your arms to show a long trunk or mimic a sumo wrestler’s stomps to express the elephant’s size.
For frog or rabbit songs, try jumping; for a dragonfly song, run with arms spread wide.
Encourage full-body movements to explore different expressions.
It also helps to add contrast by having the children freeze when the music stops—that’s a fun trick to keep them engaged.
Thunder Game
The “Thunder Game” is very simple but really exciting.
The rule is just this: when someone says “Thunder!” you hide your belly button.
That’s it! But the word you hear won’t always be “thunder.” After grabbing the kids’ attention with something like “Th-th-th…,” if you suddenly say “Crow!” some of them will instinctively cover their bellies.
The fun of this game is enjoying that little thrill.
Try playing with the kids by mixing in feints and confusing words.
Tail tag
“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.
ball toss (traditional Japanese beanbag/ball-throwing game)
Tamaire is a classic event at sports festivals.
In the original version, you aim at a basket set up high and throw balls into it.
But when playing with infants, it’s easier if you place the basket on the floor or mount it low on a wall.
Any kind of ball works, but it’s also fun to help them crumple newspaper to make paper balls.
Encourage them by saying, “Let’s aim for the basket! How many can we get in?” and have the children throw the balls at the basket.
At the end, put everything into the basket together—tidying up becomes part of the fun!