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 ideas for exercise play and games (41–50)

Balloon play

Balloon playtime with the Elephant Class (2-year-olds). Everyday life at Hachiman Kodomoen (Fukui City). April 2018.

Balloon play

Let’s have some fun with balloons—you can even get them at the 100-yen shop! There are no rules for how to play, so once you inflate a balloon, try throwing it, catching it, or kicking it around in a spacious area.

If you prepare balloons in various colors and let the kids choose, or draw their favorite characters on them, they’ll love it.

It could be even more exciting if adults join in—drop balloons from a high place or toss a bunch all at once!

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[For 2-Year-Olds] Let’s Get Moving! A Collection of Exercise Play and Game Ideas (51–60)

Color Tag

Folklore Play Newspaper #56: “Color Oni”

Color Tag

Let me introduce a simple but fun game called “Color Tag.” The basic rules are: the tagger calls out a color, and the other children look for that color and run away.

If they aren’t touching the color the tagger named, they’ll be caught—so as soon as you find the color, make sure to touch it.

When playing with two-year-olds, it may go more smoothly if you place colored cones in the playground.

An adult should take the role of the tagger.

Once everyone gets used to it, it’s also fun to play at a park and find colors in nature.

It’s a game that uses both the mind and body, so think of it as a color-finding game and have fun!

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In conclusion

We introduced exercise activities and games recommended for two-year-olds.

At this age, children start mastering a variety of movements like jumping, running, and throwing a ball.

Let’s help them stay active while having fun.

There are also activities you can do indoors, so try to include active play even on rainy days.