Wonderful sports day / athletic festival

Sports Day: Circuit Ideas for 3-Year-Olds

10 years as a kindergarten teacher / elementary school teacher / junior and senior high school teacher / childminderkepiko
Graduated from Kunitachi College of Music, Faculty of Music (now: Department of Music Culture and Education, Early Childhood Music Education major). In elementary school, my homeroom teacher was Jun Kusaba, a game researcher. After graduating from university, I worked as a kindergarten teacher for 10 years and as an after-school childcare instructor for 7 years, then took a position as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I engaged in activities that introduced Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational activities, working with many children. Later, through freelance writing, planning, and editing at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and sharing. Drawing on the perspective cultivated in the field of education and my experience as an editor, I provide practical information with an emphasis on both input and output, mainly in areas related to music and children. My hobbies include instruments, singing, handicrafts, toys, drawing, traditional games, the outdoors, and books. My special skill is spinning-top tricks.
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSICsasashina
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSIC. JFC-certified fact-checker. I’m Sasashina, a mom currently raising an elementary schooler and a preschooler. During my student years at Kyoto College of Science and Technology, I studied a wide range of fields including sound, lighting, and video technology, building a foundation in comprehensive stage production and creative expression. After graduation, I joined a music production company, where I still work, consistently building experience in production and engaging in a variety of music-centered tasks. Currently, I mainly handle articles for children, drawing on what I’ve learned about parenting and what I feel and discover through daily interactions with my kids. I hope my work can be of help to you, even in a small way!

The “circuit” at a sports day is an event where three-year-olds can have fun moving their bodies.

Here, we’ll introduce circuit activities that bring together a variety of enjoyable movements so children can play using their whole bodies.

You can also incorporate familiar items into the events, such as rolling on a mat or hanging from a horizontal bar.

Creating a circuit that matches the sports day theme will make it even more exciting.

We hope you create a wonderful sports day where you can feel the children’s growth!

[Sports Day] For 3-year-olds | Circuit Ideas (31–40)

mini hurdle

[Ages 3–5] Build motor skills with a roaming activity circuit!

mini hurdle

The action of jumping with both feet helps develop explosive power.

Another appeal is the exhilarating sense of freedom you get from making a big jump.

So why not incorporate two-footed jumps into your circuit training? A recommended approach is to set up mini hurdles.

They don’t need to be high—choose ones that are as easy to clear as possible.

You can also build your circuit by laying out a course with these mini hurdles as the base and then placing various pieces of equipment along it.

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forward roll

Toddler/Preschool Physical Education: Forward Roll

forward roll

Forward rolls are also a recommended activity for a circuit.

Lay out mats and have the children practice forward rolls on them.

You can mark where to place hands and feet on the mat, and teachers or guardians should provide support.

It’s important to help them sit up after the roll.

Be sure to try it only within a comfortable, safe range.

Another advantage is that forward rolls combine easily with other activities.

For example, do a forward roll and then hopscotch, or crawl through a tunnel and then do a forward roll—feel free to mix and match as you like.

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leg-release circle

Childcare magazine “Monthly Hiroba” May issue – Exercise Play Series: “Horizontal Bar Play (Part 1)”

leg-release circle

Here’s an idea for the “ashinuki-mawari,” a move where you rotate your body beneath a horizontal bar.

With ashinuki-mawari, children can show off an acrobatic skill that will let parents see how much they’ve grown.

There are also many benefits during practice, such as strengthening grip and core muscles.

If there’s no horizontal bar or you’re practicing indoors, a parent or teacher can hold the child’s hands and act as a substitute for the bar.

Be sure to study the proper method beforehand and practice carefully to avoid injuries.

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crab walk

[Baby] From army crawling at 7 months old to high crawling

crab walk

How about incorporating “taka-bai” into your circuit? Taka-bai is a kind of crawling where you don’t put your knees on the ground.

Picture standing, placing your hands on the floor, and moving from there.

It takes a bit of practice, but once you get used to it, try challenging yourself to see how fast you can go.

Since taka-bai doesn’t require any equipment, it’s perfect if you decide to add an event on short notice.

Just be careful outdoors, as you’ll be moving on your hands—watch out for small stones and the like.

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A circuit using traffic cones and hula hoops

★Ages 2–3 (Path to the Vaulting Box: Straddle, Ages 2–3 Edition)

A circuit using traffic cones and hula hoops

Why not create a circuit using traffic cones and hula hoops? Just setting them up gives a solid circuit vibe.

With the cones, it’s fun to place them in a straight line and run while weaving through them.

You can also combine them with other activities or use them to guide participants from one station to the next.

Another perk is that traffic cones come in a wide range of colors—take advantage of that to add a game-like element.

As for hula hoops, we recommend using them like stepping stones for extra fun.

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Sports Day: Circuit Ideas for 3-Year-Olds (41–50)

Balance game

[For 3-year-olds] Let's build balance skills! Balance game!

Balance game

Let’s play a “Balance Game” using our bodies! Prepare equipment like a vaulting box, balance beam, foam blocks, trampoline, and mats, and set them up like a circuit.

Have the children tackle them one by one.

Can they balance their bodies well—standing on the vaulting box and jumping, or making it all the way across the balance beam without falling? To help develop the children’s problem-solving skills, adults should avoid stepping in as much as possible and simply keep a watchful eye.

If you want to increase the difficulty, try placing obstacles such as blocks on the balance beam.

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tightrope walking

[Ages 3–5] Build motor skills with a roaming activity circuit!

tightrope walking

One sport that makes use of balance and can be enjoyed easily is tightrope walking.

In this version, you place a jump rope or similar item on the ground and move along it without falling off.

Since there’s no risk of injury even if you step off, you can participate with peace of mind.

That also means you can try crossing with dynamic movements or even dash across boldly.

You can also take advantage of the jump rope’s characteristics by laying it out not just straight, but in a zigzag or in shapes.

Adjust the length of the jump rope to match the shape you want to create.

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