[For Preschoolers] Get Fired Up at the Sports Day! Fun Parent-Child Activity Ideas That Everyone Will Enjoy

Swirly Mixed Juice

FY2019 Minami Nursery School Sports Day — Parent and Infant Event for 0-Year-Olds (Spin-Spin Mixed Juice)

Let me introduce “Kurukuru Mixed Juice,” an activity that parents and babies can enjoy together.

Start by holding your child in your arms.

Spin around the pillar to mix the juice.

Then choose your favorite juice from the table, clink glasses with the teacher, and you’re at the goal! It could be even more exciting if you increase the number of laps around the pillar according to age.

Work together as a parent-child team to make a delicious mixed juice—good luck! Playing the “Mixed Juice” song as sports day background music sounds fun, too.

Goldfish Migration Circuit

Tomobe Kindergarten Sports Day Event Description No. 6: “Goldfish Moving Operation”

Finish together as parent and child! Here’s an idea for a Goldfish Migration Circuit.

You’ll need homemade scoops (poi), two kiddie pools, goldfish made from colored plastic bags, and red-and-white flags.

Many children may feel nervous in the unusual atmosphere of a sports day, right? Participating in the event together with a parent can help ease those nerves a bit.

This event requires teamwork between parent and child! Let’s successfully move the goldfish while calling out to each other.

The cute costumes are another highlight, too!

PET bottle circuit

With its colorful look, it really lifts your spirits! Let me introduce an idea for a PET-bottle circuit.

All you need are 2-liter plastic bottles, tape, and paint.

Many people find it challenging to prepare all the equipment for circuit activities.

This idea is appealing because it makes use of plastic bottles, so there’s no need to buy new equipment.

Try creating a course where you walk across the tops of plastic bottles filled with brightly colored water, keeping your balance as you go!

playing horsey

Horsey play & balloon play

Incorporating Olympic equestrian events into a school sports day’s parent–child activities might seem difficult, but if the parent gets down on all fours as the “horse” and the child rides on their back, it instantly transforms into a proper equestrian event! You can adjust the difficulty by adding various obstacles along the course.

If you do it outdoors, using mats can enhance safety and reduce strain on the parent’s knees.

Wearing a horse mask or having the child wear a helmet can make it feel more realistic and safer as well.

Emergency dispatch! Little Firefighters

Tomobe Kindergarten Sports Day Event Description No. 11: "Emergency Dispatch! Little Firefighters"

Let’s work together to complete the mission! Emergency dispatch! Here are some ideas for a “Little Firefighters” activity.

Some children may dream of becoming firefighters, inspired by working vehicles or their admiration for the profession.

This time, let’s transform into firefighters and take part in a series of challenges.

Sports Day is a special event held once a year, and for the older children, it’s also their last one.

Take this opportunity to create memories with an event where children team up with their parents to clear missions.

Give it a try!

Various beanbag toss games

All Sorts of Ball Toss Games! [Ages 3–5] | Torikai Yuiku-en [Nursery/Kindergarten]

In autumn, many daycare centers and kindergartens start practicing for their sports days.

When it comes to sports day classics, tamaire (ball toss) is a staple.

Here are some fun variations on the classic ball toss game.

The first variation uses about three baskets, each labeled with a large point value.

Children throw balls into the baskets, and at the end, you count the balls in each basket and determine the winner by total points.

It’s also exciting to increase the distance to the baskets depending on the children’s ages.

The second variation is a chase-and-toss game where one child runs while wearing a basket on their back.

The other children chase and try to toss balls into the moving basket.

Both the runner and the chasers are running, which makes it lively and fun.

Try incorporating these into your sports day!

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mayumi

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Parent-child dance

Sports day parent-child dance

In parent-child dance events where parents and kids dance together, you get to spend time that’s different from competitions with winners and losers.

It might feel embarrassing for those who don’t usually dance, but from a child’s perspective, being able to dance with their beloved mom or dad gives the sports day a special feeling you can’t get elsewhere.

Dancing well isn’t what matters, so you can join in happily, laughing together with your child.

It’s a parent-child activity that lets you experience a kind of closeness you don’t usually have in daily life—and it’s sure to deepen your bond.

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Hoshino Takashi

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