Lovely childcare

For 3-Year-Olds! Indoor & Outdoor Physical Play and Game Ideas

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.
9 years of experience as a nursery school teacherShibata Risa
I am an active nursery school teacher with 9 years of experience. After graduating from university, I worked at a daycare center. The time I spent happily with children—playing piano, singing songs, and doing finger-play—are priceless memories to me. Currently, while raising three children of my own, I work at an after-school day service, engaging with children and providing individualized developmental support. Drawing on my diverse experiences as a childcare worker and as a mother, I hope to express and convey my thoughts through writing.

At age three, children grow significantly in both body and mind, and their physical abilities and vocabulary increase.

During this stage, they can understand simple rules, which broadens the kinds of play they can enjoy.

Here, we’ve gathered fun movement activities and games that three-year-olds can do indoors and outdoors.

By moving their bodies together with friends and enjoying social interaction, they also learn the importance of following rules.

We’ve selected enjoyable activities that will make children think, “I want to try that!” So get creative and have fun playing together with everyone!

For 3-year-olds! Ideas for physical activities and games to enjoy indoors and outdoors (61–70)

Color Touch Game

[Brain Training] Color Touch Game that even preschoolers can play

Color Touch Game

Move your body while training your memory! Here’s a color touch game idea.

All you need are hula hoops and color markers.

It’s a simple and fun game that kids as young as three can enjoy! Using the hula hoops and color markers, the rule is to touch the color specified by the teacher and then return to your base.

It’s great because kids can move their bodies while memorizing colors.

Start with one color, and as they get used to it, increase to two or three colors to naturally boost memory and reaction speed.

Give it a try!

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The ‘It fell, it fell’ game

[Nursery/Kindergarten] The “It Fell, It Fell” Game [How to Play, Target Age, Variations]

The 'It fell, it fell' game

Let me introduce a quick-reaction game called “It Fell, It Fell.” The teacher says, “It fell, it fell,” and the children ask, “What fell?” The teacher names what fell.

For example, if the teacher says “an apple,” the children should pose as if they’re catching an apple.

If the teacher says “a fist,” the children should protect their heads with their hands so they don’t get bonked.

If it’s “thunder,” they should hide their belly button with their hands.

It might be more fun if you teach the poses to the children beforehand and then start the game so they can join in easily.

Once they get used to it, it’s also recommended to have fun by changing up what “falls.”

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Bug-catching game

Looks fun! …but the cleanup seems tough. #ChildcareWorker #AfterSchoolDayService #AichiPrefecture #TokaiCity #FreeSmile #Recreation #Play #Fluttering #Origami

Bug-catching game

Here’s a bug-catching game you play with a butterfly net.

The rules are very simple: cut origami paper into small pieces to make confetti, put it in a bowl, and get ready.

The person dropping the confetti stands on a raised platform and sprinkles the paper down.

The child below holds a butterfly net and tries to catch the confetti with the net.

It’s a fun game where you watch the confetti fall from above and move the hand-held net to catch it inside.

Try it in a spacious area and be sure to play safely!

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Reverse hide-and-seek

Reverse hide-and-seek: When you spot the ‘it’ (the tagger), hide immediately! Who will be the last one remaining...?

Reverse hide-and-seek

The idea of adding a little twist to the usual game of hide-and-seek—reverse hide-and-seek—is really fun and highly recommended.

The rules are flipped: the seeker is the one who hides! Everyone else tries to find the hiding seeker.

If you’re lucky enough to find them, you then go hide somewhere yourself! The person who can’t find the last remaining hider loses.

You might feel like shouting “Found you!” when you spot them, but if you do, everyone else will rush over.

So in reverse hide-and-seek, even if you find the seeker, quietly go hide yourself.

It’s a thrilling game where you keep the joy of discovery to yourself.

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Rock-paper-scissors is fun even in the rain

[Play] Rock-Paper-Scissors & Recommended Activities [Nursery/Kindergarten]

Rock-paper-scissors is fun even in the rain

Here are some rock-paper-scissors games you can enjoy indoors with kids even on rainy days.

“American Rock-Paper-Scissors” reverses winning and losing, so it makes you think.

“Body Rock-Paper-Scissors” is a game where you use your whole body to show rock, paper, or scissors.

It’s recommended to decide in advance what movements will represent rock, scissors, and paper before you start.

In “Newspaper Rock-Paper-Scissors,” you stand on a sheet of newspaper while playing; if you lose, you fold your newspaper once and make it smaller each time.

In “Rock-Paper-Scissors Train,” the loser lines up behind the winner, and the train of players gradually grows longer.

Try these and find your favorite rock-paper-scissors game!

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