For 4-year-olds! Introducing recommended indoor activities, group games, and crafts
At age four, children’s vocabulary grows, they start expressing their feelings and thoughts in words, and they can find their own favorite play activities and things they want to try.
This time, we’ve gathered play ideas that are perfect for the development of four-year-olds.
In addition to easy-to-implement indoor physical activities and group games, we also introduce many DIY toy-making ideas that let children freely enjoy expressing themselves while expanding their imagination.
We’ve collected many activities that, through playing with friends, help children experience the importance of following rules and the joy of sharing feelings.
Use these as a reference to find play ideas that match the children’s interests.
- [For 4-Year-Olds] A Collection of Indoor Play and Game Ideas That Get Everyone Excited
- [For 4-year-olds] Ideas for group games and craft activities that can be done indoors
- For 4-year-olds! A collection of indoor home play ideas that make time inside fun
- Craft activity ideas for 4-year-olds
- Age 4: Simple and Fun! Handmade Toy Ideas
- For 3-Year-Olds! Indoor & Outdoor Physical Play and Game Ideas
- Ideas for indoor activities, games, and group play that 5-year-olds enjoy
- Games and activities everyone can enjoy together. A collection of fun play ideas.
- [Childcare] Recommended for 3-year-olds! Play ideas everyone can enjoy
- [Age 5] Exciting and fun! A special feature on ideas for at-home play
- Exciting for 4-year-olds! A collection of sports day event ideas for preschoolers (middle class)
- [Childcare] Fun for October! Craft ideas recommended for 4-year-olds
- Recommended for 3-year-olds! Fun indoor activities and group game ideas
For 4-year-olds! Introducing recommended indoor activities, group games, and crafts (71–80)
Copycat game
Let’s have fun with body mimicry! Here are some ideas for a copycat game that’s sure to make everyone smile.
While copying the teacher’s movements, strike unique poses like animals or heroes and play together.
You’ll find yourselves laughing and saying, “What is this?!” as you move your bodies.
While playing, kids build flexibility and balance, and the best part is learning through fun—“Can you really do this pose?” You might even discover some unexpected moves!
Seated tag
“We can’t play outside because of the rain, but I still want to move my body as much as possible today!” In times like these, here’s a childcare-friendly game we recommend: “Seated Tag.” First, the children start in a seated position.
The rule is that they must keep their bottoms on the floor at all times.
Set a time limit, then play tag while staying seated.
Since it doesn’t involve running, it’s safe and fun to play indoors.
It also helps build leg strength as kids move using their legs and bottoms, so be sure to add it to your play repertoire!
Intro Quiz
Let’s guess songs like children’s tunes and anime theme songs! Here are some ideas for an intro quiz.
It’s a wonderful way to play with music using your memory.
By listening to the opening melody and guessing the song’s name, children can develop a deeper interest in music.
It’s great that you can play individually or in teams; competing with friends or classmates lets you enjoy the fun of cooperating, feel the thrill of wins and losses, and get excited together.
You can also adjust the difficulty to match the season or trends, making it a quiz everyone can enjoy!
For 4-year-olds! Introducing recommended indoor activities, group games, and crafts (81–90)
Opposite Words Quiz
Big and Small! Here are some ideas for an opposites-word quiz.
It’s a fun, educational quiz perfect for preschoolers.
By asking questions that use familiar opposites—like big and small, long and short—you can deepen their understanding of words.
Children can learn opposites through play and develop the ability to choose words that fit different situations.
Including clear visuals or examples makes it even more engaging and enjoyable to learn.
Give it a try!
centipede ogre
@yokohama_rs #Centipede Demon (Mukade Oni)RecreationChildren's Play#SportsChildcareNursery teacher / Childcare workerTechnical collegeYokohama#RizospoLet's give it a try!Agility Training
♬ Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom!! – Vengaboys
Move nimbly and avoid danger! Here’s an idea for a game called Centipede Tag.
You probably know there are many types of tag, like Freeze Tag and Color Tag.
Have you heard of Centipede Tag, where you work together with teammates to escape the tagger? Assign one person as the tagger, and everyone else is on the centipede team.
The centipede players place their hands on the shoulders of the person in front and stay connected without letting go.
When the last person in the centipede gets tagged, the tagger switches.
It’s tough to escape from a freely moving tagger, but by cooperating, the centipede team will build strong bonds.
Alien Repatriation Game
@asobiinlife The Ministry of Play is born! Alien deportation 👽 Let’s all work together and see how many we can send back!#asobi_in_lifePlayMinistry of Play#Yoshi Oniisan#playGo viral#LOLTrendy oneAkikusa Gakuen Junior CollegeAliensAlien Repatriation
♪ Original Song – Asobi Agency – Asobi Agency
Let’s work together with friends to help the aliens! Here’s an idea for an Alien Return game.
You’ll need balloons, markers, and something to mark the start and finish lines.
In this simple game, you carry balloon “aliens” to the goal—but cooperating with friends is absolutely required.
That’s because you play in teams of four, holding hands, and the rule is that you can’t let go! Coordinate your moves using your linked hands, heads, shoulders, or hips, and call out to sync your timing.
Work together and save the aliens!
Pull hoop play
@soramame.sensei Super easy to set up! Perfect for cooperative play with friends, too! 🥰✨Kotoba no Kyoushitsu Soramame Kids#SoramameKids#KagoshimaRehabilitation# developmental support (ryōiku)Child Development SupportAfter-school day serviceLet's play at home#Indoor Play#Indoor Play#IndoorPlay#HandmadeToysFocusPhysical play (exercise)Cooperative Play
♬ The comedian’s gallop, a classic foot race song for athletic meet(1265442) – Kids Sound
Compassion is the key to winning! Here’s a fun idea for a Pull-the-Hoop game.
Prepare a hula hoop or a ring made from newspaper, some plastic ribbon (suzuran tape), and start and goal lines.
The person moving inside the hoop should walk in step with the moving hula hoop.
Be careful to keep your feet inside the hoop and maintain your balance! The person pulling the hoop should control the speed and the amount of force to guide their teammate to the goal.
Give it a try!