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 (81–90)
Ring Relay
@kidschallengeclub ⭐️Exciting⭐️ 🌈Ring Relay🌈 We’ll split into two teams and do a relay‼️ I think you’ll understand the rules once you watch the video☝️✨ Let’s do it while thinking with your friends about how to get to the finish faster❣️ After explaining the rules, we’ll give you practice time again, and then it’s the real run‼️ It’s more fun than just training 😀 And because it’s done as a team, everyone takes it more seriously than usual 🎵 We’re sharing fun games like this 🗽 Please follow us 🙇♀️relayteamRecreationCooperationFriendshipKids Challenge ClubExercise Play ClassFukuoka City#Momochi Gymnasium <h id=”10″>弥生幼稚園</h>︎
Battle Theme / Dragon Quest III – Me Gāne
Here are two ideas for ring relay games.
What you need to prepare are markers for the start and finish lines.
In the first game, each person crawls under the feet of the person in front, then quickly stands up and spreads their legs to form a tunnel, connecting all the way to the finish.
In the second game, players form pairs to make a ring, and the next person in line crawls through as they all move toward the finish.
The key point is that neither game can be completed by a single person.
It’s also fun to compete by team!
Color Whack-a-Mole
Color Whack-a-Mole, where players hit pool noodles from both sides to see which team can push them into the opposing side, is a perfect game for large groups.
Arrange and fasten pool noodles to a wire frame available at 100-yen shops.
When securing them with bands, make sure the noodles can still slide when pushed.
Participants sit on both sides and strike with short pool noodles they hold.
The fixed noodles will move, so keep hitting to make them pop out toward the opponents.
It’s also a game that develops the ability to take in the whole field.
Recommended for ages 4 and up.
Boo Foo Woo Game
In this game, the caregiver assigns each child one of the names: “Boo,” “Foo,” or “Woo.” Once given a name, the child can only say that word.
At the signal, the children tell those around them their names and form groups with others who have the same name.
When everyone has gathered together, you’ve succeeded! “Foo” and “Woo” sound especially similar, so they’re easy to confuse.
Listen carefully to what your friends are saying, communicate, and decide accordingly.
When you find someone on the same team, hold hands or gather together, and make it easy for teammates who haven’t found the group yet to recognize you.
chimney game
You’ll need a bit of open space to play this game, but I think the kids will love it—so give it a try! For preparation, stand a mat (or something similar) upright and roll it into a cylinder to make a “chimney.” An adult goes inside the chimney while the children wait around it.
At the starting signal, the children throw balls, aiming to get them into the chimney.
The adult should block the balls so they don’t go in, and push any that do get in back out.
It’s a fun active game that will warm up your whole body if you play it in winter.
Rolling Dodgeball
@toiro_efilagroup Do you know “Korokoro Dodgeball”?After-school day service#toiro#Kanagawa PrefectureAndanteChildcare Worker
♪ Original song – toiro After-school Day – toiro After-school Day
Let me introduce Rolling Dodgeball, a game where you roll the ball instead of throwing it.
The rules are similar to regular dodgeball, but players are split into inside and outside groups, and the ball is rolled to keep the game going.
If an inside player is hit by a ball rolled by someone on the outside, they move to the outside and join their team’s attack from there.
It can also be fun to decide the winner by counting how many players remain inside at the end.
Unlike regular dodgeball, this version uses a soft ball, so you can play safely.
Sorting Game
Let me introduce a sorting game.
Prepare three colors of balls—red, blue, and yellow—and one red box and one blue box.
Catch the ball that the teacher throws, then put red balls into the red box and blue balls into the blue box, while avoiding (not catching) yellow balls.
By repeating these movements continuously, you can train reaction ability.
Start with slow throwing speed at first, and as you get used to it, it’s recommended to increase the speed to make it more fun.
For 4-year-olds! Introducing recommended indoor activities, group games, and crafts (91–100)
shopping relay
Let’s play the Shopping Relay! It’s an exciting game kids really want to try once they’re old enough for team competitions.
First, split the children into two teams and have the first runner wear a basket on their back.
At the starting signal, they run, pick up one ball (pretending it’s a product) from the far side of the room and put it into the basket, then return to the starting point.
They pass the basket to the next child and switch.
Repeat this, and the team whose anchor finishes shopping first wins! Because the basket is on their back, putting the ball in is a bit tricky—but that’s part of the fun.