For 4-year-olds! Introducing recommended indoor activities, group games, and crafts

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 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! Introducing Recommended Indoor Activities, Group Games, and Crafts (21–30)

giant ball

https://www.tiktok.com/@nacchi_asobi/video/7475009257109376264

Let me introduce a giant ball that kids will be super excited about.

The method is very simple: inflate a garbage bag and tie it off to make a large ball shape.

Wrap duct tape around it, and you’re done.

If you change the colors of the tape as you stick it on, it becomes a visually fun ball as well.

Hold it, throw it—use your whole body and play freely with the giant ball.

Another plus is that, since it’s made of plastic, it won’t hurt even if it hits your head or body.

It might also be fun to make several of the same kind and play with them like a maze.

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mayumi

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Inside-Outside Game

@kyojifukushikai_staff
Inside-Outside Game! Train your judgment and concentration!Exercise Play Childcare #Nursery school Nursery teacher / Childcare worker child
♬ familie – Mrs. GREEN APPLE

Listen carefully to the instructions and get moving! Here are some ideas for Inside-Outside games.

The great thing is that people of all ages, from kids to adults, can enjoy them! It’s unique and fun to have children move around while following instructions.

Since you can play both indoors and outdoors, the weather won’t get in the way.

These games help develop reflexes, concentration, and teamwork while you play! The rules are simple and easy to understand, so take this opportunity to give them a try.

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For 4-year-olds! Introducing recommended indoor activities, group games, and crafts (31–40)

Hiragana Collection Challenge

https://www.tiktok.com/@cocoskip/video/7286789916544044289

Here’s a Hiragana-collecting challenge that’s fun both solo and with friends.

Spread out cards on the floor, each with a single hiragana character.

Give a prompt, then collect the hiragana cards that fit the prompt to form words.

Get a stopwatch ready and time how many minutes it takes to complete each word.

Start with just one prompt at first, then gradually increase the number of prompt words to make it more exciting.

It’s also a great game for building concentration and critical thinking, so give it a try!

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mayumi

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stop ball throw

@secondhouseayumu
“Stop Ball Throw!” devised by an occupational therapist. As practice for stopping actions, it helps children develop the ability to look at letters and make decisions 💪🏻 ̖́- We design activities so that the children can enjoy playing every day while also receiving therapeutic support ✨Second House Saiyuyu After-school Day Service (for children with disabilities)Child Development Support Fun workplace Now hiring / Looking for people who want to work Recreation Speech-Language-Hearing Therapist Occupational therapist Physical therapist Nursery teacher / Childcare worker Childcare Worker Fun Play # developmental support (ryōiku)Shall we work together?
♪ Original song – Second House Saiyu-Yui – Second House Saiyu-Yui

Thinking while moving is fun! Let me introduce a stop-ball throwing activity.

You’ll need colored balls and cards with signs on them.

Place the colored balls on the floor and throw them into a basket.

When a “Stop” card is shown, everyone must freeze—even if they’re in the middle of throwing a ball.

Once kids get used to the rules, it’s fun to add similar-sounding words like “tomato” along with “stop.” Try adapting it while observing the children’s responses.

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Touch-in game

https://www.tiktok.com/@bear_kids_official/video/7472713563929349394

Let’s develop tracking skills and a sense of force! Here are some ideas for a touch-in game.

These are perfect for nurturing visual concentration and control of force.

Children can aim to improve their physical abilities while having fun by keeping a balloon from falling and collecting colored balls from the floor into a basket.

Simple yet effective for building concentration, this idea lets kids play by controlling balloons and colored balls—making it a fun game that can be used in after-school day services!

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Talking Game

@soramame.sensei
How can I get it across?Talking Game word # developmental support (ryōiku)Let's play together as parent and child #StayHomeTime
♬ Athletic Meet “Heaven and Hell” (No Introduction) – Shinonome

Build thinking and communication skills! Here are some ideas for a talking game.

Talking games are fun activities that use words to strengthen communication and creativity.

Have two people sit facing each other, and place a divider between them so they can’t see what the other is doing.

Once both have the same type and number of blocks in front of them, you’re ready to start! One person assembles the blocks while clearly explaining what they’re doing using only words.

The other listens carefully, thinks through the instructions, and assembles the blocks accordingly.

Give it a try!

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