Lovely childcare

For 4-year-olds! A collection of indoor home play ideas that make time inside fun

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.

On days when the weather is bad or you can’t go outside, it can be hard to decide what to play at home with your four-year-old, right?

At this age, children’s imaginations blossom, and they become more skilled with language and with their hands.

So here, we’ve put together a list of at-home play ideas that kids will enjoy.

There are plenty of activities you can do with things you already have at home—sensory play, crafts, games, and more.

If any ideas here catch your eye, feel free to use them as a reference and enjoy a fun time together with your child!

For 4-year-olds! A collection of at-home play ideas to make indoor time fun (11–20)

Balloon Play

Balloon Play for 4-Year-Olds

Balloon Play

Balloons floating softly in the air are very safe, so kids can play with them with peace of mind.

Here are some indoor games using balloons.

The “keep it off the floor” game naturally encourages kids to cooperate, calling out to each other to keep the balloon from touching the floor and getting excited together.

In the balloon passing game, form groups of about six and split into teams.

Enjoy sending the balloon from front to back, or passing it under the knees.

The team that can pass the balloon the fastest wins.

You can also stick a strip of plastic tape across the middle of the room and enjoy balloon volleyball or soccer.

Please choose and enjoy games suited to the children’s ages.

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Shrinky dink crafting

[Simple & Cute] Basic Way to Make Shrink Plastic Crafts [For Beginners]

Shrinky dink crafting

If you want an easy craft to do at home, making shrink plastic charms is a great option.

Draw a picture on a clear shrink-plastic sheet, then put it in a preheated toaster oven to finish.

The plastic shrinks in the toaster, so draw your design with the final shrunken size in mind.

If you punch a hole before toasting, you can attach keychain hardware after it shrinks.

Right after it comes out of the toaster, the plastic will be soft and floppy, but it hardens quickly—place a thick book on it immediately to keep it from curling as it sets.

Also, be careful to avoid burns.

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sensory play

Sensory play for children aged 3 to 5

sensory play

Sensory play is a recommended activity that stimulates children’s five senses.

When you put a cooling sheet in water, it swells and feels like slime.

For play with shaving cream, try putting the cream into a paper cup and mixing it, or adding color to the cream and applying it.

Doing this alongside crafts helps nurture their imagination.

For scratch art, draw a picture underneath with crayons, then layer black crayon on top and scratch it away.

It’s exciting to see the black crayon scrape off and the colors underneath appear.

It’s also great to mix water with flour or potato starch, knead it, and enjoy the gooey texture.

Using pulp clay to create shapes from one’s imagination also sounds like a lot of fun.

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A game using clothespins

Vol.44: A game where you balance and clip clothespins — 3-minute guide, At-Home Play Series

A game using clothespins

Let me introduce a game that uses everyday clothespins.

Get a cardboard tube from plastic wrap, a paper plate, and some clothespins, and give it a try.

Place the paper plate on top of the cardboard tube, then gently place clothespins on the plate one by one.

The key is to place them carefully so they don’t fall.

The player who drops a clothespin loses.

It also sounds fun to clip the clothespins onto the edge of the paper plate! Drawing on the cardboard tube or the paper plate might make the game even more exciting.

Give it a try!

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Making a spinning top

[Preschool Craft] Perfect for New Year’s crafts! Spinning tops made from paper plates | Colorful frames made from paper plates

Making a spinning top

Spinning tops have always been a popular pastime.

Why not enjoy making colorful tops with paper plates? It’s very simple: draw your favorite designs on a paper plate with crayons, then tape plastic bottle caps to the exact center on both the top and bottom.

Once you’re done, spin them together and have fun! You can even get everyone excited with challenges like “Whose top spins the longest?” Another great point is that you can experiment—adjust where you attach the caps, tweak the shape, and enjoy coming up with your own improvements.

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