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)

Hide-and-seek

[At-Home Hide-and-Seek] When we played seriously with our 5-year-old, it turned into a big deal at the end?! Surprisingly fun for parents and kids even in a small home ♪ Hide and Seek

Hide-and-seek

Hide-and-seek is a game where you look for family and friends hiding inside the house.

You can hide in spots where no one will find you, and searching for the hidden players helps develop thinking skills.

Decide on rules such as “Hide while I count from 1 to 10,” and split into a seeker and hiders.

After counting, the seeker looks for those hiding around the house.

You can also add rules like setting a time limit or giving hints when it’s difficult.

Both the seeker and the hiders can enjoy the thrill!

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

craft; handiwork; fabrication; maneuvering (scheming)

I tried making a dress out of newspaper.

craft; handiwork; fabrication; maneuvering (scheming)

Crafts that everyone loves, from little kids to big kids.

Open-ended crafts where you can make anything are so much fun, aren’t they? Let’s make use of materials you have at home—things you can reuse before throwing away, like newspaper, milk cartons, and empty containers from pudding and more.

Just thinking about what to make is really fun too.

By creating freely, children’s imaginations will expand.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

Accessory making

Ribbon and Straw Bracelet [Handmade Accessories] [Crafting]

Accessory making

Let’s make accessories that you’ll want to wear when you go out.

You can use a kit designed for making accessories, or mix and match your favorite beads—both are great options.

Another method is to cut colorful straws into small pieces and use them like beads.

You can follow a set of instructions carefully, or create freely with your own ideas.

By taking your time, you can build concentration, and by combining parts of different colors, you can also develop a sense of color.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

Spot the differences

Anpanman Anime Spot the Difference [Quiz] [Educational] #7

Spot the differences

A spot-the-difference game where you compare two pictures and look for what’s different.

It’s easy to play, making it perfect for filling time at home! Spot-the-difference challenges are available on video platforms and many websites, and there are plenty of books for sale too.

If the puzzles feature characters popular with children, they’ll be even more motivated to play.

Spot-the-difference builds concentration because kids closely examine the images to find the differences.

It also helps them develop the ability to explain what’s different in words.

It’s an activity full of benefits for children!

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

Treasure Hunt

Tried a treasure hunt at home with my daughter… #Shorts

Treasure Hunt

Treasure hunts are also great for seasonal events and recreational activities.

Because they feel like a game, they’re perfect for kindergartens, nursery schools, elementary schools, and even at home! A key point is that they’re enjoyable for all ages, both indoors and outdoors.

For younger children, a basic treasure hunt where you hide items and have them search is perfectly fine, but you can also make it more exciting by increasing the difficulty—adding puzzles or specific rules to match their age.

Treasure hunts nurture children’s curiosity and imagination, so why not add them to your usual playtime?

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem