[For 4-Year-Olds] A Collection of Indoor Play and Game Ideas That Get Everyone Excited

Pull hoop play

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!

Ring Relay

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!

Churippu sharippu

tulip sheriff

Hold hands with your friends and play while calling each other’s names! Let me share the idea for “Churippu Sharippu.” There’s nothing to prepare, so just hum the song together and play.

There are moments in the song where you call out names, which makes it great for learning your friends’ names.

It’s especially recommended for classes with new or transferring children! You can adapt the way you play, so it’s an idea that children from infants to preschoolers can enjoy.

Be sure to try it in your activities.

Cat and Mouse

[You can see the childcare in action] Teacher Rio’s active play [Cat and Mouse]

Which team will win? Here’s a game idea called Cats and Mice.

What you need are designated areas for each team.

Make the most of the room so the children can move around freely and play in a spacious environment.

Split into a Cat team and a Mouse team, and play a game where you try to return to your territory without getting caught by the teacher.

It’s a fun activity that makes kids burst into laughter, with the tension of listening carefully so they don’t mishear, and the exhilarating feeling of running away! In the end, which team will have more members? Give it a try!

shopping relay

[4-year-olds] Team Competition! 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.

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sasashina

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Thunder Game

[Exercise & Gymnastics Kids Enjoy] The “Thunder Game” recommended from age 3 / Rule-based movement games and exercise-gymnastics educational videos to improve motor skills together with mom

The indoor game we’re introducing this time is the “Thunder Game.” It’s easy to play.

The children lie on their backs on the floor while the teacher makes a rumbling thunder sound.

At the cue “BOOM!” the children quickly flip onto their stomachs and protect their belly buttons.

When to shout “BOOM!” is up to the teacher! The kids will be on the edge of their seats, wondering when the BOOM will come.

It’s a great indoor activity to enjoy with children even on rainy days, and it also helps improve their reaction speed.

Be sure to add it to your play repertoire.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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Greengrocer’s shop

No prep needed! 7 rhythm games you can do at daycare♪

The “Greengrocer’s Shop” is a fun game that’s like a mix of a rhythm game and a quiz.

The teacher sings a song and, at the end, says the name of one item at a time.

If it’s something you’d find at a greengrocer’s, the children clap to the rhythm and say “aru, aru” (“it’s there!”).

If it’s not something you’d find there, they make an X with their arms and say “nai, nai” (“not there!”).

Since quick decisions are needed, mistakes can happen, and opinions may differ.

When that happens, take a moment to pause and discuss together: “Is it there?” “Is it not?”

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sasashina

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