Ideas for indoor activities, games, and group play that 5-year-olds enjoy

Hula hoop relay

Hula hoop relay

Let’s clear the game by cooperating with friends! Here’s an idea for a hula-hoop relay.

It’s perfect for a sports day event for five-year-olds and is a great game for building teamwork.

Everyone holds hands and, without letting go, passes the hula hoop from person to person—working together is the key! Children will learn the importance of cooperation as they value teamwork and call out to encourage each other.

Through this event, they’ll deepen their bonds with friends and experience a real sense of accomplishment.

Plastic Bottle Bowling

[Ages 1–2] First-Time Plastic Bottle Bowling!!

Let us introduce PET bottle bowling, an easy game to enjoy at parties and more.

Line up plastic bottles like bowling pins, then throw a ball and try to knock them down.

Compete by seeing how many bottles you can topple.

It’s a good idea to adjust the weight of the ball according to the players’ ages.

You can also put a little water in the bottles for added challenge and excitement.

Writing point values on the bottles and competing for scores, or playing in teams, can make it even more fun!

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

mayumi

Report a problem

Rhythm Play

Rhythm Play (Imitation Edition)

Let’s enjoy a “rhythm play” that will get your body moving naturally! Tap your knees twice—ton, ton—and then clap your hands once in front of your chest—pan.

To the rhythm of “ton-ton-pan,” the leader changes the “pan” part and names a body part.

For example, “ton-ton head,” “ton-ton butt,” etc.

Everyone else taps their knees twice and then touches the body part the leader names.

Try to keep up with the rhythm without falling behind! As a fun variation, the leader can say an animal name like “ton-ton monkey!” and everyone can imitate its sound, such as “ton-ton ook-kee!” That would be entertaining too.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

hiyoko sensei

Report a problem

Sorting Game

Sorting Game with Three Colored Balls That Rapidly Boosts Reaction Skills | After-School Day Service in Morioka City

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.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

mayumi

Report a problem

Signaling Game

A simple game you can play in your room: 'Traffic Light Game'

Here’s a traffic-signal game everyone can play.

The rules are: blue = march in place one step, red = crouch quickly, yellow = shake your head and look around, and any other color = do nothing.

Choose one person as the leader.

The leader calls out a signal color, and the other participants perform the corresponding action.

The game gets more exciting if you increase the speed and keep a good rhythm! It’s recommended to start at a slower pace at first.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

mayumi

Report a problem

Animal Role-Playing Game

[Age 4] Animal Role-Playing Game — Body-Building Games for 4-Year-Olds | Torikai Yui-Kindergarten [Nursery School/Kindergarten]

Let me introduce the Animal Role-Play Game, where you pretend to be animals.

The rules are simple: you become the animal given as the prompt and play by running around cones or avoiding obstacles.

Because you move your whole body, it can really liven up parties and gatherings.

Wearing animal masks or making animal sounds while you play is also recommended.

When you start the game, make sure to secure a spacious area and play safely to avoid injuries!

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

mayumi

Report a problem

Storm Storm Big Storm Game

[Indoor Play] Even MatsuJun was shocked?! Indoor play!!

Let’s play using our heads and bodies! Here’s an idea for the Big Storm Game.

Depending on the age group, it’s helpful to prepare visual aids like sample diagrams or origami markers.

Assign one child as the squirrel and two children as the trees.

At the teacher’s cue, “A wolf is coming!” the squirrel moves to a different tree.

At the cue, “A lumberjack is coming!” the trees move to a different squirrel.

At the cue, “A big storm is coming!” everyone moves and pairs up with different friends.

To start, try playing while using the sample diagram or markers as guides!