Ideas for indoor activities, games, and group play that 5-year-olds enjoy
At age five, children deepen their friendships through play—cooperating with peers and becoming aware of others’ feelings—while developing social skills and teamwork.
In this article, we’re sharing indoor play ideas that are perfect for the developmental needs of five-year-olds.
We’ve gathered a wide range of activities: energetic games that get kids moving, activities that nurture thoughtful problem-solving, and simple DIY toy-making ideas that are easy to create and fun to play with.
We’re focusing on activities that encourage communication with friends during play, so use these ideas as a reference and enjoy meaningful time with the children.
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Ideas for indoor activities, games, and group play that 5-year-olds like (1–10)
big-game hunting
This is the “Mōjū-gari” game, which is fun with its familiar calls and gestures.
First, the teacher taps their knees and sings out, “Let’s go big-game hunting,” and the children imitate and repeat it.
After repeating the set phrases, the teacher calls out the name of an item in a loud voice, like “giraffe” or “chocolate.” Then the children form groups with the same number of people as the number of syllables in the word and crouch down on the spot.
It’s also fun to increase the number of syllables and end with forming a big group!
Handmade fishing
A fishing game that kids love.
Use handmade toys to make it even more exciting.
Crabs and fish can be made cute and easily by using googly-eye stickers sold at 100-yen shops.
Paste origami on empty yogurt or jelly cups to make crabs and turtles.
For fish, crumple origami paper and put it inside plastic to give them a 3D look.
Jellyfish made from toilet paper rolls are also adorable.
Lay out a blue tarp as the sea, arrange your creatures, and have a blast fishing them with magnets!
Daikon Game
Do your best not to get pulled out! This is the “Daikon Game” that everyone can enjoy.
First, a few people lie face down on the floor and hold hands.
The remaining people grab the legs of those lying down and pull as if they’re uprooting a radish.
If you let go of hands or get pulled out, you lose.
Usually there’s one person doing the pulling, but if it’s among preschoolers, having multiple pullers could make it even more fun.
Indoor activities, games, and group play ideas that 5-year-olds like (11–20)
Drop the handkerchief
Many of you probably played this when you were little.
In the game “Handkerchief Drop,” everyone first sits in a circle.
The person who is “it” walks around the outside and quietly drops a handkerchief behind someone’s back, then runs away.
The person it was dropped behind has to catch the “it” player before they complete a lap around the circle.
It’s a recreational game that lots of children can enjoy with pounding hearts.
karuta game
Let’s try making a set of karuta cards with five-year-olds as the main participants.
The key point for expanding this into an SDGs activity is to align the karuta content with the SDGs.
Of course, the teacher can create the content, but drawing on the children’s ideas will likely produce some interesting concepts! Before making the karuta, it will go more smoothly if you provide plenty of opportunities to learn about the SDGs using picture-story shows or books.
Have the children draw the illustrations as well.
The finished karuta will be completely original to your preschool! The children will feel attached to it and enjoy playing with it.
Card flipping
“Card Flipping” is becoming a staple event at nursery and kindergarten sports days.
It’s a game where children flip double-sided cards—each side a different color—to their own team’s color within a time limit.
The rules are very simple, but it’s one of those games kids get completely absorbed in.
Once you make the cards, you can enjoy it over and over, so it’s highly recommended! It’s also great because kids can really move their bodies to the fullest.
Rock-Paper-Scissors Train
A classic kids’ game: the “Rock-Paper-Scissors Train.” Here’s how to play.
First, play some music and have everyone walk freely around the room.
When the music stops, find a nearby friend and play rock-paper-scissors.
The person who loses stands behind the winner and places both hands on the winner’s shoulders.
Repeat this, and the person who ends up at the front at the end is the winner! It’s a simple game, but before you know it, everyone’s hooked—great fun as a recreation activity.