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

Party-gathering game

@homeltd

It's fun to play as usual, and you can also connect it to the next activity! 😆😆Childcare#FreelanceNurseryTeacherTemporary custodyTemporary childcareChildcare

♬ Yattemiyou – WANIMA

No talking to friends allowed! Here’s an idea for a game where you gather teammates.

It’s a fun activity using cards with animal pictures on them.

However, you’re not allowed to talk to your friends during the game! Rely only on the animal sounds depicted on the cards handed out by the teacher or guardian to find others with matching cards.

The tricky part is calling out to your teammates while carefully distinguishing their calls.

Once everyone gets used to the rules, adding a time limit could make it even more exciting!

Daikon-pulling game

@kidschallengeclub♬ Anyway, Busy – Various Artists & Ken Ito

A game that kids and adults can enjoy! Here are some ideas for the Daikon Pulling Game.

It’s a fun game that works well with both small and large groups! The rules are simple and easy to understand, so anyone—from children to adults—can join in.

Divide into the “daikon” role and the “puller” role, and give it a try.

It gets even more exciting with larger groups, but it’s still plenty of fun with fewer people, making it great for any group size.

Once everyone gets the hang of it, trying team matches and competing for time sounds like a lot of fun!

Alien Repatriation Game

Let’s work together with friends to help the aliens! Here’s an idea for an Alien Return game.

You’ll need balloons, markers, and something to mark the start and finish lines.

In this simple game, you carry balloon “aliens” to the goal—but cooperating with friends is absolutely required.

That’s because you play in teams of four, holding hands, and the rule is that you can’t let go! Coordinate your moves using your linked hands, heads, shoulders, or hips, and call out to sync your timing.

Work together and save the aliens!

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!

Shape Finding Game

Let’s develop discovery skills, imagination, and expressive ability! Here’s an idea for a shape-finding game.

It’s a simple yet effective game where you look for shapes in everyday life.

Start with basic shapes like circles, triangles, and squares, and once you get used to it, raise the difficulty with stars, diamonds, pentagons, and more.

This will broaden interest and make the game more fun.

Plus, drawing the shapes you find on paper helps cultivate expressive skills and creativity, which is a great bonus.

It’s a playful way to deepen shape recognition and boost the power of discovery!

Ninja Game

@cocoro_ws♪ Original Song – [Official] Kokoro Social Welfare Association [Gymnastics 🤸] – [Gymnastics Class] Social Welfare Corporation Kokoro Welfare Association [🤸]

Recommended for preschool classes! Here are some ninja game ideas.

These playful activities let children become ninjas and enjoy moving their bodies.

The teacher calls out moves like “Head Shuriken,” “Ninja Chop,” and “Foot Shuriken,” and the children dodge them by jumping or evading.

It’s great for building stamina and reflexes while moving swiftly like ninjas.

Pretending to be ninjas also sparks imagination, which is another plus.

It looks like a fun way to nurture concentration and flexibility through play!

Newspaper Game

@soramame.sensei

#SoramameKids#SoramameKids#Therapy Time# developmental support (ryōiku)#HandmadeToys#Indoor Play#KagoshimaRehabilitation#StayHomeTimeLet's play at home#IndoorPlayCorenewspaper (newsprint)Newspaper#Nursery school　child

♬ March-style BGM ideal for athletic meet march – harryfaoki

You only need two things to prepare! Here’s an idea for a newspaper sheet game.

It’s also a great option when you have to switch activities indoors due to sudden bad weather.

With just newspaper and tape, you can start playing right away! Set up a long chain of connected newspaper sheets under a chair.

While sitting on the chair, move both feet left and right to store the newspaper under the chair.

The key is to use the entire sole of your feet, which also makes it perfect for strengthening your core.