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.
- Ideas for indoor activities and group games that 5-year-olds like
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- [Age 5] Exciting and fun! A special feature on ideas for at-home play
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- Indoor recreation for children: A roundup of exciting games
- Recommended for 5-year-olds! Simple DIY toy ideas
- [Childcare] Playful craft ideas to enjoy with 5-year-olds
- [For 4-year-olds] Ideas for group games and craft activities that can be done indoors
Ideas for indoor activities, games, and group play that 5-year-olds like (1–10)
Mark-finding game
The “Mark Hunt Game,” where you walk along specified marks like circles, triangles, and squares, is an indoor activity recommended for children aged five and up.
First, tape several sheets of paper with different marks drawn on them to the floor to make a path.
Also prepare one sheet for each type of mark at the goal.
The children start while holding a ball.
It’s best to play barefoot so they don’t slip.
At the end, count how many balls were correctly placed at the goal for each team.
Competing by team and counting out loud together makes it really exciting!
Sinking Game
Everyone is a crew member on a ship, and the teacher is the shark.
While you’re on the ship, the shark won’t attack, but when the command “We’re sinking!” is given, the ship sinks and you have to run away to avoid being caught by the shark.
The kids know it isn’t a real shark, but they love this kind of thrilling game and really get excited.
The person calling the commands shouldn’t say “sinking” right away—start with “chi, chi, chi,” and mix in other words that start with “chi,” like “chingensai” (bok choy) or “cheese,” to fake them out.
Cup-and-ball (kendama) made with paper cups
Here’s a paper-cup kendama that’s fun for practicing tricks.
The main materials for this idea are two paper cups, string, and origami paper.
First, prepare a ball made by rolling up origami paper and attach a string to it.
Next, connect the two paper cups bottom to bottom, gluing the string between them.
In no time, your kendama is complete.
It could also be fun to decorate the cups however you like.
By the way, if it’s hard to catch the ball, try attaching the string to the rim side of the cup instead.
Word Search Game
A word-search activity that helps children learn the Japanese syllabary while also supporting their development.
It’s a game you can learn through play and that also builds the basics of reading and writing.
First, write characters on colored construction paper with circles drawn on it, then cut them out.
Once all the characters are cut, scatter them randomly.
Divide into a few teams, then find and assemble characters from the syllabary to form words.
You can set various victory conditions, such as making as many words as possible or making the longest word.
It’s a game that can help five-year-olds become familiar with characters and also foster cooperation with friends and family—why not give it a try?
Fruits Basket
It’s a classic group game for children, a variation of musical chairs.
The children sit on chairs arranged in a circle facing inward, with one child standing in the middle.
Each child is assigned the name of a fruit, and the child in the middle calls out a fruit name.
The children with that fruit name must stand up and move to a different chair.
The child who can’t find a seat switches places and becomes the one standing in the middle.
The excitement peaks when the caller shouts “Fruit Basket!” and everyone has to stand up at once!
straw wrapper
Let’s incorporate a fun, blow-and-play straw trumpet into childcare activities.
First, prepare a sheet of construction paper cut into a semicircle with a diameter of 25–30 cm.
If possible, ask the children what colors they want and have their favorites ready.
Roll the construction paper into a trumpet shape and secure it with tape.
Next, cut both sides of the tip of a straw at an angle, and also cut off the tip of the paper trumpet.
Slowly insert the straw, starting from the cut end, through the trumpet’s opening, and secure it with tape at the end.
Flatten the cut end of the straw and blow into it… See if it makes a sound and have everyone play together!
Gesture Game
A game where you express a prompt using only body movements without saying it out loud, and others guess the prompt, is called the “gesture game.” It’s recommended for preschoolers in the middle to senior age range who know lots of words.
Watching how children choose to express the prompt—their free and inventive ideas—makes it an enjoyable recreation for observers as well.
