Lovely childcare

[Age 5] Exciting and fun! A special feature on ideas for at-home play

20 years of experience as a nursery teacher / kindergarten teacherhiyoko sensei
I’m Hiyoko-sensei, a former nursery school teacher from Hyogo Prefecture. Ever since I was five, my dream was to become a childcare worker, and before I knew it, 20 years had passed since I achieved that dream. Through singing and playing with the children, I kept working with the spirit of someone in their twenties, even as I increasingly felt my physical limits year by year (haha). From here on, I’d like to share helpful information carefully and thoughtfully, drawing on my on-site experience.
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSICsasashina
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSIC. JFC-certified fact-checker. I’m Sasashina, a mom currently raising an elementary schooler and a preschooler. During my student years at Kyoto College of Science and Technology, I studied a wide range of fields including sound, lighting, and video technology, building a foundation in comprehensive stage production and creative expression. After graduation, I joined a music production company, where I still work, consistently building experience in production and engaging in a variety of music-centered tasks. Currently, I mainly handle articles for children, drawing on what I’ve learned about parenting and what I feel and discover through daily interactions with my kids. I hope my work can be of help to you, even in a small way!

By the age of five, more children can enjoy games with rules and have fun competing in games with friends and adults.

In this article, we’ll introduce at-home activities that are perfect for five-year-olds.

We’ve gathered a variety of ideas—from games with easy-to-understand rules, to activities that get kids moving indoors, to crafts that are fun to make—so feel free to use them as a reference and give them a try.

Not only for times when you can’t play outside, but also for those moments when you just feel like staying in, we hope you’ll enjoy these with your family and siblings.

[Age 5] Exciting and Fun! A Special Collection of At-Home Play Ideas (61–70)

indoor horizontal bar

Aerial back hip circle on an indoor horizontal bar by a 5-year-old

indoor horizontal bar

Play using a horizontal bar that lets kids exercise indoors.

It’s sometimes used in PE classes and is perfect exercise for five-year-olds who haven’t started elementary school yet.

Children can enjoy various bar exercises, such as a forward roll by gripping the bar with both hands and rotating forward, or a back hip circle where they lift their body and rotate from below.

When playing at home, make sure it’s safe first—clear the area of objects and check the surroundings.

This activity helps improve physical ability while developing flexible body movements.

Why not try practicing this popular, cross-generational exercise at home?

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Mystery-Solving Treasure Hunt

Snow Man [Real Escape! Puzzle-Solving Game] Steal the Treasure!

Mystery-Solving Treasure Hunt

This is a game where you create puzzle-solving questions tailored to your child’s age and have them go on a treasure hunt.

Puzzles that require reasoning, observation, and application skills are recommended because kids can enjoy the journey to the treasure itself.

By incorporating your child’s personality, interests, and strengths while adding educational elements, the game also serves as brain training.

However, if the puzzles are too difficult, they may feel discouraged along the way, and if they’re too easy, they may get bored.

So be sure to create challenges that suit each child!

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Hoshino Takashi

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snack making

A Valentine’s recipe with 10 million views 💌 Easy with just 3 ingredients ♪ #ValentinesRecipe #EasySnacks #EasySweets #SnackMaking #Valentines #Chocolate

snack making

Snack-making that you can enjoy with children both when making and eating.

Try making a variety of treats like donuts, cakes, and muffins.

It’s great that you can choose from a wide range of recipes—from those finished using only a microwave to more authentic ones that use an oven.

Reading instructions and going through the process of actually making snacks also contributes to children’s development.

Try creating your own original treats where you can freely customize flavors and decorations.

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Scratch play

[You can do this at home too!] Scratch play!

Scratch play

Here’s a fun scratch-art activity you can enjoy indoors.

Prepare construction paper, bamboo skewers, pastel crayons, disposable chopsticks, and glue thinned with water.

First, use bright colors of pastel crayon to color the construction paper thoroughly so there are no gaps.

Then, cover the entire surface with black crayon, again making sure there are no gaps.

Use a bamboo skewer to scratch the surface and draw your picture by revealing the colors underneath.

Brush on a coat of glue thinned with water to seal the finished picture.

This makes the colors less likely to rub off on your hands.

Let it dry, and you’re done.

Give it a try!

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Shape Finding Game

Let’s boost discovery, imagination, and expression! Here’s an idea for a shape-finding game.

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

Start with basic shapes like circles, triangles, and squares, and as you get used to it, raise the difficulty with stars, diamonds, and pentagons to expand interest and increase the fun.

It’s also great because drawing the shapes you find on paper helps develop expressive and creative skills.

While playing, you can deepen shape recognition and sharpen your discovery skills!

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