Lovely childcare

[For 5-Year-Olds] Recommended Indoor Play! A Collection of Exciting Games

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.
9 years of experience as a nursery school teacherShibata Risa
I am an active nursery school teacher with 9 years of experience. After graduating from university, I worked at a daycare center. The time I spent happily with children—playing piano, singing songs, and doing finger-play—are priceless memories to me. Currently, while raising three children of my own, I work at an after-school day service, engaging with children and providing individualized developmental support. Drawing on my diverse experiences as a childcare worker and as a mother, I hope to express and convey my thoughts through writing.

On days when the weather or temperature keeps you from going outside, you end up spending more time indoors, right?

If you’re a teacher looking to incorporate activities that kids can enjoy indoors, this is a must-read.

Here are some recommended indoor play and game ideas for five-year-olds.

From activities that let them move their bodies to ones that make them think, and ones that deepen their interactions with friends—this is a roundup of perfect games for five-year-olds, a time when language skills, motor skills, and social skills grow rapidly!

No special preparation is needed—there are plenty of games you can enjoy right away.

If you add arrangements to suit the children, it will be even more exciting.

Be sure to try playing together!

[For 5-year-olds] Recommended Indoor Play! Exciting Game Collection (31–40)

Seven Steps

Fingerplay counting song 'Seven Step' rhythm game

Seven Steps

Let’s have fun with a counting song fingerplay! Here are some ideas for Seven Steps.

This activity is a rhythm game that nurtures concentration by counting while moving the body.

Some children may find it a bit difficult until they get used to the rules, but sharing the sense of accomplishment with friends when they succeed will deepen their bonds.

If they make mistakes, don’t get discouraged—keep the atmosphere light and try again! This can help foster children’s perseverance and a mindset that doesn’t give up.

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Bingo game

[Bingo Game] Parent-Child Play! For ages 4 to elementary school—there’s no way it won’t be a hit when all you do is write 9 vegetables! (Elementary school kids—time killers and games)

Bingo game

Here’s a bingo game that also helps you learn the names of vegetables.

Prepare paper and a felt-tip pen, and draw a 3×3 grid.

In each square, write the name of a vegetable or draw a picture of one.

You’ll draw vegetable cards one by one; when the same vegetable appears, draw a circle and mark it on your grid.

There’s also a Skull card mixed in: if you draw the Skull card, the vegetable you just drew gets a cross (is canceled).

After the Skull card mode ends, you return to normal mode.

Try it out and see who can get a reach or bingo first!

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Sorting Game

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

Sorting Game

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 the teacher throws and move your body as follows: put red balls in the red box, blue balls in the blue box, and avoid the yellow balls without catching them.

Repeating this sequence helps train reaction skills.

Start by throwing the balls slowly, and as you get used to it, you can increase the speed to make it more fun.

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A game using clothespins

Vol.44: A game where you balance and clip clothespins — 3-minute guide, At-Home Play Series

A game using clothespins

Let me introduce a game that uses everyday clothespins.

Get a cardboard tube from plastic wrap, a paper plate, and some clothespins, and give it a try.

Place the paper plate on top of the cardboard tube, then gently place clothespins on the plate one by one.

The key is to place them carefully so they don’t fall.

The player who drops a clothespin loses.

It also sounds fun to clip the clothespins onto the edge of the paper plate! Drawing on the cardboard tube or the paper plate might make the game even more exciting.

Give it a try!

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Card flipping

At the Fukui City nursery school sports day, parent-child event: Card Flip! Try this popular game together at the sports day!

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.

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[For 5-year-olds] Recommended Indoor Play! Exciting Game Collection (41–50)

UFO Tag

@kidschallengeclub ♬ UFO – Pink Lady

Spin around and protect the captain! Here’s an idea for a UFO tag game.

It’s a unique game that really tests teamwork! Form teams of three, hold hands, and dodge the tagger so your captain doesn’t get caught.

Choose a captain among the three and have them wear a bib number so the tagger can easily tell who it is—highly recommended.

The key is to hold hands firmly so no one lets go!

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Rolling Dodgeball

@toiro_efilagroup
Do you know “Korokoro Dodgeball”?After-school day service #toiro #Kanagawa Prefecture Andante Childcare Worker
♪ Original song – toiro After-school Day – toiro After-school Day

Let me introduce Rolling Dodgeball, a game where you roll the ball instead of throwing it.

The rules are similar to regular dodgeball, but players are split into inside and outside groups, and the ball is rolled to keep the game going.

If an inside player is hit by a ball rolled by someone on the outside, they move to the outside and join their team’s attack from there.

It can also be fun to decide the winner by counting how many players remain inside at the end.

Unlike regular dodgeball, this version uses a soft ball, so you can play safely.

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