Ideas for indoor activities and group games that 5-year-olds like

Drop the handkerchief

Handkerchief Drop (Tag) – Indoor Exercise Play Recreation [Arranged Version]

Many of you may have played it 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 secretly drops a handkerchief behind someone’s back, then runs away.

The person who has the handkerchief dropped behind them must catch the “it” player before they make it all the way around the circle.

It’s a recreational game that gets very lively at summer sleepover events and the like.

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sasashina

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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!

Copycat Animals

[Have Fun with Music] Try imitating animal movements with “Copycat Animals”

Here’s a copycat animal game that kids of different ages can enjoy while moving their bodies.

Along with a piano melody, the teacher says the name of an animal and imitates it.

The children enjoy moving like the animal in their own way, at a level that suits their age.

You might even see the younger children copying the movements of the older ones.

It could also be fun to ask the children what animals they can think of as you go along.

This copycat animal play is a great way to get kids moving indoors—give it a try!

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mayumi

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Mimic Animal Rock-Paper-Scissors

[Kids’ Exercise You Can Do at Home] Copycat Animal Rock-Paper-Scissors (Preschool to Lower Elementary)

Here’s a game called “Copycat Animal Rock-Paper-Scissors” that helps children of different ages interact and become friends.

At the cue, “Copycat animal, rock-paper-scissors—go!” everyone strikes an animal pose.

If both partners choose the same animal pose, they earn 1 point; if they choose different poses, they spin around once on the spot.

It’s recommended that teachers and children decide the set of animal poses in advance.

You may see older children teaching the animal poses to younger ones.

Come up with lots of pose variations and have fun!

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mayumi

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Moving House Game

[For toddlers, simple, movement play] Moving House Game

Let’s move to a distant base! Here’s an idea for a “Moving House” game.

In this game, the cue word is “Moving House,” and children simply move from one mat to another.

Once they get used to it, teachers or guardians can try to interrupt them along the course.

The fun part is seeing whether they can complete the move while avoiding the teachers or guardians! It’s also a great idea for deepening bonds among the children by giving them a shared goal.

Morning Noon Night game

Indoor games for large groups starting from age 3! Even elementary school kids can have fun while practicing moving quickly!

Here’s an introduction to the Morning-Afternoon-Night game.

You can play it anytime, anywhere, with any number of people, so it’s perfect for filling small gaps of time! When the teacher says “morning,” the children stand up.

For “afternoon,” they sit in seiza (kneel with legs folded under).

For “night,” they lie down right where they are.

The fun is in doing each action as quickly as possible.

Once they get used to it, try adding twists like “duck” or “monkey.” How will the children respond? Will they imitate the animals, get confused, or tell you, “Teacher, that’s wrong!”? That uncertainty is part of the fun of this game.

Bomb Game

[Guaranteed to be a big hit with toddlers] An ultra-easy “Bomb Game” you can play

A simple “Bomb Game” you can play with a rubber ball.

The rules are like a preschool version of dodgeball: set up areas in advance using tape lines or mats, and have the children move from mat to mat while avoiding the ball.

First, explain, “The ball is a bomb, so you mustn’t get hit.” Start by tossing the ball gently with an easy arc, then raise the difficulty as they get used to it by changing the ball’s trajectory or throwing faster shots off the wall or floor.

The kids will love the thrill—guaranteed excitement!

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hiyori

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