![[For Kids] Fun Indoor Game Ideas for After-School Day Services](https://i.ytimg.com/vi_webp/yblPGwT8nTM/maxresdefault.webp)
Have you ever heard of “Hōdei”? It’s short for “after-school day service,” a welfare service that provides necessary support tailored to each school-age child with disabilities or children whose development is a concern.
In this article, we’ll introduce ideas for indoor games that kids can enjoy at after-school day services.
You’ll find lots of fun, educational ideas—from group activities to enjoy with friends to games that kids can focus on independently.
Be sure to give them a try!
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[For Kids] A Special Feature on Indoor Game Ideas to Enjoy at After-School Day Services (1–10)
Number Touch Game
Let me introduce a number-touch game where you touch numbers posted on the wall.
Prepare by writing numbers on pieces of paper and sticking them randomly on the wall.
Have the children memorize the positions of the numbers on the wall.
The teacher calls out a number, and the children touch that number—this is the game.
It also helps train memory and reaction speed by remembering where the called number is.
Adjust the height of the numbers to match the children’s reach and give it a try.
You can also make the numbers easier to remember by using different colors of paper or other creative touches.
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 that the teacher throws, then put red balls into the red box and blue balls into the blue box, while avoiding (not catching) yellow balls.
By repeating these movements continuously, you can train reaction ability.
Start with slow throwing speed at first, and as you get used to it, it’s recommended to increase the speed to make it more fun.
Shape imitation game
Here’s a shape-matching game using cotton swabs.
Put a strip of tape on a table and create a shape on one side using cotton swabs.
Children look at the completed shape and then use cotton swabs to make the same shape on the opposite side of the tape.
If they get stuck, it’s a good idea to support them with hints so they can create the same shape, watching over them and working together.
As they get used to it, try making the shapes slightly more difficult or increasing the number of cotton swabs to add variety.
For the tape on the table, colorful tape is recommended because it’s easier to see and understand.
Pasta Twirling Race
Here’s a perfect indoor activity: the Twirling Pasta Race.
Prepare some “pasta” by attaching yarn to a paper plate with tape.
On the free end of the yarn (the side without tape), attach an empty plastic wrap core.
To race, hold the core and twist it to wind the yarn around it.
It’s a fun competition to see who can wind the yarn—pretend pasta—onto the core the fastest.
To make it even more exciting, place a cutout of an animal with its mouth open between the paper plate and the core, and set up a little sign showing it “eating.” You could also time each round to add a competitive element.
Small Number Game
Do you know the Small Number Game? First, ask the children to choose one favorite number between 1 and 20.
I will call out the numbers in descending order, and when I reach the number they chose, they stand up.
If they are the only one who stands up at that moment, they become the champion and remain standing.
If two or more stand up at the same time, that’s a bust, and they have to sit down.
If someone becomes the champion with a smaller number, the previous champion sits down.
It’s fun because strategy and mind games are important.
Teleportation Game
If you have some newspapers, this is a game you should definitely try.
Roll several sheets into sticks with a few people.
Everyone holds the stick they made, stands in a circle, leaves their stick standing, and moves to the next spot.
As you move, the person coming from the next spot must catch the stick you left before it falls.
Since the game is called the Teleportation Game, leave only the stick and move yourself quickly.
Anyone who fails to catch the stick properly is out.
As the number of players decreases, widen the spacing between people.
The distance you move will increase, making the sticks harder to grab and raising the difficulty.
Rolling Dodgeball
@toiro_efilagroup Do you know “Korokoro Dodgeball”?After-school day service#toiro#Kanagawa PrefectureAndanteChildcare 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.