Lovely childcare

[Childcare] Recommended indoor activities and recreation games for April

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.

April marks the start of a new chapter.

Children who are entering or moving up a grade may feel excited about their new environment, or a little anxious—there are many different reactions.

Many teachers are probably wondering, “What should we do?” as they look for ideas that everyone can enjoy and that naturally help children make friends through play.

So this time, we’re introducing recommended games and activities for April.

We’ve focused on games you can start right away indoors, so please give them a try.

You’ll find yourself with more wonderful moments filled with smiles!

[Childcare] Recommended Indoor Activities and Recreation Games for April (71–80)

Drop the Handkerchief

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

Drop the Handkerchief

It’s a classic game that’s been passed down for years.

On rainy days when we couldn’t go outside, you’d often hear someone call out, “Who wants to play Drop the Handkerchief?!” The thrill of not knowing when the handkerchief will be dropped behind you is the best part.

And April, when the new school term starts, is especially recommended! It’s a great chance to get closer to new friends and helps the class bond, too!

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Yoshizaki Keiko

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How many people can ride?

How many people can ride? (One person at a time) [Indoor recreation]

How many people can ride?

It’s a game where people get onto a single sheet of paper one by one, carefully shifting to avoid stepping outside the paper, to see how many people can fit on one sheet.

Adjust the paper size according to the number of participants.

Using a newspaper makes it easy and convenient.

You can split into teams and compete to see how many people can fit, or if everyone manages to get on, how many seconds they can stay like that.

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Number call

#6 Recreation: Number Matching Game (Number Call)

Number call

Participants clap their hands in time with a chant, increasing the number of claps with each chant.

When someone says “gather,” everyone forms groups whose size equals the number of claps they just did.

For example, if the cue “Ready, go!” is called five times, they clap five times; when told to gather after that, they form groups of five and make a single circle.

It’s a recreational activity that can also be used for grouping people.

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human disentanglement puzzle

“Kangiko Kids Experience Workshop” Human Puzzle (Human Wire Puzzle)

human disentanglement puzzle

Didn’t you play with disentanglement puzzles when you were a kid? This is basically doing that kind of puzzle with people.

Everyone stands in a circle facing inward.

Then each person takes someone’s right hand who is not standing next to them.

Do the same with your left hand.

Now all the right and left hands are crisscrossed and it’s a big tangle, right? The game is to untangle yourselves by, for example, ducking under people’s arms, until you’re free.

If you have a lot of people, you can make it a team competition to see which group can untangle themselves the fastest.

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Balloon lifting

Curl up and play [Indoor Recreation Plan]

Balloon lifting

Let’s try playing “balloon juggling,” a great indoor activity using balloons! Playing with balls indoors can be dangerous, but balloons are a perfect substitute.

You can play by kicking the balloon up with your knee, like soccer juggling, and see how many times you can keep it up.

If you have a larger group, everyone can hold hands in a circle and keep the balloon from falling by passing it around with your feet.

You can also make it a team competition to see which team can keep it going the longest—that would be fun too.

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In conclusion

How were the April activities? There were lots of games that seemed exciting and fun for the children—ones using spring flowers, activities inspired by April events, and indoor games that really get their bodies moving! They’re all easy for kids to join even if they don’t know each other’s names, so please give them a try.

Let’s make friends with many different classmates through play!