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 (31–40)

Handkerchief-snatching game

🧡No.2 [Parent-Child Play / Improve Athletic Ability] “Handkerchief Grab Game” Boosts Reflexes‼️ So fun 😄

Handkerchief-snatching game

The classic indoor game you can play even on rainy days, the “Handkerchief Grab,” has lots of fun variations depending on the rules.

In this version, players sit on chairs facing each other with their knees touching, place a handkerchief in the middle, and grab it when the whistle blows.

It works well with a larger group, or you can do head-to-head matches and make it a tournament.

There’s also a high-level version where someone keeps chatting to distract players, then blows the whistle when their attention slips.

It’s a recommended game that everyone can enjoy while training reflexes and coordination!

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Sinking Game

[For Childcare Workers] Teacher Rio’s Active Play That Gets Kids Excited [The Sinking Game]

Sinking Game

A thrilling game likened to the ocean, where you might get attacked by sharks: the Sinking Game.

The person calling out commands plays the role of the shark, and the children ride on mats that represent ships.

If you don’t have mats, you can put tape on the floor instead.

As long as they’re on a ship, the shark won’t attack.

But when the command “It’s sinking!” is called, they must move to another ship.

If they get caught by the shark while moving, they’re out.

It gets even more exciting if the caller fakes out the players by pretending to say “sinking” (chinbotsu) but instead uses other words that start with the same “chi” sound.

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Reaction Game

Even toddlers can do it! Here’s a reaction game (recreation game) using markers.

Reaction Game

Let’s play with color markers! Here’s a reaction game idea.

It’s perfect for anyone who wants to get kids moving and playing together.

Arrange colorful markers in a circle and place a marker or token in the center—then you’re ready to go.

When the teacher gives the signal, participants circle around the center.

You can make it more fun by adding variations, like switching direction when the teacher claps.

It’s a simple game where players try to find the marker that matches the color of the one the teacher raises along with the signal.

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Ball shower

@tomonite_official
This looks so fun! ✨ Even on days when you can’t play outside, you can enjoy it at home 😍 Please check the instructions for the materials and products you use, and pay attention to the usage environment and weight limits. Also, when playing, do it together with an adult and keep safety in mind as you use this as a reference. We featured a post from Instagram by @ari_mama.kosodate ✨ Thank you for the wonderful post. ↓↓↓ ＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿【Kids Get Excited! A Shower of Balls】＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿ This is Tomonite @tomonite_official. Even on busy days, we want family time to be full of smiles! We share: 🏠 Time-saving housework and parenting hacks 💎 Useful items with great time and cost performance 👶 Relatable parenting moments and heartwarming videos ✨ A request ✨ Your likes and comments are a big encouragement! If you found this post helpful or enjoyed it, we’d be happy if you leave a comment with a 👶 emoji! Please use this idea as a reference while keeping safety in mind. All posts introduced by Tomonite are shared with permission from the original posters. Comments that may hurt others may be hidden by our team. We’d be delighted if everyone could enjoy lots of friendly interactions while keeping the conversation comfortable for all ✨#AtHomePlay Ball play #ParentingHack work
♬ Super Mario Bros. – Overworld – 8-Bit Arcade

Let’s make and play with a ball shower! Prepare some colored balls, a pool noodle, a laundry mesh bag, and pipe cleaners.

Cut the pool noodle in half lengthwise, form it into a ring, and attach the laundry bag to the inside using the pipe cleaners.

Thread the pipe cleaners through the holes of the net and fix it all the way around.

Cut the net where the balls will go in, and the goal is complete.

After you toss the balls in, open the zipper and the balls will pour out from inside like a shower.

Kids will love this ball shower—give it a try!

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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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