[Childcare] Recommended games to play in the warm month of April

Alien Repatriation Game

Let’s work together with friends to help the aliens! Here’s an idea for an Alien Return game.

You’ll need balloons, markers, and something to mark the start and finish lines.

In this simple game, you carry balloon “aliens” to the goal—but cooperating with friends is absolutely required.

That’s because you play in teams of four, holding hands, and the rule is that you can’t let go! Coordinate your moves using your linked hands, heads, shoulders, or hips, and call out to sync your timing.

Work together and save the aliens!

Let’s explore spring vegetables

@morinonakamahoikuen

Let's get in touch with spring vegetables!#NurserySchoolFoodEducation#SpringVegetables

♬ Cooking Time – Lux-Inspira

Also great for food education! Here are some ideas for exploring spring vegetables.

Many childcare centers incorporate food education activities into their monthly events, but April 19 is Food Education Day! How about expanding the time for food education activities and making it even more fun? Setting the theme to spring vegetables is recommended because children can experience seasonal produce with all five senses.

For example, a whole bamboo shoot with the skin on before cooking is quite impressive, isn’t it? It would be great to carefully record the children’s reactions and share them with their parents.

Ring Relay

Here are two ideas for ring relay games.

What you need to prepare are markers for the start and finish lines.

In the first game, each person crawls under the feet of the person in front, then quickly stands up and spreads their legs to form a tunnel, connecting all the way to the finish.

In the second game, players form pairs to make a ring, and the next person in line crawls through as they all move toward the finish.

The key point is that neither game can be completed by a single person.

It’s also fun to compete by team!

Soap bubble play

[1- and 2-year-olds] Let’s play outside to our hearts’ content! Bubble play!

Wrapped in the warm, pleasant weather and with more days at comfortable temperatures, spring makes you want to head outdoors and play to your heart’s content with the kids, doesn’t it? How about incorporating bubble play into those outdoor activities? Fill a basin with plenty of bubble solution and use things like fans or hangers to enjoy making big, dynamic bubbles.

In the spring sunlight, the bubbles will likely sparkle and shine.

I can just picture the children happily running around with the bubbles.

Give it a try for some inspiration!

Cat and Mouse

[You can see the childcare in action] Teacher Rio’s active play [Cat and Mouse]

Which team will win? Here’s a game idea called Cats and Mice.

What you need are designated areas for each team.

Make the most of the room so the children can move around freely and play in a spacious environment.

Split into a Cat team and a Mouse team, and play a game where you try to return to your territory without getting caught by the teacher.

It’s a fun activity that makes kids burst into laughter, with the tension of listening carefully so they don’t mishear, and the exhilarating feeling of running away! In the end, which team will have more members? Give it a try!

Let’s head out with a field guide!

[For 5-year-olds] Let’s take a picture book and go find spring!

Why not head out for a walk with a field guide in hand? In spring, you can spot things like flowers in full bloom and insects becoming more active.

Take your field guide along and look up the flowers and insects you find along the way.

Discover daisies in the flowerbeds and ladybugs on trees for a delightful time.

Children can show each other the bugs they catch, pick flowers, and find natural treasures unique to spring, helping them feel the season.

With so many flowers and insects to discover, the kids are sure to be thrilled.

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Nakajima Junko

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Spring Birdwatching

Spring wild birds gather! An explanatory video even beginners can understand

As spring arrives, you’ll start spotting more birds while out on walks.

When you hear birdsong, many children can’t help but wonder, “What kind of bird is that?” With the temperatures rising, why not head out on a nice day to look for wild birds? While places rich in nature are ideal, you’d be surprised how many birds gather even in city parks.

In spring, migratory birds come to Japan to lay eggs and raise their young.

If you come across birds building nests, consider yourself lucky.

Let’s help children discover that, beyond the familiar birds they usually see, there are many different kinds out there.

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utatane

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