![[Handmade & Instagrammable] Decorations for Sports Day: Ideas and Inspiration](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/mxy4lIhw90g/sddefault.jpg)
[Handmade & Instagrammable] Decorations for Sports Day: Ideas and Inspiration
When the schoolyard, gates, and campus are decorated for Sports Day, it instantly feels more festive and exciting, doesn’t it? In this article, we’ll share recommended decoration and styling ideas for Sports Day.
We’ve gathered a wide range—from photo-worthy pieces and iconic centerpieces to items that lift everyone’s spirits—covering everything from small props to large displays.
Most of what we introduce here can be handmade, so use these ideas as inspiration and give them a try.
These decorations are perfect for various Sports Day events at nurseries, kindergartens, schools, and senior facilities!
[Handmade & Instagrammable] Introducing Sports Day Decorations (1–10)
deco hammer
https://www.tiktok.com/@printmedia_19/video/7369884159600282898A standout item for sports days and school athletic festivals: the Deco Hammer! Just paint a squeaky toy hammer (like the ones sold at 100-yen shops) and attach your favorite parts to finish it.
Carry it around at the event and you’re sure to stand out—and it looks fantastic in photos too! For coloring, mix paint with glue.
Once it’s dry, decorate it with rhinestones, lace, ribbons, or a tiara to create a cute vibe.
Making them with friends will become a great memory, so definitely give it a try.
lantern
Speaking of sports days, there’s a sort of festival-like atmosphere, isn’t there? Why not incorporate lanterns—a summer festival staple—into your decorations? Just having lanterns on display creates a lively mood.
Here’s an idea for lanterns made from construction paper.
All you do is combine three colors of construction paper cut to specified sizes, so anyone can make them by following the steps.
These lanterns also fold flat, so they don’t take up much storage space and you can use them again next year.
It’s nice not to have to make new ones every year, isn’t it?
Entrance gate
The entrance gate where athletes wait before events at sports festivals or athletic meets.
The more dazzling the decorations, the more excited everyone feels for the upcoming competitions, and the audience’s anticipation grows as well.
You can easily make the basic structure by creating colorful looks—like pasting colored paper onto boxes—and stacking them together, so anyone can build one.
By cutting out and attaching letters or adding decorations, you can energize the event from start to finish depending on your creativity.
Give it a try and experiment during the making process.
Photo spot
https://www.tiktok.com/@kraftskart/video/7473011097285430536When you think of photo spots, school culture festivals may come to mind, but having them at sports days or athletic meets could also make for great memories.
Since the field is spacious, try setting one up like an installation in a place that won’t interfere with the events.
You can use a variety of materials such as wood, cardboard, and balloons.
Design it with a club or sport theme, or use the Olympics as a motif.
Create a photo spot that everyone will want to snap a picture of!
garland
A garland that lets you add color simply by decorating a string with origami.
While ready-made ones are available, it’s easy to make with just string, origami paper, and glue, so getting everyone together to craft them before an event can be a lot of fun.
Because it doesn’t require difficult techniques and can decorate a wide area, it’s also handy when you have limited time for decorating.
Plus, you can get creative by using origami in various colors or patterned papers that match the type of event.
balloon art
Balloon art transforms colorful balloons into a variety of objects.
While it’s often associated with street performances that shape a single balloon into figures, combining multiple balloons allows for adjustments in color and scale, making it highly popular as decoration as well.
It’s also fun to create something original by experimenting with different combinations of balloon colors and sizes.
These eye-catching pieces can energize events—balloon decorations are enjoyable both to make and to admire.
flags of all nations
International flag bunting that colors the sky at festivals, events, and school sports days.
For many people, when you think back to the sports days of your childhood, this decoration is probably the first thing that comes to mind.
Its origins trace back to the Meiji era, when ships entering Japanese ports would fly both their own national flag and Japan’s as a gesture of friendship.
Since then, it has come to adorn lively occasions such as sports days and festivals.
In today’s conflict-ridden world, it’s a classic, heartwarming decoration that reminds us that at sporting celebrations, borders don’t matter.