Wonderful sports day / athletic festival

Shine in the sports day dance! A roundup of handmade props

Shine in the sports day dance! A roundup of handmade props

Last updated:2025/5/29

10 years as a kindergarten teacher / elementary school teacher / junior and senior high school teacher / childminderkepiko
Graduated from Kunitachi College of Music, Faculty of Music (now: Department of Music Culture and Education, Early Childhood Music Education major). In elementary school, my homeroom teacher was Jun Kusaba, a game researcher. After graduating from university, I worked for 10 years as a kindergarten teacher and for 7 years as an after-school childcare instructor, then took a post as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I also engaged in activities that shared Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational play, working with many children. Afterwards, through freelance writing, planning, and editing work at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and conveying ideas. Leveraging the perspective cultivated in educational settings and my experience as an editor, I aim to deliver practical information—focusing on fields related to music and children—that values both input and output. Hobbies include instruments, singing, handcrafts, toys, drawing, traditional play, the outdoors, books, DIY, and crafts. Special skill: spinning-top tricks.
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSICsasashina
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSIC. JFC-certified fact-checker. I’m Sasashina, a mom currently raising an elementary schooler and a preschooler. During my student years at Kyoto College of Science and Technology, I studied a wide range of fields including sound, lighting, and video technology, building a foundation in comprehensive stage production and creative expression. After graduation, I joined a music production company, where I still work, consistently building experience in production and engaging in a variety of music-centered tasks. Currently, I mainly handle articles for children, drawing on what I’ve learned about parenting and what I feel and discover through daily interactions with my kids. I hope my work can be of help to you, even in a small way!

At kindergarten and elementary school sports days, the children put on adorable dances, don’t they?Props like pom-poms are essential for their performances.And if you’re going to use props anyway, many of you are probably looking for ones the kids can make together by hand.In this article, we’ll introduce a variety of props all at once—besides pom-poms, things like fans and maracas.Many of them are easy to make, so be sure to create props full of originality.

Shine at the sports day dance! A roundup of handmade props (1–10)

sparkly wristband

[Easy] How to Make Wristbands for Parachute Games and Dances [Preschool/Kindergarten]

sparkly wristband

Introducing the “Sparkly Wristbands” that make sports day dances look polished and expand the range of your performances! You can handcraft them using items from the 100-yen shop, so please give it a try.

You’ll need three materials: party tinsel (garland) from the 100-yen shop, thick paper (cardstock), and rubber bands.

Cut the cardstock to fit your child’s wrist, and attach the party tinsel with double-sided tape.

Finally, fold the ends of the cardstock slightly, hook on the rubber bands, and secure them with tape—that’s it! Using a single color of tinsel can create a unified look for the dance, while using two colors can make the performance more vibrant.

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umbrella

Primo Nursery School 2017-11-12 Sports Day [10] Rhythm Dance “Umbrellas”

umbrella

Props are also very important for school sports day dances, aren’t they? For those considering a dance using umbrellas, I recommend painting the umbrellas to create a colorful, pop look.

If you use clear vinyl umbrellas, which are easy to find, you can paint them in your favorite colors or freely draw illustrations that match your dance theme! Of course, using umbrellas in bright colors is fine too.

Letting children draw freely on them will make the sports day even more memorable, so please give it a try.

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Masking tape scrunchie

Can you make it with masking tape and rubber bands?! Easy scrunchie DIY♡

Masking tape scrunchie

There’s a simple prop even small children can make: a masking tape scrunchie.

All you need are masking tape and a rubber band.

First, wrap masking tape once around a rectangular box.

Place a rubber band over it, then wrap another layer of masking tape around to cover the band.

After that, slide it off the box and your scrunchie is done.

An empty tissue box works great as the form.

Since you don’t need any tools, it’s safe and easy.

Grab some cute masking tape and give it a try!

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grass skirt

[For Nursery Teachers] Also great for a parachute! How to make a waist skirt perfect for sports day dances ✨ [Daycare/Kindergarten]

grass skirt

How about using the familiar hula “grass skirt” as a prop for a school sports day dance? Cut plastic raffia tape (suzuran tape) to your child’s waist size to make the base.

Next, tie both ends to prevent the tape from splitting.

To create the skirt strands, wrap suzuran tape around a board or cutting mat as you would when making pom-poms.

Finally, wrap the skirt strands around the base and split the loops to finish! Using it together with pom-pom batons will make the dance even more exciting.

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magic wand

How to make a magic wand 🩷 How to make a magic stick #asmr

magic wand

Many kids get excited when they hold a magic wand at events like sports days.

Here’s a handmade magic wand that can turn you into a cute princess.

Draw your favorite shape on a foam join mat to make the base, then cut it out with scissors.

Trace the base shape onto felt and cut that out as well.

Use glue to attach the base and a wide tapioca (bubble tea) straw together.

Place a decorative ribbon on the base, then sandwich it with the felt cut to the same shape and glue them together.

The key is to let the ribbon stick out a little.

Glue felt over the entire surface, add beads inside the tapioca straw for decoration, and you’re done.

A sports day with your original magic wand is sure to be even more fun!

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Pom-pom baton

[Preschool Teacher] For Sports Day Dance! How to Make Pom-Pom Batons ✨ [Daycare/Kindergarten]

Pom-pom baton

If you want to add a splash of flair to your sports day dance, how about making a “pom‑pom baton” using simple materials you have at home? With just some newspaper and raffia tape, you can easily make it by hand! Start by making two small pom‑poms the same way you’d make regular ones.

The step where you split the raffia tape is a fun activity to do with your child—it’ll make great memories! Tape the two pom‑poms to both ends of a stack of about 20 sheets of newspaper.

Next, roll up the newspaper to create the handle.

Since it also works like a baton, it will broaden the range of your dance performance! Give it a try for inspiration.

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Naruko

[Kindergarten/Daycare] September: Make It with Milk Cartons! Clack-Clack Naruko Craft/Instrument

Naruko

Naruko clappers really shine in school sports day dances, don’t they? The unified, resonant sound across the venue is so cool.

Here’s how to make handmade naruko.

Open up a milk carton and separate it into the handle part and the body.

For the handle, roll the carton as if folding it and secure it with double-sided tape.

For the body, round off the corners of the carton and cut it to resemble the shape of naruko.

Fold it in half, make a slit in the center, and insert the handle.

Wrap vinyl tape around the handle, and glue four caps to the inside of the body—your handmade naruko is complete! Dancing at the sports day with naruko you made yourself really boosts your spirit!

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