Wonderful sports day / athletic festival

A perfect mass performance for a sports day

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!

Mass games are group performances that involve dance, gymnastics, and more.

Have you ever seen them at a school sports day? The beauty and power of perfectly synchronized movements can be truly moving! In this article, we’ll introduce ideas that are perfect for mass games at a sports day.

From routines using props like flags and fans, to unique choreography that excites the crowd, and costumes that shine in mass formations—we’ll share a variety of ideas.

If you’re planning to perform a mass game at a sports day, feel free to use these as inspiration!

Mass gymnastics perfect for a sports day (21–30)

Group performance using hoops

Rokunohe Town Komatsugaoka Kindergarten - Fashion Monster - Hula Hoop Performance - 2013

Group performance using hoops

In rhythmic gymnastics, there’s an apparatus called the hoop, and one of its techniques is called the “three-throw.” One person throws three hoops and passes them to three different people, or threads the hoops over three people’s bodies—in any case, it’s a spectacular move.

You can find videos of it on various sites, so do check them out! A group event using hoops like this would surely add flair to a school sports day.

From basic solo techniques common in rhythmic gymnastics to unique moves that are only possible with a large group, brainstorm together and see what you can create.

You can also make clever use of depth to create optical illusions!

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A mass performance using flags and hula hoops

Seigu Nursery School, 2021 (Reiwa 3) Sports Day Practice: Mass Performance (from the second floor)

A mass performance using flags and hula hoops

By incorporating multiple items, you can create a lively atmosphere.

Flags and hula hoops, in particular, are a perfect match.

For example, how about having the main group perform movements with flags while people around them spin hula hoops? This adds variety to the choreography and lets you make better use of the space.

Of course, you can make the hula hoops the main focus instead, and it’s also fine to have people switch who’s holding what partway through.

I hope you’ll have fun imagining the different ways you could use them.

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In conclusion

Using the mass games production ideas introduced as a reference, create a wonderful performance that showcases everyone’s individuality. By incorporating elements like a cheer squad, forming letters, or using flags and hula hoops, with a bit of creativity it can become a moving stage that leaves a lasting impression on the audience. Let’s all work together to put on a sports day that we’ll remember.