A toddler sports day that gets everyone excited! A collection of fun parent-child game ideas
For one-year-olds, the sports day is their first big event! Even little ones who tend to feel nervous or anxious can enjoy it with peace of mind when they’re with their family.
So, here are some exciting parent-and-child activities you can enjoy together.
We’ve gathered events that let kids transform into popular anime characters or vegetables and that incorporate worlds they love.
There are lots of fun activities that will bring out smiles—even from children who were crying.
Create wonderful memories and fill the whole venue with smiles!
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Obstacle and circuit events (11–20)
Hey! Welcome!
Kids transform into sushi! Here’s a fun “Hey! Welcome!” activity idea.
In this unique event, children pick their favorite sushi topping, wear it on their backs, and crawl through a tunnel shaped like a customer’s mouth to reach the goal.
Parents play the role of sushi chefs: hold or give a piggyback ride to their sushi-transformed kids and run the course toward the mouth-shaped tunnel.
The adorable sight of the kids is sure to liven up the venue! Don’t miss the chance to give it a try.
Goldfish Migration Circuit
Finish together as parent and child! Here’s an idea for a Goldfish Migration Circuit.
You’ll need homemade scoops (poi), two kiddie pools, goldfish made from colored plastic bags, and red-and-white flags.
Many children may feel nervous in the unusual atmosphere of a sports day, right? Participating in the event together with a parent can help ease those nerves a bit.
This event requires teamwork between parent and child! Let’s successfully move the goldfish while calling out to each other.
The cute costumes are another highlight, too!
Cleanup beanbag toss
A cleanup ball-carrying game where you compete to see who can tidy up scattered balls around the room the fastest.
In a regular ball-toss game you throw balls into a basket, but in this version you carry the balls directly to a box or net.
Because the rule is to place the balls without throwing them, even one-year-olds can participate safely.
Prepare colorful balls in various sizes, from small to large.
If you’re using it as a parent–child event, it’s also fun to cooperate in carrying a big, lightweight ball.
You can decide the winner by how many each team tidies up, making it a great way to liven up a sports day as a competitive event.
Fruit-picking competition
A fruit-picking race where kids compete in speed and number of fruits, made with colorful paper.
It’s a safe activity that can be enjoyed indoors or outdoors, making it perfect for a sports day for one-year-olds.
Having the children at the daycare make the paper fruits themselves will boost their motivation to participate.
You can just picture how adorable they’ll look picking fruits while being watched over by teachers and parents.
If a child can’t quite get a fruit by themselves, be ready to help at any time.
Because the activity unfolds at a gentle pace, it’s also recommended for their very first sports day.
circuit play
“Circuit play” is like an obstacle race at a sports day, where you set up various attractions and let kids play.
Unlike typical obstacle race hurdles, we arrange items that even one-year-olds can enjoy with ease—for example, wobble mats that sway when you walk on them, tunnels, and balance beams or mats with gentle slopes.
They’re all fun regardless of height or whether a child can walk yet.
Kids can start wherever they like, and there’s no need to compete for ranking! It also helps develop motor skills, so it’s highly recommended.
I caught a fish.
Many kids love pretend fishing, right? So why not include a fish-themed parent–child event in your sports day? The child holds an inner tube and the parent holds a bucket, then at the starting signal they run to the blue tarp.
Lots of fish are “swimming” on the tarp, so the child catches a fish that matches the color of their inner tube and puts it in the bucket.
Run carefully so you don’t drop the fish, then place it into the box of the same color as the fish.
After that, return to the start and pass the baton to the next pair! Since the inner tube and bucket serve as the baton, be sure to hand them over securely.
Obstacle and Circuit Events (21–30)
Animal Race
Let’s step into character and play! Here are some ideas for an Animal Race.
Many children find it fun to pretend to be animals.
This time, try racing while transforming into a frog, a bear, or even a baby together with parents or guardians! Sports days can feel different from the usual routine, and many children may get nervous—but participating alongside a parent or guardian can help them feel more at ease.
Preparing headbands or costumes will likely boost their excitement, too.