Make cherry blossom viewing even more fun! A collection of recreation and game ideas to play with kids
With the warm spring weather inviting us outside, many of you are probably planning to go cherry-blossom viewing with your children.
At hanami, you don’t just want to admire the cherry blossoms—you also want to include recreations and games that parents and kids can fully enjoy together.
In this article, we’ll introduce a wide range of ideas to make your hanami time even more special, from sakura-themed games and active movement play to simple activities that require no equipment.
Make the most of those spring moments filled with children’s smiles!
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Make Hanami Even More Fun! A Collection of Recreation and Game Ideas to Play with Children (41–50)
Spring hand-play song
Feel the seasons through song! Here are some ideas for spring-themed fingerplay songs.
When you think of fingerplays that are about spring or evoke spring, what comes to mind? There are actually many spring fingerplay songs you can enjoy with children! The fingerplay introduced in the video, “What Will You Be When You Grow Up?”, is uniquely fun because after showing numbers with your fingers, you then use those fingers to imitate dream jobs.
It’s a perfect fingerplay to enjoy with children who have moved up a grade and grown a little bigger!
Pedometer Dance Battle
At your cherry-blossom party, why not host a dance contest using pedometers to crank up the excitement? It works great as either an individual or team competition.
Have everyone grab a pedometer and dance to their favorite music! Step to the rhythm, add some light jumps, and you might even end up laughing along the way.
Watching the pedometer numbers shoot up with every move is fun for the spectators too! It could be extra fun to prepare a special hanami-themed snack as a prize for the winner.
Enjoy a lively spring day and make the best memories together.
Paper airplane throwing
It seems we’re entering a time when the days are staying quite a bit warmer.
With that in mind, how about flying paper airplanes in the park on a sunny day? If you look it up online, you can find ways to fold paper airplanes that fly long and high, so be sure to check them out.
grass sledding
If there’s a small hill at your cherry-blossom viewing spot, trying some grass sliding can be fun.
Grass sliding is an activity where you lay down a blue tarp or similar on a sloped grassy area and slide down.
You can also use a rice sack instead of a tarp, or even a sled.
Just be sure to have fun safely and avoid shooting out onto the road or colliding with others.
By the way, some parks have dedicated courses for grass sliding.
If you’re interested, do a bit of research beforehand.
At the 100-yen shop! Puzzle ring
Ring puzzles—if you’re an adult, chances are you played with them at least once as a kid.
At first glance, they’re simple: interlocked rods and loops.
But brute force won’t solve them; as the name suggests, you have to use your wits to untangle and separate the pieces.
Did you know that many kinds of ring puzzles are now sold at 100-yen shops? They’re great even at hanami spots where space is limited and running around isn’t possible, and they let you focus and play quietly.
You might even find that adults get hooked, too!
cat’s cradle
How about playing cat’s cradle, that classic game from long ago? It’s great because you can play it anywhere as long as you have some yarn or a string.
There are many ways to play: you can play alone, or with a few people taking turns to catch and pass the string.
You can make all sorts of shapes like Mt.
Fuji, a broom, or Tokyo Tower and have fun showing them to each other, or compete to see who can make them the fastest.
It’s also nice that there are so many ways to enjoy it.
It’s a game grandparents can join in, too.
cat’s cradle butterfly
Ayatori, the traditional Japanese string game passed down through generations.
During cherry blossom season, playing it under the sakura trees has such charm, doesn’t it? There are many figures you can make with ayatori.
Since it’s hanami time, how about a butterfly? It’s an easy game that even children trying ayatori for the first time can enjoy!
Perfect for cherry-blossom viewing bento! Making tamagoyaki (Japanese rolled omelet)
I think many young children are interested in cooking.
Even in households where it’s hard to let them try in everyday life, using an event as a chance to give it a go is recommended.
Many people make and bring a bento when going out for cherry-blossom viewing—an “ohanami bento.” How about trying tamagoyaki, a classic and easy-to-make bento item? To prevent burns, have an adult present and cook together whenever using heat.
It will surely make everyone look forward to eating the bento!
Shiri-moji Showdown
Shiri-moji, often used for penalty games, is exactly what it sounds like: a game where you write letters with your butt! It’s a simple idea—using your backside to draw characters—but it’s surprisingly tricky and really fun.
You can use it as a forfeit, or play it like a lively quiz where others guess the letters you’re “writing.”
A Day in the Life of Daruma
Daruma-san’s Day is played almost the same way as Daruma-san ga Koronda (Red Light, Green Light).
The difference is the call: instead of a fixed phrase, the caller says “Daruma-san [did] ___,” which lets them direct various actions.
For example, if they say “Daruma-san laughed,” everyone has to follow the instruction and laugh.
If you fail to do the instructed action, you get caught.
Just like Daruma-san ga Koronda, you can play it anywhere, and even slightly older kids will enjoy it.
If you find yourselves with some free time during cherry-blossom viewing, be sure to try it with your family.
