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 Cherry Blossom Viewing Even More Fun! A Collection of Recreation and Game Ideas to Play with Kids (31–40)
Impromptu Guess-the-Character Game
It’s a game where you improvise and guess a person’s name from given hints.
You create a parody song that includes a celebrity’s signature phrases, traits, or gags, and the respondent has to guess who it is.
Since everyone participates improvisationally, unexpected mishaps and unique turns of phrase can pop up.
The key is to sing rhythmically in time with the music.
Besides celebrities, movie or TV drama characters also make great prompts.
Try adding this no-props-needed, high-energy game to your cherry-blossom-viewing gathering.
Change Janken
It’s a game where you change your hand after showing your initial rock-paper-scissors sign.
Because you try to read what your opponent is putting out, the mind games are fun—perfect for a cherry-blossom picnic scene.
First, just like regular rock-paper-scissors, both players show a hand.
The key is to hide each player’s hand with a board or something similar so it can’t be seen.
Ask each other questions like, “What hand are you showing now?” and try to read each other’s minds while changing your hands.
Once you’ve decided on your final hand, remove the board and see the result.
Give it a try in settings where you want to deepen communication, like with coworkers or classmates.
Spring Flower Matching Game
Build kids’ concentration while they play! Let me introduce a spring flower matching game.
You’ll need flower illustrations, construction paper, glue, and scissors.
The rules are simple: find pairs of identical picture cards, and the player who collects the most cards in the end wins.
What flowers come to mind when you think of spring? It could be fun to go outside with the children and look for flowers to turn into cards.
Remembering where previously flipped cards were is an important key to success! It’s also great because you can adapt it for each season.
Spring Things Bingo
Let’s aim for bingo! Here are some ideas for a spring-themed bingo.
When you think of spring, things like cherry blossoms, tulips, and Children’s Day come to mind! How about sharing words that pop into your head and creating your very own bingo card? It’ll feel fun when you find matching words with your friends or family.
If you’re playing at a preschool, it’s also great to turn each idea into a simple illustration, cut them out, and paste them to make your bingo cards.
Give it a try!
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!
Make Hanami Even More Fun! A Collection of Recreation and Game Ideas to Play with Children (41–50)
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.
