A collection of ideas for infant/toddler play, recreation, and games
Play and games help keep children’s minds and bodies healthy and lively.
They nurture physical activity, thinking skills, imagination, and the ability to get along with friends.
Here, we’ve gathered activities and games that preschoolers can enjoy.
There are many kinds: group games, traditional play, pretend and make-believe activities, and sensory play.
You’ll find lots of favorites from nurseries and kindergartens, as well as easy games you can do at home.
Choose fun activities that match your child’s age and development, and enjoy them together!
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Ideas for Infant/Toddler Play, Recreation, and Games (101–110)
Rhythm Play
Let’s try playing by moving our bodies to the rhythm! Rhythm play includes making sounds with your own body—like clapping your hands or stomping your feet—and moving along to the piano played by the teacher.
You can vary your movements to match the music’s dynamics, making them bigger or smaller, and keep moving while the music is playing, then stop sharply when the music stops.
Music lets you play in many different ways.
It’s also great to try instruments: use castanets or tambourines found in nurseries and kindergartens, or make your own instruments with items like plastic bottles and try playing them.
There are many ways to enjoy rhythm play, so try different activities suited to the child’s age.
Eurhythmics
Eurhythmics is an educational approach that, through engagement with music, promotes the development of children’s fundamental abilities such as motor skills, perception, and the senses.
To the rhythm of the piano, let’s crawl, walk, lie down—using our bodies to the fullest in ways suited to each child’s age! It can also help relieve stress for children who may feel down after many rainy days.
You can add your own twists, like incorporating children’s favorite nursery rhymes and anime songs, or doing exercises from picture books in time with the music!
Telephone game
The telephone game is a classic recreation.
Children sit in a line, and the child at one end starts by passing along a prompt word so that the others can’t hear.
Whispering from one to the next, making sure no one else can hear, it goes down the line to the end—did the message make it through correctly? That’s the fun of the game.
Because the whispers are so quiet and hard to catch, the message often doesn’t come across accurately—but that’s part of the enjoyment, sparking laughter and excitement.
Photo guessing quiz
How about having everyone bring a childhood photo and enjoying a photo-matching quiz? Some people probably haven’t changed much, while others might look completely different from when they were little.
If childhood photos feel a bit embarrassing, baby photos are fine too.
It makes the game harder, but maybe even more fun.
You could also create multiple-choice options.
If you can match someone from their baby photo, that’s impressive! Try guessing from the eyes or the feel of their smile.
Reaction Game
Let’s play with color markers! Here’s a reaction game idea.
It’s perfect for anyone who wants to get kids moving and playing together.
Arrange colorful markers in a circle and place a marker or token in the center—then you’re ready to go.
When the teacher gives the signal, participants circle around the center.
You can make it more fun by adding variations, like switching direction when the teacher claps.
It’s a simple game where players try to find the marker that matches the color of the one the teacher raises along with the signal.
Ideas for Toddler Play, Recreation, and Games (111–120)
Hand game ‘Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Clap’
Let me introduce “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes,” a game played to an English folk tune! In this activity, you touch different parts of your body with your hands in time with the song.
Infants can enjoy it as a bonding game with their parents, and preschoolers will have fun moving their hands quickly to different spots with the rhythm.
Because it’s a bright, upbeat song, performing it at an entrance ceremony would instantly make the atmosphere lively and festive.
Sing, play, and have fun together!
Hand play ‘The Flower Smiled’
How about enjoying a hand-play activity with the children’s song “Ohanaga Waratta,” which is perfect for spring entrance ceremonies? You can make flowers with your hands and open them with a pop—it’s a very simple and cute choreography.
Playing it together with children who may be nervous in a new place, or having teachers perform it, could help ease some of that tension.
This song might also convey that kindergarten or nursery school is a fun place.
Please consider it as a performance idea.