A collection of ideas for infant/toddler play, recreation, and games

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 as a kindergarten teacher for 10 years and as an after-school childcare instructor for 7 years, then took a position as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I engaged in activities that introduced Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational activities, working with many children. Later, through freelance writing, planning, and editing at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and sharing. Drawing on the perspective cultivated in the field of education and my experience as an editor, I provide practical information with an emphasis on both input and output, mainly in areas related to music and children. My hobbies include instruments, singing, handicrafts, toys, drawing, traditional games, the outdoors, and books. My special skill is spinning-top tricks.
9 years of experience as a nursery school teacherShibata Risa
I am an active nursery school teacher with 9 years of experience. After graduating from university, I worked at a daycare center. The time I spent happily with children—playing piano, singing songs, and doing finger-play—are priceless memories to me. Currently, while raising three children of my own, I work at an after-school day service, engaging with children and providing individualized developmental support. Drawing on my diverse experiences as a childcare worker and as a mother, I hope to express and convey my thoughts through writing.

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!

Ideas for toddler play, recreation, and games (81–90)

Hoop Tag

@soramame.sensei
Tag, but with hoops! Jump to the rhythm!! It’s great because even kids who aren’t good at running can enjoy it 😊Child Development Support After-school day service child Parent-child time #StayHomeTime # developmental support (ryōiku)Tag Hoop translation
♬ Fun comical busy busy – SOUND BANK

Let’s play by predicting the ogre’s moves! Here’s a fun idea for a hula hoop tag game.

Prepare nine small hula hoops and an easy-to-see marker for the person who’s “it.” On the count of “1, 2, 3,” jump to move into an adjacent hula hoop! You can move the length of one hoop vertically, horizontally, or diagonally.

“It” also moves on the cue, so the key is to avoid landing in the same hoop as “it.” Predict the ogre’s movements and try to escape to the end!

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Alien Repatriation Game

@asobiinlife
The Ministry of Play is born! Alien deportation 👽 Let’s all work together and see how many we can send back!#asobi_in_life Play Ministry of Play #Yoshi Oniisan #play Go viral #LOL Trendy one Akikusa Gakuen Junior College Aliens Alien Repatriation
♪ Original Song – Asobi Agency – Asobi Agency

Let’s work together with friends to help the aliens! Here’s an idea for an Alien Return game.

You’ll need balloons, markers, and something to mark the start and finish lines.

In this simple game, you carry balloon “aliens” to the goal—but cooperating with friends is absolutely required.

That’s because you play in teams of four, holding hands, and the rule is that you can’t let go! Coordinate your moves using your linked hands, heads, shoulders, or hips, and call out to sync your timing.

Work together and save the aliens!

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A hoop you can make and play with using newspaper

@soramame.sensei
Educational toy # developmental support (ryōiku)newspaper (newsprint)Form / Shape #CapCut
♬ Kids, cute, pets, energetic background music(1101939) – nyansuke

Fun for kids and adults alike! Here are ideas for a hoop game you can make and play with newspaper.

All you need are newspapers and cards with different motifs drawn on them.

Hand a sheet of newspaper to each person, then reshape the paper according to the motif card that’s revealed—this unique game is all about transforming the newspaper.

For a round motif, link the newspaper into a circle; for a square motif, try folding it into a square.

You can crumple it, fold it, or even tear it, so the game offers a high degree of freedom.

It really sparks creativity!

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Ring-Collecting Game

https://www.tiktok.com/@toiro_efilagroup/video/7369387611279887624

Fun to make! Fun to play! Here’s an idea for a game where you collect rings.

You’ll need origami paper in your favorite colors, scissors, and glue.

First, cut the origami paper into long, thin strips and glue the ends to make rings! Using colorful paper in the making process can stimulate a sense of color and help develop fine motor skills.

Once the rings are ready, give each person a pair of chopsticks or a straw, and enjoy a game of collecting the rings! It’s a great way to build concentration.

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Ring Relay

@kidschallengeclub
⭐️Exciting⭐️ 🌈Ring Relay🌈 We’ll split into two teams and do a relay‼️ I think you’ll understand the rules once you watch the video☝️✨ Let’s do it while thinking with your friends about how to get to the finish faster❣️ After explaining the rules, we’ll give you practice time again, and then it’s the real run‼️ It’s more fun than just training 😀 And because it’s done as a team, everyone takes it more seriously than usual 🎵 We’re sharing fun games like this 🗽 Please follow us 🙇‍♀️relay team Recreation Cooperation Friendship Kids Challenge Club Exercise Play Class Fukuoka City #Momochi Gymnasium <h id=”10″>弥生幼稚園</h>︎
Battle Theme / Dragon Quest III – Me Gāne

Here are two ideas for ring relay games.

What you need to prepare are markers for the start and finish lines.

In the first game, each person crawls under the feet of the person in front, then quickly stands up and spreads their legs to form a tunnel, connecting all the way to the finish.

In the second game, players form pairs to make a ring, and the next person in line crawls through as they all move toward the finish.

The key point is that neither game can be completed by a single person.

It’s also fun to compete by team!

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