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!
- Popular recreation ranking for toddlers
- [Childcare] Recommended indoor activities and recreation games for April
- Recreation for daycare centers and kindergartens: fun activities for children
- Indoor games that different ages can enjoy! Ideas for fun everyone can get excited about together
- Useful for childcare! Today’s recommended recreational activities, including fingerplay and games!
- Kids go wild! Popular hand games and fun sing-alongs
- [Kindergarten/Daycare] Games and Performances for Fun Events
- [Childcare] From small to large groups! A collection of fun game ideas
- [Childcare / Physical Play] Fun Activities to Get Moving
- February: Liven up childcare! A collection of ideas for indoor play and physical activities
- Get the party started at the preschool graduation! A collection of party game ideas
- Fun activities with newspaper! Recreation games kids will love
- Indoor games for parents and children: fun activities that use the body and the mind
Ideas for Infant/Toddler Play, Recreation, and Games (101–110)
Sponge block circuit
Let’s build your own course! Here are some ideas for a circuit using sponge blocks.
What you’ll need: sponge blocks, mats, a balance beam, and masking tape if necessary.
Sponge blocks come in a variety of shapes—rectangles, squares, triangles, and cylinders! Use a rich variety of sponge blocks to create your circuit course.
If you combine a balance beam and mats within the course, it’s sure to get kids excited and engaged.
sensory toy play
Fun for all ages! Here are some sensory toy play ideas.
You’ll need: food storage bags, colored water, oil, adzuki beans, erasers, toy goldfish, beads, bells, hair gel, and tape.
Put the materials you prepared into the bag along with the hair gel! Changing up the colors and textures makes the feel different and more interesting.
Sensory toys are recommended not only for infants but also for preschoolers—they’re engaging to look at and touch, and kids will be totally absorbed.
Handkerchief-snatching game
The classic indoor game you can play even on rainy days, the “Handkerchief Grab,” has lots of fun variations depending on the rules.
In this version, players sit on chairs facing each other with their knees touching, place a handkerchief in the middle, and grab it when the whistle blows.
It works well with a larger group, or you can do head-to-head matches and make it a tournament.
There’s also a high-level version where someone keeps chatting to distract players, then blows the whistle when their attention slips.
It’s a recommended game that everyone can enjoy while training reflexes and coordination!
Bingo Relay
Let me introduce a game called “Bingo Relay,” which gets kids using both their heads and bodies.
You’ll need bingo squares—prepare nine items you can use to mark off spaces, like mini hoops.
If you’re outside, you can draw circles on the ground instead.
Arrange them in a 3×3 grid.
Divide the children into two teams, and have only the first three players on each team hold their team markers.
At the signal, the first player from each team runs to the bingo grid and places their marker inside a ring.
When they’re done, they run back, tag the next player, and switch.
The team that first completes a line—vertical, horizontal, or diagonal—wins.
Starting from the third move onward, players should move one of their own team’s already placed pieces instead of adding a new one.
It’s a fun game that requires quick thinking!
Run Away from the Hula Hoop Game
Great for group play! Here’s an idea for a “Run from the Hula Hoop” game.
All you need is a large hula hoop.
The rules are simple: children try not to get hit by a hula hoop that a parent or teacher rolls.
The key is to move while predicting the hoop’s speed and direction.
Once everyone gets used to the game, adding variations to how the hoop moves will keep kids engaged and prevent boredom.
Give it a try and include it in your activities!