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 Toddler Play, Recreation, and Games (111–120)
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.
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.
Number Touch Game
Let me introduce a number-touch game where you touch numbers posted on the wall.
Prepare by writing numbers on pieces of paper and sticking them randomly on the wall.
Have the children memorize the positions of the numbers on the wall.
The teacher calls out a number, and the children touch that number—this is the game.
It also helps train memory and reaction speed by remembering where the called number is.
Adjust the height of the numbers to match the children’s reach and give it a try.
You can also make the numbers easier to remember by using different colors of paper or other creative touches.
