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

cat’s cradle

Ayatori “Three-Tier Ladder” How-to Video

Ayatori—cat’s cradle—is a classic game that everyone knows, but it takes a bit of skill.

Many people probably played it as children, and some might still do it whenever they have spare time.

How about trying ayatori, a game that kids, adults, and even seniors can enjoy together? There are countless ways to play, from very simple to quite complex.

For easy ones, there are shapes like a broom, a river, a ladder, or a tunnel.

It’s fun to quietly play by yourself, but you can also play by passing and taking turns with several people.

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utatane

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Where are you from?

Where Are You From? [children’s play song] with lyrics

The classic ball game “Antagata Dokosa.” You bounce the ball to the song “Antagata Dokosa.” Each time the syllable “sa” appears in the lyrics, pass the ball under one of your feet.

Near the end, there’s a part where “sa” comes up many times, so be careful not to let the ball roll away.

To finish, crouch down or hide the ball with your clothes.

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SAKI

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playing store

[Craft] Let’s Play Shop! Great for Kindergartens, Nurseries, and Practicum Sessions!

Let’s try making play food for kids’ favorite pretend play—playing house and running a shop—using colored construction paper and other simple materials.

Roll colored paper into balls to make takoyaki, use yarn as noodles to make yakisoba, crumple white paper tightly to make rice balls (onigiri), link white and brown paper strips and roll them up to make curry rice, and use kitchen sponges to make shortcake.

Create all sorts of foods kids love.

These days, you can get colored paper and sponges at 100-yen shops, so it’s easy to make a variety of items.

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utatane

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tea kettle lid stand (chatsubo)

Hand play song: The Teapot

A “cha-tsubo” is a jar used to store tea leaves.

Since it is usually sealed with Japanese paper, it has no lid, and this fact is turned into a hand-play song.

You make one hand the tea jar and the other hand the lid, but as you switch which hand is the lid or the jar, it gets confusing and surprisingly lively.

The song has a good rhythm, so it’s a fun activity even just to sing.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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ladder rock-paper-scissors

Ladder Rock-Paper-Scissors [Indoor Game]

Players play rock-paper-scissors while moving along ropes or tape laid on the floor like a ladder.

One person from each team starts from opposite ends and moves toward each other, playing rock-paper-scissors when they meet.

The winner keeps moving forward, while the loser steps off the ladder and goes to the back of their team’s line.

The losing team then sends the next waiting player to start from their end, and they play rock-paper-scissors again when they meet the opponent.

The player who keeps winning and makes it all the way from one end of the ladder to the other wins.

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SAKI

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