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 (31–40)
Cup rhythm game
Here’s an idea where children enjoy a musical game called “Cups” using cups to the popular YOASOBI song Yoru ni Kakeru.
Clap your hands, tap the cup tap-tap, set it on the table, and give it a spin! It creates a fun time full of smiles and rhythm at the after-school day service.
The moves are simple, but when the sounds and claps line up, the sense of unity is perfect.
Children with disabilities can join at their own pace too! With a bit of creativity, any child can enjoy it.
Even the adults watching will get excited and want to try it themselves.
All you need are paper or plastic cups, so it’s easy to introduce—give it a try!
Masking tape toy
Stick 2–3 strips of masking tape horizontally on the wall, leaving a small gap in the middle to form a tunnel.
Then drop balls or beanbags through it—simple and fun.
It helps children develop control of hand strength, aiming skills, and concentration.
You can place a box underneath and adjust how loose the tape is to match each child’s developmental level.
Children with disabilities can also enjoy success at their own pace, building confidence.
It’s easy to start with everyday materials, and it naturally brings smiles to children’s faces!
Catch
This is the Finger Catch Game, where you try to catch (or get caught by) the finger of the person next to you.
Stand in a circle.
Extend the index finger of your right hand and make a “tube” with your left hand.
Put your right index finger into the tube made by the person on your right.
At the cue “Catch!” from the teacher or someone not playing, quickly pull your right index finger out of your neighbor’s tube.
At the same time, try to catch the neighbor’s index finger inside the tube you made with your left hand so it doesn’t escape.
If you manage to escape, or you catch your neighbor’s finger, you succeed!
Butt-walking race
Let’s race by walking on our bottoms! Without using your leg strength, move forward while seated by wiggling your hips.
Kicking the ground with your feet would be easy, but don’t use your legs—do your best using only your glute power! How fast your legs are normally doesn’t matter.
It’s impossible to predict who will reach the finish line first.
By the way, this movement uses inner muscles you don’t usually engage, so it’s said to have a slimming effect as well.
Fruits Basket
Fruit Basket is a classic recreation game.
With a bit of creativity, it can be enjoyed by everyone from small children to adults.
In the standard way to play, you divide people into groups by fruit names, and when a fruit is called, those assigned to that fruit move to other open seats.
It can get lively if you use not only fruit names but also animal names or the names of kids’ favorite anime and characters.
And when the leader calls out “Fruit Basket,” everyone has to move—somehow that always makes things really exciting (lol).
