Lovely Play & Recreation

[Children's Association] A Collection of Fun Entertainment and Activity Ideas

20 years of experience as a nursery teacher / kindergarten teacherhiyoko sensei
I’m Hiyoko-sensei, a former nursery school teacher from Hyogo Prefecture. Ever since I was five, my dream was to become a childcare worker, and before I knew it, 20 years had passed since I achieved that dream. Through singing and playing with the children, I kept working with the spirit of someone in their twenties, even as I increasingly felt my physical limits year by year (haha). From here on, I’d like to share helpful information carefully and thoughtfully, drawing on my on-site experience.
Composition nerdmutō
Started performing in bands in junior high school. Influenced by Japanese rock and UK rock, spent over 10 years continuing band activities while creating original songs. Later began producing Vocaloid tracks using Hatsune Miku, with total plays of released songs surpassing 10,000. Has five years of experience writing for music magazines. Currently works as a music writer, director, and composer, keeping a ground-level perspective on the scene by attending live shows across Japan. Now performs at live houses in Tokyo, showcasing guitar playing centered on acoustic guitar and informed by knowledge of chord analysis and guitar scales. Also writes leveraging a broad knowledge of music genres.

Introducing fun activities and performances that will liven up your kids’ club! Kids’ clubs bring together children from the neighborhood or school to have a great time.

Getting together to play games, enjoy performances, and put on skits—children really look forward to those precious moments.

In this article, we’re introducing entertainment and performance ideas perfect for kids’ clubs.

We’ve gathered lots of ideas, from activities led by the children themselves to performances where adults entertain the kids.

Use these as inspiration and make your kids’ club as exciting as possible!

[Children’s Club] A Collection of Lively Entertainment and Performance Ideas (51–60)

Balloon Show

[Kane-san] [Balloon Show] ＼(◎o◎)／‼🎈 Recommended for elementary schools, kids’ clubs, nurseries, and kindergartens! 🎈 GIANT BALLOON CHALLENGE 🎈 [Kane-san’s Balloon Art]

Balloon Show

We see balloon-based shows in many different settings, but can amateurs do them too? They look glamorous, and it would be wonderful to put on a show using balloons that kids love.

Jumping straight into performing inside a balloon is probably difficult, so I recommend balloon art made by twisting and spinning handheld balloons.

Start with this and gradually increase the difficulty! You’re sure to become a hit with the kids!

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hand play song

Nursery teachers teach! A medley of popular hand-play songs: “It’s Starting,” “When I Grow Up,” “Disney Hand Play,” “Rolling Eggs,” and more!

hand play song

The perfect hand-play songs to liven up a children’s club.

With simple movements and easy-to-remember lyrics, they’ll capture kids’ hearts.

Shout out loud with “Kaeru no Uta,” and get moving with “Ito Maki.” The best part is that not only children but also adults can enjoy them together.

One special charm of hand-play songs is how they deepen connections across generations.

The time parents and children spend singing the same songs will surely become unforgettable memories.

Let’s all sing and dance together to make the children’s club a blast!

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Panel theater

The Wonderful Hat Shop: Keropons Panel Theater

Panel theater

Panel theater is full of tricks that delight children.

It’s sure to keep them glued to the world of the story.

Making everything from scratch is great, but there are also kits that include everything you need for panel theater, so you might make good use of those! Even a single performance often takes time, so save a moving, meaningful story for the grand finale and present it to the children!

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TT Brothers

TT Brothers Tried Our Best to Imitate Chocolate Planet’s Skit! Role-Playing ♥ -Bonitos TV- ♥

TT Brothers

The comedy duo Chocolate Planet’s “TT Brothers” bit is all about finding the various “T” shapes in the world around us.

It’s hard not to love how, even though you’re just looking for T’s, it somehow gets you excited.

It’s also a huge hit with kids, so once it clicks with the audience, you’re bound to get big laughs.

Go ahead and look for the T’s around you!

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[Children’s Club] A Collection of Lively Entertainment and Performance Ideas (61–70)

Who am I? Quiz

[A Game Kids Can Enjoy] Who Am I? Quiz

Who am I? Quiz

A “Who am I?” quiz that gives hints little by little sounds like something everyone—from younger kids to upper grades—can enjoy together.

For example: Hint 1: I am found all around the world.

Hint 2: I am a very large creature.

Hint 3: I live in the ocean.

Got it? The answer is a whale.

You could also split the grades into two groups or sort players by level.

Offering a prize for the winner would make it even more exciting—just don’t forget participation prizes for everyone!

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Taki no namida pin ku

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paper puppet theater

[Nursery/Kindergarten] A Paper Puppet Show Kids Love: The Gluttonous Gorilla [How-To and Live Demonstration]

paper puppet theater

“Pape-sart” is a type of handheld paper puppet theater, shaped like a fan.

Using paper, you can create all sorts of things and complete your own original story.

Since it only requires paper and a pen, invite animals you don’t normally get to see—like gorillas, bears, and rabbits—to your children’s group, and spark the kids’ curiosity!

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Clapping Fantasy

Fun March: Clapping Fantasy Music Festival

Clapping Fantasy

Let me introduce a lively performance that uses your own hands: Clapping Fantasy, which is also featured in elementary school music textbooks.

You’ll clap along to the instruments.

Try getting everyone to clap in unison, or split into clapping and non-clapping parts for variety.

The instrument can be a piano, a recorder, or a keyboard harmonica.

You can even swap handclaps for castanets or bells to make it even more fun.

When the clapping and instruments come together, both the audience and the children performing will feel their excitement rise.

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