Recommended games for Children's Day, including party games that really liven things up
May 5th is Children’s Day, celebrated as Tango no Sekku! Many families celebrate Children’s Day to mark their kids’ healthy growth.
In this article, we’ve gathered a bunch of exciting games perfect for Children’s Day! There are probably lots of kids feeling bored because they can’t go anywhere despite the holiday.
And parents may be wondering how to keep their children entertained.
Use the games we introduce here as a guide, and be sure to play together as a family on Children’s Day.
These are games that adults can enjoy too, so the whole family can have a great time!
- [Children’s Club] Easy and fun indoor games. Exciting party games
- [For Kids] Popular party games. Fun games that get everyone excited
- [Childcare] Games and performances that liven up Children's Day
- Games and activities to enjoy on Children’s Day, including crafts
- [For Kids] Fun Indoor Game Ideas for After-School Day Services
- Recommended for upper elementary grades! Exciting indoor recreation and games
- Magic that excites on Children’s Day. Magic that kids can enjoy.
- Indoor Games for Small Groups: Exciting Recreational Activities
- Handmade Lottery Draws Kids Will Love! A Fun Collection of Ideas to Make and Play
- New Year party games that get everyone excited: a fun collection of ideas from classics to DIY
- [Play Right Away!] Exciting Recreation Games Recommended for Elementary School Students
- Games that get the whole family excited! A collection of ideas you can start right away with no equipment
- Recommended games and activities for five people
Recommended games for Children's Day: Fun party games too (31–40)
hard mentality
Let me introduce a hard-mentality card game everyone can enjoy.
Shuffle the cards well to begin.
The host will ask a question, and players answer in a way that could have multiple possible answers.
The key is to predict and write answers so that everyone matches.
You earn points by giving the most common answer.
If you’re the only one with a particular answer, you receive the pink pig.
The first player to reach 8 points wins.
The host draws a card from the deck and asks its question.
If someone is taking too long to answer, do a cow impression and say “Moo,” and the game will get even livelier!
Hyakunin Isshu
It’s a game where you try to grab the card with the recited waka poem before your opponent does.
While it’s a traditional pastime, it’s also a popular competitive sport with national tournaments.
It’s a two-for-one game that’s fun as a contest and doubles as a way to learn history.
True-or-False Quiz
True-or-false quizzes, which can be answered with a simple circle or cross, are easy for everyone from small children to adults to join, and the limited choices make them intriguingly challenging even for grown-ups.
From questions related to Tango no Sekku (Boys’ Festival) to prompts that evoke Children’s Day, you can learn about tradition while having fun with the game.
Of course, creating quizzes around your child’s favorite themes is sure to be a hit as well.
Even if you can’t go out anywhere, time will fly—this is a recreation activity we hope the whole family will try together.
Umaibō Sommelier
How about trying a “Umaibo Sommelier” game you can enjoy as a quiz? Umaibo is famous for its wide variety of flavors.
In this game, you eat a randomly selected Umaibo while blindfolded and try to guess the flavor.
It gets even more exciting if you include some less common flavors.
You can also consider getting the official item released for flavor-guessing games, “Stick Party.” Since one stick can be shared among multiple people, you won’t need to buy a large quantity.
Funny eye mask
Blindfold the participants and have them march in place energetically for one minute.
After a minute, the person who moved the least from their original spot—the one closest to it—wins.
To make the game even more fun, use a funny eye mask as the blindfold! Watching people drift away from their starting point is sure to make everyone laugh.
Recommended games for Children’s Day, including party games that really liven things up (41–50)
Spiral Straw Speed-Drinking Showdown
We’re going to have a speed-drinking contest using those long, twisty glasses-shaped straws you can buy at variety shops as party goods.
The straws are longer than you’d think, so it looks like you’ll need some suction power.
Colored drinks are more fun than water because you can easily see where the liquid is going.
It might be a game that gets the spectators more excited than the people actually drinking!
Anything Basket
The way you play “Anything Basket” is the same as Fruit Basket, but instead of calling out fruit names as the signal to switch seats, you can say anything—like “People wearing pants,” “People with their hair tied up,” and so on! If you’re playing on Children’s Day, try prompts related to the holiday, such as “People who saw a koinobori (carp streamer) today,” to set the mood.
You could even change the all-move signal from “Fruit Basket” to “Children’s Day”! It’s a classic game that everyone from preschoolers to adults can enjoy, so be sure to try it with everyone!
