Games and activities to enjoy on Children’s Day, including crafts
May 5 is Children’s Day.
It used to be called Tango no Sekku (the Boys’ Festival), but in recent years it has become widely recognized as Children’s Day, a day to wish for children’s healthy growth.
It’s still often seen as a celebration for boys, but in fact it’s a day to celebrate all children regardless of gender and to thank mothers who gave birth to them.
In this article, we introduce play ideas and recreation games perfect for Children’s Day.
We’ve gathered many games related to Children’s Day and koinobori (carp streamers).
Please feel free to use these ideas at home or when celebrating in early childhood settings and give them a try!
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Games and activities to enjoy on Children's Day. Includes craft activities (11–20)
transparent koi-nobori
The level of transparency changes with each child’s personality! Here’s an idea for making transparent carp streamers (koinobori).
You’ll need a clear plastic file folder, clear round stickers, permanent markers, scissors, a disposable wooden chopstick, and gold origami paper.
Cut the clear file into a carp shape, then decorate the scales with the clear round stickers and permanent markers.
You’ll start to see each child’s unique preferences—some will want to fill every gap carefully, while others will layer lots of colorful hues! It’s a great idea that sparks creativity and lets kids make freely with their own imagination.
Give it a try and create fresh, beautiful koinobori!
The carp streamer swallowed it.
Let’s all enjoy a panel theater themed around Children’s Day! I’ll introduce an idea called “What Did the Carp Streamer Suck In?” Set it to a fun rhythm and friendly melody, and let’s see what the carp streamer has swallowed! If you give hints and build in a short time for the kids to imagine the answer, they’ll be eager to join in.
There are also clever tricks and plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, so why not present it at an event? Be sure to give it a try!
Koinobori cracker
The perfect Children’s Day carp streamer cracker is a craft activity using a paper cup.
Decorate the cup with origami paper and round stickers to create a koi-nobori pattern.
Make a small hole in the bottom of the cup, tie a rubber band to a toothpick, and hook it through the hole.
Wrap aluminum foil around the rubber band to create a launching mechanism.
Finally, place small origami decorations inside the cup as the confetti, pull the rubber band, and they’ll burst out colorfully.
The fun part is that you can actually launch the finished cracker.
It’s an ideal craft for a festive Children’s Day event.
Origami: Kashiwa-mochi
Let’s combine it with your crafts for Children’s Day and put it on display! Here are some ideas for making kashiwa-mochi out of origami.
You’ll need 7.5 cm white and green origami paper and glue.
If you lift the oak leaf slightly, there’s a space to write a message, so it’s great for exchanging notes or attaching to a small gift.
We also recommend adding facial expressions to the finished kashiwa-mochi with a permanent marker or colored pencils.
It’s also perfect as an introduction to food education, letting kids experience seasonal, event-themed foods!
Eat kashiwa-mochi
Let’s celebrate Children’s Day by eating the classic treat, kashiwa mochi! Kashiwa mochi is a rice cake filled with sweet red bean paste and wrapped in an oak leaf, a confection that expresses wishes for children’s health and growth.
Depending on the region, the shape varies, and the filling can be tsubuan (chunky bean paste), koshian (smooth bean paste), or even miso bean paste.
Of course, buying them at a shop is great, but since it’s also a long holiday, making them together with your kids is highly recommended! Enjoy homemade kashiwa mochi as you celebrate your children’s growth so far and in the years to come.
sumo
How about spending a fun Children’s Day with sumo, a sport beloved by many as Japan’s national sport? When you think of sumo, the folktale hero Kintaro comes to mind, right? Kintaro is also the model for May dolls, so sumo is the perfect activity for Children’s Day! Set up a suitable ring and try sumo with family and friends.
If Dad is big, it could be fun for all the siblings to team up and try to topple him together! Be careful to avoid injuries, and do your best with all your might like Kintaro.
Games and activities to enjoy on Children's Day, including crafts (21–30)
Let’s swim! Carp streamers!
Dancing together hand in hand to “Let’s Swim! Koinobori!” You can enjoy various moves that match the lyrics: expressing the bold swimming of the carp streamers by holding hands and making big jumps, showing the power of a giant koinobori by stretching your bodies while keeping your hands joined, and depicting their leisurely glide through the sky with a breaststroke-like gesture.
Watching the children happily dance as if they’ve become big koinobori themselves will make you look forward even more to their healthy growth.
