Fun for Children’s Day! A Collection of Performance and Play Ideas Recommended for Early Childhood Education
As Children’s Day approaches, many preschool teachers may find themselves wondering what performances or activities to prepare.
You want to make it a memorable day filled with fun events that bring out the children’s brightest smiles.
Here are plenty of engaging ideas perfect for preschools, such as making carp streamers (koinobori), active group games, and seasonal quizzes.
They’re all easy to incorporate with minimal prep and can be adjusted for different ages, so feel free to use this as a reference!
Fun for Children’s Day! A Collection of Recommended Performances and Play Ideas for Childcare (1–10)
Panel Theater: The Carp Streamer Swallowed It!
Speaking of Children’s Day, it’s all about carp streamers! So how about doing a panel theater storytime themed around carp streamers, called “What the Carp Streamer Sucked In,” for the kids? The story begins with the carp streamer swimming along, looking like its belly feels heavy.
Since carp streamers always swim with their mouths wide open, it seems it unknowingly sucked in all sorts of things.
As you tell the story, encourage the children to think about what kinds of things it might have swallowed.
Finish by singing a song to wrap up the tale.
Newspaper Theater: “What is Children’s Day?”
Here’s a perfect idea for answering children when they ask, “What kind of day is Children’s Day?” All you need is a sheet of newspaper cut into a square.
As you explain what Children’s Day is, you can bring the story to life by moving the newspaper in simple, easy-to-understand ways—rock it gently to represent the sea, shape it like a swaddle for a baby, and so on.
At the end of the story, fold the newspaper to make a kabuto (samurai helmet), an essential symbol of Children’s Day! You might want to do just the helmet-folding part slowly together with the children.
Origami is fun! Sketchbook Theater
With each turn of the sketchbook page, origami related to Children’s Day—like carp streamers and samurai helmets—appears one by one.
If you prompt them with “What do you think will come next?” as you go, children will join in with excitement.
Every time a colorful piece of origami appears, the seasonal atmosphere expands, making it a delightful time.
The instructions are simple, so educators can prepare with ease.
It offers the joy of turning pages and making discoveries—be sure to include it as a performance for Children’s Day!
Pop-out! Card Magic
For Children’s Day, if you want to do something kids will enjoy, magic tricks are a great choice! Here’s a fascinating trick where, even though you put many cards into a bag, only the chosen one mysteriously pops out.
First, prepare several cards with different drawings on them.
Next, make a bag out of thick paper that’s just the right size for the cards.
Before forming it into a bag, attach a rubber band to the inner edge.
Finish making the bag with the side that has the rubber band as the opening—now you’re ready! To perform the trick, have someone choose one card, and first put the remaining cards into the bag.
When you put the chosen card in last, catch its edge on the rubber band as you insert it.
Then, at your signal, let go—and only the selected card will pop out!
Kids Will Laugh! Children’s Day Quiz
To help children learn more about Children’s Day, let’s try a Children’s Day quiz! Through various questions about decorations, foods, and the correct order of koinobori carp streamers, deepen your understanding of this special day.
After taking the quiz, it’s also a great idea to make or eat the items that appear in it.
Adding a short jingle-like song between quiz questions will make it even more fun and exciting! Give it a try.
Fun as a game too! A carp streamer hand play
Hand play that you can enjoy like a game seems like something kids can happily take part in! In “The Carp Streamer Sucked It In,” children guess what the carp streamer gulped down with its big mouth.
The teacher makes the sounds or cries of whatever was sucked in, and the children answer based on those hints.
Another one, “Koinobori,” features a carp streamer appearing along with Children’s Day essentials, set to a tango-like melody that matches the Boys’ Festival.
Have the children answer which way the carp streamer’s tail fin points, like playing ‘Acchi Muite Hoi!’
How do you convey/express Children’s Day?
It’s hard to explain to children what Children’s Day is, isn’t it? If you just explain it plainly, they’ll get bored… To make it clear and keep their attention to the end, it’s a good idea to use illustrations.
Show pictures of carp streamers, kashiwa mochi, and samurai helmets, and explain, “We display this for this reason,” and “This is filled with these wishes.” It might also be good to move the story along by occasionally giving the children a quiz.
If there are parts that are hard to understand, take your time and focus on explaining those sections more carefully.