[Childcare] Games and performances that liven up Children's Day
May 5th is Children’s Day.
Also called Tango no Sekku, it’s a day to celebrate children’s healthy growth.
Many preschools and daycare centers, as well as families at home, likely celebrate Children’s Day.
As they gaze up at the carp streamers on display, the children eagerly look forward to the festivities.
So this time, we’ll introduce plenty of games and performances that will liven up Children’s Day.
From activities performed by teachers, such as panel theater and plays, to ones children can join and enjoy—like dance, choir, and puzzle-solving games—we’ve gathered a collection of perfect Children’s Day fun!
Amid the exciting, enjoyable time, we also want to share with the children the origins and traditions of Children’s Day.
Be sure to make good use of these ideas!
- [Entertainment/Performances] Ideas for Performances to Introduce at Kindergartens and Nursery Schools—Great for Children and Staff
- Games and activities to enjoy on Children’s Day, including crafts
- [Childcare] Entertainment that excites a birthday party
- [Childcare] A quiz about Children’s Day in childcare! Learn about traditions and customs
- [Childcare] May Activities: Spring Outdoor & Indoor Play
- [For Preschoolers & Kids] Game, Play, and Craft Ideas to Enjoy on Hinamatsuri (Girls’ Day)
- [Children's Day] Let's make and display! Children's Day wall decoration special
- [Craft] Make and Display! A Special Feature on Ideas for Making Koinobori (Carp Streamers)
- Recommended games for Children's Day, including party games that really liven things up
- [Childcare] May events and activities at nursery schools and kindergartens
- Fun quizzes that liven up parties and performances
- [Children’s Club] Easy and fun indoor games. Exciting party games
- [Childcare] Fun for Hinamatsuri! Performance ideas perfect for the event
[Childcare] Fun Activities and Performances for Children’s Day (1–10)
May Panel Theater
Also great for birthday parties! Introducing a panel theater for May.
At many preschools, teachers put on a performance for the children during birthday parties, right? For those wondering what theme to choose and how to stage it, we recommend the panel theater “Which one? Which one? Which do you think?” It’s perfect for kids who love quizzes! The way to answer is simple, making it enjoyable for infants through preschoolers.
Be sure to use it for birthday parties and other events.
drawing relay
Here’s a drawing relay that everyone can get excited about.
Split into teams, and only the first person looks at the prompt.
The first person draws the prompt and passes it on to the next player.
The next player interprets the drawing and conveys it to the following player with another drawing.
The team whose final player’s drawing matches the original prompt the fastest wins.
It’s best to use simple prompts that are easy for kids to understand.
You can enjoy this game indoors or outdoors, so grab some paper and felt-tip pens and give it a try!
Paper airplane throwing
Here’s a paper airplane throwing game that kids and adults alike can enjoy.
Let’s fold paper airplanes using origami paper or flyers.
The size of the paper matters, too.
One of the fun parts of paper airplane throwing is that the flight distance changes depending on how you fold and throw it! If your flight distance isn’t improving, you might discover ways to make it go farther by trying again and again.
Try a variety of games using paper airplanes, such as high-score battles, cup knockdowns, dog-run catches, and pair catches!
[Childcare] Games and Performances to Liven Up Children’s Day (11–20)
Play: Kintaro
On Children’s Day, let’s enjoy the story of Kintaro, who also inspired the May doll displays! You might usually share it through picture books or kamishibai, but since it’s a special day, it’s the perfect chance for teachers to show their skills.
Put on a fun play to bring the story to life.
Gather roles for Kintaro, the bear, and various other animals, and stage lively scenes with real tug-of-war and sumo bouts for a vivid experience.
If the teachers put on an entertaining performance, the children are sure to be captivated!
Sketchbook Theater: Hungry Koinobori
https://www.tiktok.com/@himawarihoikusi/video/7359143785093254416Let me introduce a sketchbook theater perfect for Children’s Day in May: “The Hungry Koinobori.” It’s a story where a carp streamer, hungry for food, changes into different colors after eating.
The moment it transforms from a colorless carp streamer into a colorful one is sure to capture the children’s attention.
You could match the colors to your class hat colors or get creative with the palette so the children feel more connected to the koinobori.
Give this seasonal koinobori theater a try!
Children’s Day Event
Enjoy Children’s Day with fun all day long! Here are some ideas for Children’s Day events.
What comes to mind when you think of Children’s Day? Things related to the celebration, like koi-nobori (carp streamers), kashiwa mochi (oak leaf-wrapped rice cakes), cool kabuto (samurai helmets), and chimaki (bamboo leaf-wrapped dumplings)! Let’s incorporate these into activities while having fun throughout the day.
For example, you could use paper-theater (peep shows) or panel theaters to explain the origins of displaying koi-nobori, and serve kashiwa mochi as a snack.
It could also be fun to make kabuto out of newspaper or play games using the kabuto! Give these ideas a try.
Sumo Tournament
Since it’s Children’s Day, how about holding a sumo tournament together? You could have a tournament just for the kids, or maybe the adults could wrestle while the children watch.
It might be a bit of work, but gathering some dirt in an open area to make something like a sumo ring could really liven things up!
