[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] Games and Performances That Excite on Children's Day (41–50)
Ebi Kanics
Hugely popular with little kids, “Ebi-Kani-x” sung by Keropons.
How about performing it in front of the children? The costumes are single-color, so with some effort you could probably make them using full-body tights and the like.
The kids will definitely get into it and have a blast together!
Stick trick
It’s a performance that combines both sound and visuals—playing the drums while spinning and tossing the sticks.
It might be difficult if you don’t have drumming experience, but with practice you should be able to manage it for simple songs.
Let’s pick songs that fit Children’s Day and get everyone excited.
Crafting together with cardboard
Cardboard workshop: let’s all make headgear together! We’ll create hats and masks by painting the cardboard in colors we like or decorating it with origami paper.
You can have fun while making them, and everyone can enjoy them together once they’re finished.
Bubble Dance
This is the “bubble dance” that the dance club at Takaoka High School in Osaka popularized nationwide.
You often see adults doing it as entertainment at weddings and parties, but wouldn’t it be adorable and a real crowd-pleaser if kids did it? I have a feeling that getting those costumes ready would be the toughest part (lol).
Panel theater
A panel theater that packs in all the good parts of kamishibai, read-alouds, and sing-along play.
These days, you can buy panel theaters for all kinds of stories, but how about making one by hand using familiar materials and putting on a show? Since it’s for Children’s Day, it might be nice to feature carp streamers, samurai helmets, and kashiwa-mochi and present an original story.
You can hand-draw the panels, or search online for illustration materials, print them out, and use them for a more polished look.
Hige Dance
Back in the day, Ken Shimura and Cha Kato performed the Beard Dance as part of The Drifters, and it became an instant hit.
Kids today might not know it, but it’s guaranteed fun! Set to lively music, it features comedic takes on street performance tricks like plate-spinning and speed-eating watermelon—something that gets both adults and children excited!
flash mob
There’s a public debate about whether people would be happy or unhappy to be proposed to via a flash mob, but I think flash mobs for celebrations or parties—especially ones aimed at children—would be well received.
Even if you don’t really know what a flash mob is, it’s fun to watch as more and more people join in and start dancing!