Get the Fun Going! Easy Classroom Games You Can Play at School: Recreational Activities for the Whole Class
Here are some games and class recreation activities you can play in an elementary school classroom! There are many options, including simple games for small groups, activities the whole class can enjoy, and team competitions.
Some require equipment, but there are also plenty you can start right away.
“Shiritori” and a “Rock-Paper-Scissors Tournament” are easy to set up and really get everyone excited! Use these ideas as a reference and have fun with your friends during recess or at school events.
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Team Competition: Group Recreation Activities That Get Everyone Excited (1–10)
BlindSquare
Blind Square: making shapes with a rope through team cooperation.
Everyone stands in a circle with their eyes closed and holds a long rope to start.
At the signal, they communicate with one another and use the rope to form a square.
Because no one can check visually, sensing and communication are essential.
Once they think they’re done, they open their eyes to see whether they made a neat square.
Sometimes the shape is distorted or ends up smaller than expected, which can lead to lots of laughter.
It’s a game that teaches the importance of cooperation, making it perfect for class recreation activities.
human disentanglement puzzle
This is a game you can play with about three or more people.
Everyone stands in a circle and randomly holds hands.
The hands joined across the center of the circle will end up tangled.
From there, you move around without letting go of hands to untangle yourselves.
If you split into teams and compete to see which team can untangle first, it gets really exciting.
The more people there are, the harder it becomes.
Line-up Game
There actually aren’t that many games you can play with a large group, so it can be hard to find good ones.
That’s why I recommend the “Line-up Game.” In this game, the leader chooses a theme, and the participants line up according to that order.
For example, if the theme is “by birthday,” the person with the earliest date goes to the front.
The more people you have, the more complex and exciting it gets, making it perfect for big groups.
Evolution Rock-Paper-Scissors
Evolution Rock-Paper-Scissors, which can be played indoors such as in a classroom, is a full-body game everyone can enjoy.
Everyone starts lying face down and moves around freely.
At a signal, find someone nearby and play rock-paper-scissors; the winner “evolves” to a crawling position on all fours.
Continue playing; when someone on all fours wins, they lift their knees and eventually evolve to bipedal walking.
The player who reaches and can move in the final two-legged state is the winner.
It’s fun to find opponents at the same evolutionary stage and to feel movement become easier as you evolve.
As everyone moves around the classroom, relationships deepen and the class atmosphere brightens.
It’s an idea the whole class can enjoy even in the gaps between lessons.
Epicenter Game
If you’re looking for a game that’s perfect for around five people, the ‘Epicenter Game’ is recommended.
In this game, you choose one person to be ‘It’ and then select an ‘Epicenter’ from the other participants.
The person chosen as the Epicenter performs various movements, and the other participants imitate those movements.
If ‘It’ correctly identifies who the Epicenter is, switch roles and choose the next Epicenter.
Team Competition: Group Recreation Activities to Get Everyone Excited (11–20)
Stand-up game
The “Stand-Up Game” is a game you’ll want to play when you have a fairly large group.
In this game, everyone starts seated, and the respondent declares a number of people who will stand up.
Everyone except the respondent can choose whether to remain seated or stand.
If the number of people who stand matches the declared number, the respondent is safe and out of the game.
If you prepare a penalty for the person who stays in until the very end, it should make things quite exciting.
Team Battle Tic-Tac-Toe
@soramame.sensei Hello! This is Kotoba no Kyoushitsu Soramame Kids. We’re playing a team-based tic-tac-toe game! It gets surprisingly heated, so staying hydrated is a must. Give it a try!Kotoba no Kyoushitsu Soramame Kids#SoramameKidsChild Development Support ServicesAfter-school day serviceSpeech-Language-Hearing TherapistOccupational therapistNursery teacher / Childcare worker#KagoshimaRehabilitationKagoshima# developmental support (ryōiku)Recreation
♬ A comical long who seems to be chasing me(845594) – WataSound
Here’s a game where you line up circles and crosses.
Split into two teams and give it a try.
There’s a 3×3 grid of empty squares.
One person from each team takes turns placing a circle or a cross card in a square.
The team that lines up three in a row—diagonally, vertically, or horizontally—wins.
Try to outwit each other so your opponent can’t make a line of three.
The real charm of this game is the battle of wits as offense and defense unfold.
It’s a simple game, but completing a line of three brings a special kind of joy.
