Games and activities everyone can enjoy together. A collection of fun play ideas.
Looking for fun activities everyone can enjoy together? Many people share that dilemma, don’t they? In fact, there are plenty of recreational and party games you can enjoy indoors.
Classics like Fruit Basket, Hula Hoop Down where everyone synchronizes their moves, and majority-rule games that get the whole group excited.
With a bit of creativity, your usual games can become even more fun.
In this article, we’ll introduce indoor recreation and party game ideas that kids and adults can enjoy.
Try them at get-togethers with friends or at your next party!
- Games you can play with just conversation. Classic and popular activities you can enjoy without any props!
- [Play Right Away!] Exciting Recreation Games Recommended for Elementary School Students
- Recommended for upper elementary grades! Exciting indoor recreation and games
- [Simple Games] Recommended Indoor Recreational Activities for Adults
- A fun, everyone-joins-in game that gets everyone excited!
- Fun activities for junior high school students. Recreation games.
- A collection of simple indoor recreational games
- Party games collection that get everyone excited in a big group
- [Children’s Club] Easy and fun indoor games. Exciting party games
- Team-based recreational activities for adults that are fun even with large groups
- Recreation Ideas That Truly Excite High School Students! A Fun Collection of Activities
- No worries even in the rain! Fun recreational activities you can do in the gym
- Perfect for killing time! A roundup of games for three people to enjoy
Physical activity exercise games (1–10)
balloon volleyball
Let’s have fun moving our bodies! Here’s a game called Balloon Volleyball.
Volleyball is a sport where two teams rally a ball over a net and compete for points.
For this version, all you need is a single balloon.
You can even buy one at a 100-yen shop these days, so it’s easy to prepare.
How to play: two or more people face each other and tap the balloon with their hands to keep a rally going—simple as that.
Once you get used to it, try counting out loud as you play or doing a word-chain game (shiritori) while keeping the rally going.
Tag, child-catching demon (a variant of tag called “Kotorooni”/“Kotoro-oni”).
It’s a game played with an “it” (oni) and a line of children.
In regular tag, you run away so you don’t get caught by the tagger, right? In Kotorogui, the oni targets the child at the end of a single-file line.
The oni moves to try to tag the last child with a ball.
The child at the front of the line spreads their arms to guard the last child from the oni.
It’s surprisingly strenuous, making it perfect for kids who want to be active.
As the line gets longer, it becomes easier for the oni to exploit gaps in the guard.
Color Play Game
@cocorurueniwa Today's activity is a color play game! Walk only on the specified color and aim for the goal! Make sure to clearly recognize your own color!#Kokoruru Eniwa#Kokorururu SakuramachiEniwa CityAfter-school day serviceAfter-school day serviceActivityColor Play Game#tiktokvalentine
♪ Tetris – Hiiragi Magnetite
This is a game where players aim to reach the goal as quickly as possible while identifying the colors on the floor.
Short strips of vinyl tape in various colors are stuck to the floor, and players head toward the goal by stepping only on the designated color.
The spacing of the tape is a key point—varying the distances to disrupt stride length helps players focus more on the colors, which is recommended.
If multiple players start at the same time, proceed with caution to avoid collisions from concentrating too much on the colors.
Exercise games to move your body (11–20)
Okonomiyaki Game
@kidschallengeclub♬ dear future husband – 여울
My friend transformed into okonomiyaki! Let me introduce the Okonomiyaki Game.
Pair up in teams of two: one person plays the okonomiyaki, and the other is the cook.
The okonomiyaki player lies face down and tries to hold their position so they don’t get flipped.
The cook works on flipping the okonomiyaki by adjusting their force and angle.
It’s easier to play on mats and with a time limit.
Give it a try!
Ball-carrying game
@toiro_efilagroup Is the guys' team actually doing it seriously? lol#toiroAfter-school day serviceChildcare Worker# developmental support (ryōiku)#Kanagawa PrefectureAndante
♪ Original song – toiro After-school Day – toiro After-school Day
Let’s have fun by combining things you have at home! Here’s a game where you carry a ball.
Through play, kids can learn both the importance and the challenges of working together to achieve a goal—that’s the appeal! The rule is simple: two people hold a towel and carry a ball to place it into a basket or a bag.
It’s great for building concentration and balance.
It’s easy to do indoors, so you can enjoy a sense of accomplishment while playing with family or friends.
Once you get used to it, try customizing the course!
human disentanglement puzzle
A disentanglement puzzle where you undo intricately intertwined rings.
Doing this with human bodies is called the “human knot.” First, participants stand in a circle and hold hands.
Each person should hold hands with different people in their left and right hands—and to make it more complex, not with the neighbors next to them, but with various people across the circle, such as those diagonally opposite.
Now you’re ready! Next, untangle this knotted state and return to a circular formation.
During this process, you must not let go of anyone’s hand! Keep untangling by, for example, ducking under someone’s arms while maintaining your grips.
It requires flexibility, so if you’re not very limber, take it easy and stay within your comfortable range.
Stand-up game
A great mini-game you can enjoy with just your body and no equipment is the “Stand-Up Game.” Starting from one end, players take turns calling out a number from 0 up to the total number of people present.
If the number called matches the number of people who stand up at that moment, that player is safe and out of the game.
The person who remains until the end loses.
It’s fun even with a small group, and with a large group it can be surprisingly tricky.
Since all you do is stand up or sit down on the spot, it’s an easy game to enjoy even at the dining table.
