Games and activities everyone can enjoy together. A collection of fun play ideas.

Have fun with variations! The ‘Wild Beast Hunting Game’

To roaring laughter with a twist! The Wild Beast Hunting Game!

In the classic Beast Hunt game, you form groups based on the number of letters in the beast’s name, but this is a remixed version! It starts the same with the leader’s call, “Let’s go hunt beasts!” followed by everyone shouting out weapon names in a call-and-response.

From there, the leader and the children head out to slay the beasts.

There are small beasts and big ones, so choose your weapons as you go and take them down.

The adult acting as the leader will need some performance skills, but kids love pretend battles.

Let your inner child out and have fun together!

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

sasashina

Report a problem

Arranged ice ogre

[For Childcare Workers] Arrange Ice Oni [Teacher Rio’s Active Play That Excites Kids]

In freeze tag, if a child is touched by the It (oni), they freeze and can’t move; if a teammate touches them, they can run again.

It’s a classic game of tag that kids have loved for ages.

First, decide who’s It with rock-paper-scissors or similar.

Choose the number of Its based on the total number of players.

At the start signal, the children run away and the It chases them.

The It should not only chase the runners but also guard frozen players to prevent them from being rescued.

When freezing, standing still is fine, but you can also add a twist—like striking a monkey pose—so it’s clear they’ve been tagged.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

sasashina

Report a problem

An educational game you can play using only dice

Ages 3–12 [Top 5 Picks Chosen by Pros!] Easy educational games you can play using only dice / TERU’s Parenting Study Group: Childcare, Early Learning, and Home Education for Young Children

This is a numbers-focused activity that children can enjoy from age three.

Understanding numerical concepts is helpful in everyday situations, like shopping or reading a clock.

This time, let’s explore numbers through play using dice.

You’ll need items like wooden blocks, stickers with numbers written on them, a box, and some dice.

First, help your child get used to the motion by practicing throwing the dice into the box.

After that, start with simple activities: throw the dice into the box and count the number of dots that appear together, or throw dice of different colors into the box and count which color appears the most.

Beginning with these simple games can help reduce any resistance to numbers.

Adults going all out at the park!

[Full Power] Adults Playing Outside at the Park with Everything They've Got!? [Kotorokotoro] [Hyotan-Oni]

Games we used to play as kids can be surprisingly fun even after we grow up.

So why not enjoy some outdoor games for the first time in a while? Here we introduce two types of tag games: “Kotorokotoro” and “Hyotan Oni.” In Kotorokotoro, players are divided into one chaser (oni) and the children.

The children line up, placing their hands on the shoulders of the person in front.

The oni faces the line, and wins if they can tag the child at the very end.

In Hyotan Oni, you draw a gourd-shaped safe zone on the ground, and the children run around inside it.

The oni reaches in from outside the gourd, and if they manage to tag someone, they swap roles with that person.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

sasashina

Report a problem

Showa-era game! “Rice Field Character T”

[Showa-era Games] Huge excitement with the “Ta” (rice field) game in the paddies!

Imagine the kanji “田” and draw four large square grids on the ground.

Decide one person to be ‘It’ with rock-paper-scissors, then start the game.

‘It’ moves along the cross-shaped lines at the center of the squares to catch the others.

The players choose one of the squares as their starting point, move clockwise from square to square, and return to their starting point.

If someone is caught by ‘It’ along the way, that person becomes the next ‘It’ and the game restarts from the beginning.

‘It’ is not allowed to jump between lines; they must move only along the lines.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

sasashina

Report a problem

Outdoor activities: fun games everyone can play together!

Games everyone can play: kids recreation (icebreakers / Myoko Adventure Summer Camp)

This is a game called “Catch.” Choose one person to be the leader, and have the other participants form a circle.

Hold out your right hand with the palm facing up toward the person on your right, and place your left index finger on the palm of the person to your left.

When the leader says “Catch,” quickly close your right hand, and with your left hand, try to pull your index finger away so it doesn’t get caught.

The leader should vary the timing by stretching out “Ca, ca, caaaatch…” or throw in feints by saying something like “Cat!” instead.

It’s a simple game that helps break the ice and get everyone excited, even with people you’re meeting for the first time.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

sasashina

Report a problem

Territory game! S-Ken

[Territory Game] S-ken

A game called “S-Ken,” where teams compete to steal a treasure from territories drawn in a large S-shape.

Participants split into two teams and start from their respective sides.

Decide roles in advance: who will defend your territory and who will steal the enemy’s treasure.

When the start signal is given, move by hopping on one foot from outside the S to the enemy’s territory.

Once you enter the enemy’s area, you can move with both feet, so quickly grab the treasure.

The square spaces near the enemy territory are safe zones where you can stand on both feet and rest.

Those in your own territory should push enemies out of your area and protect the treasure.

The treasure can be anything like a stone on the ground.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

sasashina

Report a problem