Indoor games for parents and children: fun activities that use the body and the mind
We’ve gathered indoor games that parents and children can enjoy together.
These include traditional hand-play songs and play rhymes you can do without any equipment, as well as active movement games that let kids use their whole bodies.
It’s a rich collection perfect for parent–child activities in preschools and elementary schools, and for everyday play at home!
If you’re looking for “simple activities that help kids and adults connect,” please feel free to use this as a reference.
Have a blast—kids will be thrilled!
And for adults, it’s a great way to get some much-needed exercise!
- [Parent-Child Rec] Recreational activities and games for parents and children to enjoy together—also great for sports days.
- [Children’s Club] Easy and fun indoor games. Exciting party games
- [Elementary School] Quick and Easy! Indoor Recreational Activities Perfect for Lower Grades
- Fun Indoor Games for Elementary School Kids Without Any Equipment
- [For Kids] Indoor Fun! Large-Group Recreational Activities and Games
- Parent–child interactive play. Fun activities popular in childcare settings and at parent–child observation days.
- [For Kids] Exciting Class-vs-Class Games: Team Competition Activities
- Play ideas kids can enjoy from 1st to 6th grade [indoors & outdoors]
- Elementary School Fun Day a Big Hit! Indoor Game Idea Collection
- A collection of simple indoor recreational games
- Recommended for upper elementary grades! Exciting indoor recreation and games
- Games that liven up social and networking gatherings
- [Kindergarten/Daycare] Games and Performances for Fun Events
Indoor Games for Parents and Children: Fun Activities Using the Body and Mind (41–50)
Growth Janken
Grow bigger when you win at rock-paper-scissors! Here’s an idea for a Growth Rock-Paper-Scissors game.
Start in a crawling pose like a baby! Each time you win, you “grow”: from a crouching child to a standing adult.
You can play one-on-one, of course, but it’s also great fun with a large group.
To keep it fresh, try tweaking the pose you strike when you level up, or set rules like not playing rock-paper-scissors with the same person consecutively.
That way, everyone can enjoy it without getting bored!
Cardboard manufacturing
Cardboard crafting—where parents and children share an image of what they want to make and build it together—is such a fun experience.
Let’s think about what materials are needed and what size cardboard will work best.
As you talk about how you want to use what you imagine—like a house, pretend-play setups, food items, or vehicles—your ideas may become even clearer.
To keep it enjoyable for both parent and child, it’s a good idea to take breaks as you work.
Once it’s finished, try playing with it together!
One-bridge tickle-tickle
This is the hand-play song “Ipponbashi Kocho-Kocho.” You pretend the child’s hand is a bridge, and the other person’s hand pinches, taps, and tickles as it goes across.
In the end, after crossing the bridge, you tickle not just the arm but the whole body.
Kids are so sensitive to tickling, aren’t they? Some even start laughing just from hearing the word “kocho-kocho.”
Can you do things like this and that?
Here’s a game you can enjoy with just two people: “Can you do this and that?” In this game, when someone says, “Can you do this and that?”, the participants imitate what was said while simply replying, “Yes, we can do this and that.” The person giving the prompts should start with simple, easy-to-understand actions.
The key is to make them gradually more difficult.
It’s a game that people of all ages—from children to adults—can enjoy, so try taking turns giving prompts and challenge the game with your friends or family!
Fun for elementary school kids too! The Rule Game
A “rule game” where you infer the underlying rule and answer.
For example, raise your index finger and say, “This is 1.” Next, raise your index and middle fingers and say, “This is 2.” Finally, raise your index, middle, and ring fingers and say, “This is 3.” Then raise only your index finger and ask, “What is this?” Most participants will probably answer “1,” but the correct answer is “3.” The rule isn’t the shape of the fingers; it’s the demonstratives: “this is, this is, this.” Try coming up with various problems and have fun with it.
Beef Tongue Game
No tools or prep needed! Here’s an idea for the “Gyutan Game.” Gyutan means beef tongue, a popular cut at yakiniku restaurants.
This game uses your hands and voice.
Put your hands together and hold them out in front—ready to start! Say “gyu” out loud, and for each “tan,” one person claps in turn.
The first round rhythm is “gyu-tan gyu-tan gyu-tan-tan.” From the second round on, the number of “tan” at the end increases by one each time.
It’s simple, but it’ll trip you up and get everyone laughing!
Hula hoop tunnel
A team competition called “Hula Hoop Pass.” Everyone stands in a line holding hands.
Place a hula hoop on the person at the front, and without using hands, pass the hoop along to the next person using only body movements.
You must not let go of hands during the relay.
Keep passing it to the person next to you, and the team whose hoop reaches the goal first wins.
If you have fewer people, doing a down-and-back (out-and-back) route still makes it exciting.