Lovely childcare

Parent–child interactive play. Fun activities popular in childcare settings and at parent–child observation days.

10 years as a kindergarten teacher / elementary school teacher / junior and senior high school teacher / childminderkepiko
Graduated from Kunitachi College of Music, Faculty of Music (now: Department of Music Culture and Education, Early Childhood Music Education major). In elementary school, my homeroom teacher was Jun Kusaba, a game researcher. After graduating from university, I worked for 10 years as a kindergarten teacher and for 7 years as an after-school childcare instructor, then took a post as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I also engaged in activities that shared Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational play, working with many children. Afterwards, through freelance writing, planning, and editing work at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and conveying ideas. Leveraging the perspective cultivated in educational settings and my experience as an editor, I aim to deliver practical information—focusing on fields related to music and children—that values both input and output. Hobbies include instruments, singing, handcrafts, toys, drawing, traditional play, the outdoors, books, DIY, and crafts. Special skill: spinning-top tricks.
Keyboard playerSAKI
I’ve been playing the Electone since I was six, mainly performing Disney music, anime songs, and music from dramas and films. I post performance videos on YouTube and social media, and I also give concerts. Building on my Electone experience, I took up synthesizer and piano during my student years and performed at school-sponsored events. As a writer, I’ve covered not only music-related topics but a wide range of genres, so I hope to draw on my experience to deliver articles that make readers think, “I want to try that!” or “I want to listen to that!”

Activities that let parents and children interact are always a hit at nursery and kindergarten observation days, as well as at community support centers where families gather.

“Interactive play” is a great way to communicate and build physical closeness with your child.

By engaging with adults, children feel secure and discover how fun it is to play together.

That said, many people may not be sure what kinds of interactive games to play with their children.

In this article, we’ll introduce parent–child interactive activities that are sure to bring smiles to kids’ faces.

No special tools or preparation are needed, and there are plenty of quick games you can enjoy in short moments—so try incorporating them into your daily routine and enjoy quality time together.

Parent-child interactive play. Fun activities popular in childcare and parent–child observation days (71–80)

Jungle Guruguru

[Full-body Play / Pair Play] Jungle Guruguru / Tsubasa Suzuki & Hitomi Kudo [Action Song / Animals / Touch-and-Play / Parent-Child / Childcare / Kindergarten / Parenting / Children’s Song]

Jungle Guruguru

We’d like to introduce some fun, hands-on play activities that get everyone moving—perfect for daycare events, parents and children, and kids playing together! “Jungle Guruguru” is recommended for its adventurous jungle-themed song and lively choreography.

The lyrics feature rivers, animals, and tunnels one after another, and the full-body movements—like crawling through tunnels—make it feel like you’re really exploring the jungle.

Give it a try and see how far you can venture into the jungle! It’s enjoyable not only for kids but also for adults, so why not dive into the jungle world together with the children?

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Monkey parent and child

Red Bird June issue: Monkey Parent and Child

Monkey parent and child

This is a game where the child plays the monkey and climbs on the parent, who plays the tree.

It lets you interact closely with your child and also seems likely to improve their ability to cling and climb.

Enjoy taking turns as the climber and the tree while coordinating your movements.

Be careful, though—if your child gets bigger or climbs onto thinner parts, it may put more strain on the parent, so play with caution.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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sweet potato tempura

Parent-child bonding play (sweet potato tempura)

sweet potato tempura

Many children probably like sweet potato tempura itself.

Here is a bonding activity themed around sweet potato tempura.

First, pretend to wash the sweet potato and touch your child’s body.

Then slice it into rounds and coat it with flour.

Next, dust it so the flour covers it, and shake off the excess.

Finally, “fry” it in oil and it’s done.

By changing the way you touch your child to match each step of the cooking process, you may be able to bring parent and child even closer.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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Parent-child interactive play. Fun activities popular in childcare and parent–child observation days (81–90)

Pittanko Dance

“Pittanko Dance” — from ‘Quick Play Operation! Keropons + Tomohiko Fujimoto’

Pittanko Dance

“Pittanko Dance” is a playful dance where parents and children keep their cheeks, foreheads, or bottoms pressed together while dancing.

Aside from staying connected, you can dance however you like, so once you learn a bit of the song, anyone can have fun playing.

It’s of course enjoyable for parents and children, but it should also be fun for grandparents and grandchildren.

Dancing together and recording a video would be a great time, too.

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In conclusion

Parent-child bonding play creates special moments filled with smiles and warmth. By moving your bodies and sharing gentle touch, you not only nurture your child’s emotional development, but also deepen the parent-child bond naturally. Have fun together—adults and children alike—and make lots of irreplaceable memories.