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.
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Parent-child interactive play. Fun activities popular in childcare and parent-child observation days (1–10)
GO DOWN! Roller Coaster
Let’s enjoy “Go Down! Roller Coaster” together as a parent and child! Sung by Tsubasa Suzuki and Sho Fukuda, this song is full of energy and makes for a super fun interactive play activity.
During the song, you’ll move in various directions like a roller coaster, so hold your child and ride the roller coaster together! With catchy call-and-response shouts and movements that will thrill your little one, it’s perfect to include in events and gatherings!
I wonder if the rice crackers are done.
The children’s hand-play song “Osenbe Yaketa Kana” (“I Wonder if the Rice Cracker Is Done”) is a game where you enjoy the suspense of which cracker gets baked.
Sit face-to-face with your child and pretend your hands are rice crackers.
Start with both hands facing down (backs of the hands up) and, in time with the song, lightly tap the backs of the hands in turn.
The person whose hand gets tapped last flips that hand over.
If the same hand gets tapped again, that hand is pulled out.
The first person to remove both hands wins.
You can play with two or more people, so it’s great for parent-child bonding as well as with friends or family!
The little boat goes row, row, row.
Ofunega Gicchirako is a game where you play with a child sitting on your lap.
“Gicchirako” is an onomatopoeia for rowing a boat—a sound that kids tend to like.
The adult sits on the floor with legs stretched out, and the child sits on the adult’s knees facing them.
Holding the child’s arms as if rowing a boat, the adult helps the child lean back and sit up while singing.
Children love being moved like this—try doing it slowly, and sometimes shake your legs with a little tremble to change up the movement as you play.
Chochi chochi awawa.
The traditional nursery rhyme “Chochi-chochi Awawa,” which even babies from 0 years old can enjoy, can be played with your child whether they’re lying down or sitting up! In time with the lyrics, you can gently touch their head or hold their hands and rotate them in circles—simple movements that feel very soothing.
As you play it repeatedly, your child will start to anticipate the next actions, shift their gaze accordingly, and even begin moving their hands and feet to the song.
Be sure to include it in your parent-child bonding play, and keep enjoying it at home too!
Lalalala Cleaning Cloth
This is a bonding play activity that uses gestures like washing and wringing a rag.
You start with your child lying on the floor.
Enjoy the movements in time with the song.
For example, for the “sewing” action, gently poke your child with your index finger; for “washing,” rub their body while saying ‘goshi goshi’ to give a ticklish sensation; and for “folding,” bend and stretch their legs.
It’s packed with fun movements that children love! Finish with a big, tight hug—an interactive playtime that brings smiles to both parent and child.
Cucumbers are ready.
If you’re looking for a fun bonding game that little kids—especially preschoolers and younger—will love, “Cucumbers Are Growing” is highly recommended.
In this game, Dad or Mom tickles the child’s tummy in time with the song.
Even when small children are fussy, this kind of play can often calm them down and stop the tears, so be sure to learn it and give it a try.
French bread
A fun activity for babies from 1 to 6 months old! Here’s a French bread–themed idea.
Babies love the voices of their mothers and fathers that they heard in the womb.
How about enjoying parent–child bonding by speaking in a soothing voice while gently touching your baby? Don’t miss the unique lyrics that compare your baby’s cute little feet to a baguette.
By touching your baby’s whole body—from the face to the head—at the end of the song, they’ll feel even more secure.
Give it a try together!
from top and bottom
Let’s try playing the cloth interaction game “From Above, From Below”! Even babies from 0 years old can enjoy it.
Prepare a large piece of cloth that can cover your child’s head and body.
The caregiver moves the cloth up and down in time with the lyrics, and at the end, calls the child’s name and gently places the cloth over their head to play peekaboo.
Since the face and body will be covered, using a sheer fabric like chiffon or organza lets the child still see through it and feel secure.
It’s an activity caregivers can easily enjoy at home, so be sure to include it in your bonding playtime.
One-bridge tickle-tickle
It’s a hand-play song called “Ippon-bashi Kocho-Kocho” that even little kids can enjoy.
It’s a partner hand game: one person holds out a hand, and the other pretends that arm is a bridge and ‘crosses’ it.
You hold the arm and ask, “May I cross this single-plank bridge?” and the rule is the other answers, “Sure, go ahead.” Even though they say yes, once you finish crossing the ‘bridge’—the arm—you get tickled a lot.
Some kids start laughing just from hearing the word “kocho-kocho” (tickle), don’t they? (lol)
all over each other; stuck together; clingy
This game called “Hittsuki Mottsuki” is a play activity where children attach a specified body part to an adult.
The most common spot is probably the hands, but it sounds fun to call out harder-to-stick places too.
The song is rhythmic and enjoyable, and it’s one of those games that naturally encourages physical contact.
It’s also great to play with friends.
