No worries even in the rain! Fun recreational activities you can do in the gym
Introducing fun recreation activities you can enjoy in the gym! When you hear variety games or cooperative games, you might imagine playing outside, but there are plenty of activities and recreations you can enjoy in a gym.
Even when rain or snow keeps you indoors, you can still build your fitness in the gym.
Basketball, futsal, dodgeball—there are tons of games and activities everyone can enjoy together! Try making time to be active in the gym with friends or family while having fun.
Exercise energizes both your mind and body!
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- [Elementary School] Quick and Easy! Indoor Recreational Activities Perfect for Lower Grades
- [For Junior High Students] A Summary of Sports You Can Do in the Gym
- Recreation Ideas That Truly Excite High School Students! A Fun Collection of Activities
- Recommended for upper elementary grades! Exciting indoor recreation and games
- Fun Ball Sports: A Roundup of Ball-Based Play, Games, and Sports
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- [Simple Games] Recommended Indoor Recreational Activities for Adults
- [For Kids] Indoor Fun! Large-Group Recreational Activities and Games
- [Elementary School] Indoor Games and Recreational Activities Recommended for Upper Primary Grades
- Play ideas kids can enjoy from 1st to 6th grade [indoors & outdoors]
Popular Sports and Recreational Activities You Can Enjoy in a Gym (1–10)
curling
Curling is an ice sport.
At the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics, the Japanese women’s curling team won a bronze medal and drew a lot of attention.
“Carooring” lets you play a curling-style game on the floor.
It does require a dedicated jet roller that serves as the stone, so there’s an initial cost, but once you buy it you can enjoy it for a long time.
Simply aiming at the target and throwing is easy enough for kids, too! It’s highly recommended as an interaction game for community events with participants of all ages.
Cardboard Badminton
Let’s have fun using recycled materials! Here’s an idea for cardboard badminton.
When you think of badminton, you use a racket and a shuttlecock, right? This time, let’s make both pieces of equipment using scrap materials you can find at home, like cardboard.
What you’ll need: cardboard, an A4-size clear plastic file, tissue paper, a permanent marker, tape, a ruler, scissors, and more.
The way the shuttlecock spins around as it falls is unique and really fun to watch!
balloon volleyball
As the name suggests, you play volleyball by turning the ball into a balloon.
Since it’s a balloon, it doesn’t hurt when it hits you, so people from small children to the elderly can enjoy it easily.
Balloons are light and don’t fly exactly where you expect—they move unpredictably, which makes it fun.
Fluffy Tennis Using Scrap Materials
Here’s an idea for fluffy tennis using recycled materials.
Tennis usually involves a racket and a ball, but this time let’s try tennis using a plastic bottle and a bag! You’ll need a plastic bottle, a bag, stickers, a pen, and masking tape.
Draw your favorite illustrations on the bag, then fill it with air.
Decorating the plastic bottle freely with masking tape and stickers will get everyone excited.
Work together to keep the softly floating bag from falling.
Popular Sports and Recreational Activities Enjoyable in a Gymnasium (11–20)
rod soccer
“Stick Soccer” is popular among seniors too! Regular soccer requires a large field and stamina, but this stick soccer can be fully enjoyed in a gym, and since it’s played sitting down, you don’t need to worry about endurance or running speed.
First, make a court measuring 90 cm wide, 12 m long, and 40 cm high, and place a goal at each end.
Once the court is set up, arrange chairs on both sides of the court and have participants sit down.
Each person holds one stick, and when the ball is ready, the game begins.
Aim for the goal and use your stick to move the ball into the opponent’s territory!
Tag rugby
Have you heard of “tag rugby,” a game that kids in elementary school through adults can enjoy? It’s played with basically the same rules as rugby—such as “no forward passes” and “score a try in the in-goal area.” However, this game has a unique rule: participants wear a belt with “tags” attached on both sides, and when a tag is pulled off, they must immediately pass the ball.
This serves as the equivalent of a tackle in rugby.
As for the field, an area about the size of a line soccer court will do.
Give it a try—it’s fun and feels like a game of tag!
Sports Chanbara
If you’re from your 50s generation or older, you’ve probably played make-believe sword fighting at least once.
Turning that into a proper sport is “Sports Chanbara.” It’s a discipline started by Tetsundo Tanabe, with official rules and large tournaments.
On rainy days, it’s a great way to really get your body moving.
For striking, you use sport-specific air soft swords made of soft materials, so a bit of contact is fine.
If you don’t have an air soft sword, you could lightly roll up a newspaper and use it as a substitute.
The rules are simple: if any part of an attack hits the body, you win.
Even small children around kindergarten age are likely to get excited about it.
Having a face protector will give you peace of mind.