Recommended for upper elementary grades! Exciting indoor recreation and games
Ever find yourself unsure what to do for upper-elementary recreation time? Wouldn’t it be perfect to have activities that not only get kids moving but also build teamwork and social awareness? Here, we’ve gathered ideas that make full use of collaboration and brainpower—from a game where you stack cups by working together, to psychological battles that test your timing and when to jump in.
Everything can be done with familiar, easy-to-find materials and will get the whole class excited.
Have fun with your friends!
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Indoor play to enjoy with card- and board-craft activities (11–20)
Trump & Card Game
We’d like to introduce card games using playing cards or karuta.
Usually, you play with cards on a desk or on a small space on the floor.
This time, try using a large classroom with desks and chairs pushed aside.
If you’re using playing cards, spread out all the cards to play Concentration; if you’re using karuta, spread out the picture cards around the room.
Because the game takes place in a large space, the children will walk around to look for the cards.
A card game with a wide range of movement is sure to get the kids excited.
Playing in teams is also recommended.
You’ll likely hear teammates calling out hints like, “There’s one over there!”
Plastic model building
How about everyone trying to build and play with plastic models together? You might think of plastic models as a boys’ hobby, right? The classic ones include robots, cars, and castles.
But these days there are lots of models of anime characters and some quirky ones, so there are plenty that girls can enjoy too! It’s an activity that tests your dexterity, and painting is fun as well!
Board game: Othello
There are so many kinds of board games these days, aren’t there? How about playing Othello, a game that’s been enjoyed from the past to the present? It’s also known as Reversi.
There are portable versions that are small and lightweight, as well as the classic large-board sets.
A winner-stays-on format or a tournament would probably be a lot of fun too!
tycoon
Here’s a well-known playing-card game that many people have been familiar with for a long time.
Even though it’s widely known, it’s more complex than Old Maid or Sevens, requiring strategy and planning, so it seems better suited for upper grades.
From your dealt hand, you play cards that are stronger than the ones on the table, and the first person to run out of cards wins.
Even if you end up as the lowest rank, the “Grand Pauper,” there are cases where you can still make a comeback and win, so don’t give up—keep playing to the end!
Lyrics hijacking game
Let’s try a lyrics hijacking game where you take over someone else’s song and keep singing.
The first person sings a song they like.
Then, using words from those lyrics, you switch to a different song.
You repeat this, and whoever can keep singing to the end wins.
It’s called the ‘lyrics hijacking game’ because you connect to—and essentially take over—the words someone is singing.
Indoor games to enjoy with cardboard crafts (21–30)
Nine Tiles
Nine Tiles is a fast-paced game where you slide and flip the nine tiles in front of you to match the arrangement shown on the challenge card.
It’s only nine tiles, but just figuring out the placement and orientation gets your brain and hands working at full throttle! Your concentration and decision-making are put to the test as you race to finish before anyone else.
Because rounds are quick, you can play again and again, making it fun for both kids and adults—and it’s easy to get everyone excited.
You’ll be using your head while keeping your hands busy, so it’s a game you can’t help but get absorbed in.
The rules are simple, yet the sense of accomplishment will have you coming back for more.
Give it a try!
Prey of the Vulture
This is a game where you play numbered cards to compete for vulture cards.
Each player plays one card, and the player with the highest number on their card gets the vulture card.
If the vulture card has a minus sign, the player with the lowest number gets it instead.
If there is a tie for the same number, no one takes the card, and it goes to the next highest number.
The game ends when the vulture card deck runs out, and the player with the highest total from their collected cards wins.
