[For Preschoolers & Kids] Game, Play, and Craft Ideas to Enjoy on Hinamatsuri (Girls’ Day)
March 3rd is Hinamatsuri, the Doll Festival.
Some preschools and kindergartens include it as one of their traditional events, and some families may be thinking of celebrating it at home.
We’d love for children to become fond of Hinamatsuri culture while enjoying its festive atmosphere.
So this time, we’re introducing a collection of Hinamatsuri-themed activities, games, and craft ideas that can be enjoyed at preschools and children’s groups.
Every idea is something kids will love.
Adults, please enjoy the traditional festival together with the children as well.
- [Childcare] Fun for Hinamatsuri! Performance ideas perfect for the event
- [Kindergarten/Daycare] Games and Performances for Fun Events
- [Childcare] A Collection of Origami Ideas for Hinamatsuri: Let’s Make Them with Kids!
- [Childcare] Fun Craft Ideas for Hinamatsuri (Girls' Day)
- [Children’s Club] Easy and fun indoor games. Exciting party games
- Hand-play songs to sing for Hinamatsuri. Songs everyone can enjoy.
- [Childcare] Recommended crafts and activities for March, such as Hina Matsuri (Doll’s Festival) and cherry blossoms
- Indoor games that different ages can enjoy! Ideas for fun everyone can get excited about together
- [Entertainment/Performances] Ideas for Performances to Introduce at Kindergartens and Nursery Schools—Great for Children and Staff
- [Childcare] Perfect for Hinamatsuri! Hanging Hina doll craft ideas you can make with kids
- [Daycare/Preschool] Let’s Make Handmade Hinamatsuri Costumes! An Idea Collection You’ll Want to Copy
- [Play Right Away!] Exciting Recreation Games Recommended for Elementary School Students
- Games and activities everyone can enjoy together. A collection of fun play ideas.
[For Preschool/Children] Hina Matsuri Games, Activities, and Craft Ideas to Enjoy (51–60)
Hinamatsuri craft
How about making Hina Matsuri crafts using everyday materials like paper cups and yarn? Try creating adorable Hina dolls—the Empress and Emperor—together with the kids! You can turn tissue paper pom-poms into kimono, cut and paste construction paper or chiyogami, or drip paint onto coffee filters to make kimono patterns—simple ideas with lots of easy-to-copy tips! And the best part is, you can display them as decor every year after you make them.
Give it a try for inspiration!
Sketchbook Theater: Happy Hinamatsuri
Sketchbook theater is a play activity where you flip through a sketchbook—each page featuring drawings or simple mechanisms—and enjoy interactive call-and-response with children.
For the March 3rd Hinamatsuri (Girls’ Day), why not create a themed sketchbook theater to enjoy together with the kids? It would be lovely to advance the story while singing along with the children to the nursery song “Ureshii Hinamatsuri.” Looking at the hina dolls arranged on their tiered stand will also provide a great opportunity to experience a traditional Japanese custom.
Hinamatsuri coloring pages
Let’s enjoy coloring a cute Ohinasama (Empress doll) and a dignified Odairisama (Emperor doll)! The Ohinasama’s twelve-layered kimono (jūnihitoe) and the Odairisama’s court attire (sokutai) are both so gorgeous that you can’t help but be captivated when you look at them.
In a coloring activity, you can use your favorite colors—red, pink, purple, light blue, and more—so I hope kids will create their ideal Ohinasama.
If you share stories related to Hina dolls while coloring, it might make them feel even more connected to the tradition.
Hinamatsuri party with conveyor-belt sushi at home!
How about adding a unique twist to your Hinamatsuri party? A great idea for that is a DIY revolving sushi party at home! If your child has a Plarail train set, why not adapt it for the occasion? The kids will be thrilled to feel like they’re at a conveyor-belt sushi restaurant right in your living room! And instead of having the adults make all the sushi, it could be fun to let the children try their hand at making their own sushi rolls, too.
[For childcare and children] Games, activities, and craft ideas to enjoy for Hinamatsuri (Girls’ Day) (61–70)
Hina dolls made with handprints
Let’s try making Hina dolls using handprints, construction paper, and origami.
Prepare sheets with handprints in advance, then stick on the faces of the Empress (Ohinasama) and Emperor (Odairisama) along with various parts.
After attaching the facial parts, draw in the eyes, nose, and mouth, and add accessories like fans.
Younger children can enjoy simply gluing on pre-made parts, while slightly older children can have fun creating the parts themselves.
Easy! Making Sakura Mochi
Let’s make handmade sakura mochi to bring a seasonal touch and liven up your Hinamatsuri party! They’re easy to whip up in the microwave, so it’s a great activity to do with the kids.
Here’s how: put domyoji rice flour in a bowl, add water tinted with red food coloring, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave.
Then shape the dough, wrap store-bought sweet red bean paste inside, and finish by wrapping each piece with a salted cherry leaf.
Having the children make them themselves not only supports food education, but will likely make the sakura mochi taste even better to them.
Easy! Making Chirashi Sushi
Chirashi sushi has a gorgeous look that’s perfect for celebrations.
Do you think making sushi is too difficult? With just a frying pan and a microwave, it’s surprisingly easy—give it a try! Sauté ingredients like burdock root, carrots, and aburaage (fried tofu) in a frying pan, season them, and simmer until reduced.
Then simply mix the simmered ingredients into seasoned sushi rice and top with sashimi-grade fish, and you’re done! You can even make the omelet in the microwave to save time.
Try making it with your kids and celebrate Hinamatsuri together!