Indoor recreation for children: A roundup of exciting games

Musical chairs

Musical Chairs (4- and 5-year-olds)

The classic indoor recreation game, musical chairs.

It’s one of those simple games that even small children can enjoy.

At first, it’s a good idea to set up the same number of chairs as there are players, or even a few extra, so everyone can sit.

While the music is playing, everyone walks around the chairs arranged in a circle; when the music stops, they sit down.

Once everyone is used to that, try reducing the number of chairs to fewer than the number of players.

It’s the kind of game where winning feels oddly brag-worthy, isn’t it? (laugh)

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Fluffy Tennis Using Scrap Materials

[Fun for Parents and Kids] Beat the rainy season with 'Fluffy Tennis' made from recycled 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.

Growth Janken

[Rock-Paper-Scissors] Let’s have fun from preschoolers to elementary schoolers! Great for large-group indoor play.

Grow bigger when you win at rock-paper-scissors! Here’s an idea for a Growth Rock-Paper-Scissors game.

Start in a crawling pose like a baby! Each time you win, you “grow”: from a crouching child to a standing adult.

You can play one-on-one, of course, but it’s also great fun with a large group.

To keep it fresh, try tweaking the pose you strike when you level up, or set rules like not playing rock-paper-scissors with the same person consecutively.

That way, everyone can enjoy it without getting bored!

Marble Chicken Race

[Indoor Play] A Thrilling, Edge-of-Your-Seat Game Using Marbles

Will it fall or won’t it?! Here’s an idea for a marble chicken race.

When you think of marbles, many of you probably imagine rolling them to play, right? This time, let’s try a chicken race using marbles.

You’ll need cups, tissue paper, rubber bands, and marbles that have been wet with water.

Place the tissue over the cup and secure it with a rubber band, and you’re ready to go! Each person, one by one, places a water-wet marble on top.

If the tissue tears and the marble falls, it’s game over.

Anything Basket

Anything Basket Game (for elementary and middle school students)

Prepare one fewer chair than the number of participants, and arrange them in a circle facing inward.

The tagger stands in the center, and the children sit on the chairs.

The tagger calls out a prompt such as “Anyone who ate bread this morning” or “Anyone who is ◯ years old.” Children who match the prompt stand up and move to sit in an empty chair.

The tagger also tries to sit in an empty chair, and the child who cannot find a seat becomes the next tagger.

When the tagger says “Anything Basket,” everyone must stand up and move to an empty chair.

human disentanglement puzzle

“Kangiko Kids Experience Workshop” Human Puzzle (Human Wire Puzzle)

The “Human Knot” is about trying a puzzle ring that’s hard to untangle—using people.

Everyone stands in a circle facing inward, then uses their left hand to hold the hand of someone who isn’t right next to them.

Once all left hands are connected, do the same with right hands, again avoiding immediate neighbors.

From this tangled state, work together to untangle yourselves—ducking under arms and stepping over as needed—until you form a normal circle.

Cooperate and talk it through, solving one tangle at a time.

It gets harder with more people, so split into teams of a reasonable size and race to see which team can untangle themselves the fastest!

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How many people can fit? game

How many people can ride? (One person at a time) [Indoor recreation]

You often see this event at sports days where celebrities participate, and as a popular sideshow, too.

First, prepare one zabuton (floor cushion) or a sheet of paper or cloth about the same size.

Teams compete to see how many people can get on it without anyone sticking out or falling off.

If everyone manages to get on and stay still for 10 seconds, they win.

Using a smaller cushion would make it even more exciting.

Splitting into men’s and women’s teams might make it even livelier, don’t you think? Since people can get overly excited and topple over, be careful when playing in tight spaces.