Lovely Play & Recreation

Indoor recreation for children: A roundup of exciting games

Composition nerdmutō
Started performing in bands in junior high school. Influenced by Japanese rock and UK rock, spent over 10 years continuing band activities while creating original songs. Later began producing Vocaloid tracks using Hatsune Miku, with total plays of released songs surpassing 10,000. Has five years of experience writing for music magazines. Currently works as a music writer, director, and composer, keeping a ground-level perspective on the scene by attending live shows across Japan. Now performs at live houses in Tokyo, showcasing guitar playing centered on acoustic guitar and informed by knowledge of chord analysis and guitar scales. Also writes leveraging a broad knowledge of music genres.
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSICsasashina
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSIC. JFC-certified fact-checker. I’m Sasashina, a mom currently raising an elementary schooler and a preschooler. During my student years at Kyoto College of Science and Technology, I studied a wide range of fields including sound, lighting, and video technology, building a foundation in comprehensive stage production and creative expression. After graduation, I joined a music production company, where I still work, consistently building experience in production and engaging in a variety of music-centered tasks. Currently, I mainly handle articles for children, drawing on what I’ve learned about parenting and what I feel and discover through daily interactions with my kids. I hope my work can be of help to you, even in a small way!

We’ve put together recreational activities, games, and indoor play ideas that bring out children’s smiles.

You’ll find plenty of large-group games and activities perfect for preschools and schools, as well as lots of options families can enjoy at home.

They’re ideal for rainy days or any time it’s hard to go outside.

If you’re looking for recreations, games, or indoor activities to enjoy with kids, be sure to check these out.

Even if kids start out feeling, “It’s a shame we can’t play outside…,” by the end they’ll surely be saying, “That was fun!”

Indoor recreation for children: A roundup of exciting games (11–20)

A game about finding the correct moves

Fun games you can play with friends

A game about finding the correct moves

Act out the prompt’s movement and have others guess it.

For example, if the prompt is “forward roll,” the guesser should try various movements that come to mind.

The children around, who know the prompt, should react to each movement.

Decide in advance how to react when the movement is close to the prompt—for example, by cheering.

Using those reactions, the guesser narrows down the correct answer.

It’s also fun to have multiple guessers or to play team versus team.

You don’t need any materials, it’s a simple game, and it’s sure to get everyone excited.

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Bingo Relay

[Indoor Games] Recommended for Elementary School Kids! 5 Lively Indoor Activities

Bingo Relay

This is a game where you place cones on a grid and try to complete a bingo before the opposing team.

While thinking about which square to place your cone on, you run there in turn—so it engages both your mind and body.

Completing a line is the win condition, but you should also be mindful of placing cones to prevent your opponent from completing their line.

If you’re good at running, leverage your speed to move cones quickly; if you’re good at thinking strategically, focus on optimal cone placement.

Use each person’s strengths to aim for victory.

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Without Katakana

Simple and fun! A class-energizing activity: “Katakana-less”

Without Katakana

We use katakana for many names in daily life.

Katakana is familiar, but let’s try playing without using it.

First, show items that have katakana names and have people describe them without using katakana.

For example, for “pen,” someone might answer, “something you write with that isn’t a pencil.” It’s a game where you shift your thinking a bit, describe the given topic without using katakana, and have others guess.

If the topic is “game,” you could describe it as “something where you use your fingertips to control characters on the screen.” From there, everyone tries to guess the topic together.

Explaining with your current vocabulary makes for a good brain exercise.

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Cat and Mouse

[You can see the childcare in action] Teacher Rio’s active play [Cat and Mouse]

Cat and Mouse

The kids’ favorite game “Cat and Mouse” is a fun activity you can enjoy indoors with lots of excitement.

The children playing the mice dash around to escape from the teacher playing the cat, and they look absolutely adorable doing it.

If they make it to a safe zone, they can relax—at least for a moment! But don’t let your guard down; you never know when the cat will give chase, which makes it thrilling.

It’s also great to switch roles as you play.

Since everyone’s running around, it’s perfect for getting some exercise.

As an indoor game, it naturally helps children learn the importance of cooperating and following rules.

Why not give it a try?

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Is your body clock accurate? Game

After-party/Year-end Party/Game Reference Video Vol. 13: “Is Your Internal Clock Accurate? Game” | For after-party and year-end party prizes, choose Keihin King

Is your body clock accurate? Game

A body clock game where you guess the time using only your sense of time without looking at a clock.

Once the host sets a target time, everyone starts at the same moment.

Without looking at any clocks, participants close their eyes and raise their hand to alert the host when they think the target time has arrived.

The person closest to the set target time wins.

Once you get used to it, you can increase the target time to raise the difficulty or play music to make it even more exciting.

Give it a try with your friends!

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Signaling Game

[Signal Game] A hugely popular activity—preschoolers love it, and elementary school kids like it too.

Signaling Game

If you have a large space to play, how about trying the “Traffic Signal Game”? The caller randomly says one of three colors: “blue,” “red,” or “yellow.” The children line up at the starting line, and if the caller says “blue,” they take one step forward; if “red,” they stop; if “yellow,” they take one step back.

Red and blue both start with the same vowel sound in Japanese (“a”), so it can be a tricky one! If a color other than the three traffic signal colors is called, the caller chases the children, and they must run back to the start without being caught.

It’s a perfect game for helping kids learn the meanings of traffic signals.

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Indoor recreation for kids: A roundup of exciting games (21–30)

Colorful Ninja Game

[Viral] We played the Color Ninja game for fun, and everyone had a mental breakdown like in stock trading lol

Colorful Ninja Game

Let me introduce the “Color Ninja Game,” which incorporates ninja moves that kids love.

After everyone makes a ninja-like motion as if throwing shuriken—“shoo, shoo!”—someone gives a prompt that includes a color, and the next person answers.

The great thing is you can play without any equipment.

Pick a starting point and keep the action moving along—it looks like it would be a lot of fun.

Once you get used to it, speeding it up increases the difficulty and excitement.

It’s a game that brings smiles to everyone with the spontaneous, funny prompts and answers.

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