Lovely childcare

Have fun in childcare! A collection of play ideas to liven up cold days in January

10 years as a kindergarten teacher / elementary school teacher / junior and senior high school teacher / childminderkepiko
Graduated from Kunitachi College of Music, Faculty of Music (now: Department of Music Culture and Education, Early Childhood Music Education major). In elementary school, my homeroom teacher was Jun Kusaba, a game researcher. After graduating from university, I worked as a kindergarten teacher for 10 years and as an after-school childcare instructor for 7 years, then took a position as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I engaged in activities that introduced Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational activities, working with many children. Later, through freelance writing, planning, and editing at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and sharing. Drawing on the perspective cultivated in the field of education and my experience as an editor, I provide practical information with an emphasis on both input and output, mainly in areas related to music and children. My hobbies include instruments, singing, handicrafts, toys, drawing, traditional games, the outdoors, and books. My special skill is spinning-top tricks.
20 years of experience as a nursery teacher / kindergarten teacherhiyoko sensei
I’m Hiyoko-sensei, a former nursery school teacher from Hyogo Prefecture. Ever since I was five, my dream was to become a childcare worker, and before I knew it, 20 years had passed since I achieved that dream. Through singing and playing with the children, I kept working with the spirit of someone in their twenties, even as I increasingly felt my physical limits year by year (haha). From here on, I’d like to share helpful information carefully and thoughtfully, drawing on my on-site experience.

When January comes, many teachers may want to incorporate New Year’s games and activities unique to the cold season.

Traditional games and action-based finger plays offer chances to engage with friends while experiencing Japanese culture.

Here, we introduce winter-specific play ideas such as Oshikura Manju, Fukuwarai, and kite flying.

We’ve picked a variety of activities—from ones that require no preparation to those where you can make the materials together with the children.

These are all activities that warm the body and spread smiles even on cold days.

Be sure to try them in your childcare setting!

Have Fun in Childcare! A Collection of Play Ideas to Liven Up Cold January Days (51–60)

Traditional Play: Fukuwarai

[For 4-year-olds] Laugh together! Let’s make and play Fukuwarai!

Traditional Play: Fukuwarai

Here’s an idea for Fukuwarai, a traditional New Year’s game.

What you need are a face outline and parts for the eyebrows, eyes, nose, and mouth.

In Fukuwarai, players arrange the facial parts while their eyes are covered.

Even if you think you did a great job, when the blindfold comes off, the parts are often in unexpected places—that’s the charm of Fukuwarai! It’s a hilarious game that’s sure to make everyone laugh.

While Hyottoko and Okame are common themes, it would also be fun to use original characters or photos!

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[Hand Play] Oden

Oden [Hand Play Song] Perfect for winter♪

[Hand Play] Oden

Here is a hand play song that sings about how to make oden.

It describes how oden is made by cutting ingredients shaped like circles, triangles, and squares and simmering them.

By recognizing shapes, learning about the ingredients, and understanding the cooking process, children may become more interested in oden.

Some might even want to see it being made in real life or try making it together.

In the second round, the theme develops into making a big oden, which makes the movements larger and more fun.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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[Hand Play Song] The Snowman Cha-Cha-Cha

[Production] 6 Recommended Hand-Play Activities for Winter [Nursery/Kindergarten]

[Hand Play Song] The Snowman Cha-Cha-Cha

Let me introduce a perfect fingerplay song for the winter season: “The Snowman Cha-Cha-Cha.” It’s also a great pick for New Year’s and other winter events! The unique lyrics—where, after it starts snowing and you build a snowman, the daruma starts dancing—are sure to spark children’s curiosity.

The lively lyrics feature Papa Daruma, Mama Daruma, and Little Daruma, making it a lot of fun! With its rhythmic beat, the cha-cha-cha section is perfect for getting kids to clap along and get excited.

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Mochi pounding

Hoiku Magazine Hiroba, January 2018 Issue: “It’s Time for Movement Play! ~ Mochi Pounding”

Mochi pounding

Omochi Pettan is a movement-based play that incorporates the pounding motion of making rice cakes—pattan, pattan.

First, the children enjoy clapping their hands as if pounding mochi while singing! They can also use their whole bodies to express how the mochi feels, and ultimately run around playing tag, really getting active and excited.

Even children who feel a bit tense when returning to school in January after a break may loosen up, warming both heart and body by including this play.

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Body · fidgety

Childcare magazine Monthly Hiroba, January 2021 issue – Exercise play series ‘Karada Chokomaka’

Body · fidgety

After the New Year holiday, some children may feel nervous returning to preschool.

In times like that, why not try “Karada-Chokomaka” as a tickle game to help relax their minds and bodies? The teacher calls out a place to tickle, and the children go and tickle that spot for fun.

It could be a wall, the floor, a chair, a boy or a girl—even the teacher! It’s a full-body activity where kids can run to the spot or lie down as part of the game, so it’s perfect as a warm-up after the break.

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