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 (1–10)

New Year’s rice-cake pounding hand play

@soiflhoiku
This is a hand game about making mochi for New Year’s.#Nursery school Kindergarten Teacher Aspiring childcare worker Nursery teacher / Childcare worker #NurseryTeacherThings child 1 year old 2 years old Nursery School Practicum #NurseryTeacherThings Hand games New Year #MochitsukiPettan #Mochitsuki New Year hand games January hand play #NewYearMochiPounding
♬ Everyday songs with a cute and slightly blurred atmosphere(1277086) – Sumochi

In Japan, pounding rice cakes (mochi) is a year-end tradition.

So how about introducing a hand-play activity themed around mochi pounding as a January game? Along with motions that knead and pound the mochi to the song, there’s a fun game element where you clap your hands at set positions—top, middle, and bottom.

At the end, you make kagami-mochi and everyone enjoys it together.

Kids who experienced it at the end of the year will likely say, “I know this!” and have fun, and even those who haven’t done mochi pounding may become interested through this hand-play song.

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Grill the mochi

Mochikko Yae (Nursery Rhyme): January Hand Play

Grill the mochi

January is a month with many chances to eat mochi.

Kids may each have their favorite ways to enjoy it—soy sauce, kinako, anko, and more.

In this hand-play song, we have fun with hand motions themed around tasty ways to eat mochi.

You can pretend to grill the mochi, dip it in soy sauce, and even enjoy it as a bonding play activity with babies.

Beyond the methods mentioned in the lyrics, it could be fun to ask the children and try out various ideas together.

If you’re looking for a hand-play perfect for January, give this one a try.

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Newspaper Rip-Rip! Eurhythmics with a Snow Song

[January Eurhythmics: Tearing Newspaper + Snow Song Eurhythmics] 🎵 A eurhythmics session that includes a snow-themed craft set, all doable while seated ✨ Parent–child eurhythmics and rhythm play

Newspaper Rip-Rip! Eurhythmics with a Snow Song

Here’s a eurhythmics activity that starts with a newspaper play element.

Give each child a sheet of newspaper and, at the cue of “1, 2, 3,” have them tear it into pieces.

Once it’s torn into small bits, pretend they’re snow and have fun letting it fall from above to the tune of the children’s song “Yuki” (Snow).

After the eurhythmics session, pack the used newspaper pieces into a clear bag to make a snowman.

It’s a winter-themed idea from start to finish, so please enjoy it with the children.

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Have Fun in Childcare! A Collection of Play Ideas to Liven Up Cold January Days (11–20)

[Hand game] Ramen

Ramen [Hand-Clapping Song]

[Hand game] Ramen

Let’s try playing a ramen-themed hand game, based on one of the foods kids love.

After pretending to make noodles and slurp them up, different kinds of ramen soup appear in turn.

For miso ramen, spread three fingers; for shio (salt) ramen, spread four fingers; for wakame ramen, mimic seaweed swaying gently with your hands.

It’s even more fun if you ask which ramen flavor the children like as you play.

You could also come up with other ramen flavors and invent new hand motions for them.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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[Hand Play Song] Nikuman Anman

Nikuman Anman | A popular winter hand-play song demonstrated by a childcare worker

[Hand Play Song] Nikuman Anman

We’d like to introduce “Nikuman Anman,” a hand-play song with simple lyrics and easy choreography that even small children can enjoy.

It’s a tune themed around nikuman (meat buns) and anman (sweet red bean paste buns), the kinds of steamed buns you crave in the cold winter, and its familiar, easy-to-remember melody is a key point.

The original song is a French folk tune and also serves as the melody for “Gu Choki Pa de Nani Tsukurou,” so many people have probably heard it before.

Not only do various types of Chinese-style steamed buns appear, but each has its own super-cute choreography as well.

You’re sure to find yourself smiling at the adorable children enjoying it.

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When it becomes a festive time, it’s New Year

[January/Winter hand play] Recommended by childcare workers! New Year’s game “Medetai nattara Oshōgatsu~♪” nursery rhyme, A Happy New Year

When it becomes a festive time, it's New Year

Here’s a fingerplay called “Medetai Nattara Oshogatsu” that will cheer up children who might feel a bit nervous returning to preschool after the winter break.

It includes fun, quirky movements that really capture their interest! The lyrics also feature classic New Year’s Osechi dishes, so everyone can enjoy the festive New Year mood together.

You can also swap the Osechi parts for traditional New Year’s games—like kite flying, hanetsuki (badminton-like paddle game), or karuta—to make it even more exciting.

Give it a try for inspiration!

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Theater Play: “Which New Year’s Game?”

Childcare Magazine “Monthly Hiroba” January 2023 Issue – Let’s Play Theater! Kao-Kao Theater “New Year’s Games: Which One, Which One?”

Theater Play: “Which New Year’s Game?”

Let’s have the children try a “Which New Year’s Game?” activity where they can show their facial expressions while playing! Cut a face-shaped hole in the center of a sketchbook, pop your face through it, and go off to look for New Year’s games.

Draw pictures of traditional New Year’s games—like kite flying and hanetsuki—on either the left or right page of the sketchbook, and enjoy a call-and-response with the children, asking “Which one? Which one?” It also helps them learn about New Year’s games.

The key is for the teacher to act it out a bit exaggeratedly!

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