Indoor games and recreational activities recommended for June
During Japan’s rainy season in June, we end up spending more time indoors, don’t we? Among children who love playing outside, some may feel gloomy on rainy days.
So this time, we’re introducing recommended indoor activities that will bring smiles to their faces.
From games that let them move their bodies to their hearts’ content, to group activities that foster interaction with friends and teachers, to craft projects that build focus and fine motor skills—there’s a wide range of fun to choose from! Adjust the content to suit children’s ages and developmental stages, incorporate plenty of activities, and enjoy rainy days together with lots of fun.
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- [For Kids] Indoor Games and Activities Recommended for Winter Break
- [For Adults] Fun Things to Do on a Rainy Day
- [Part 2] Recommended Indoor Activities and Recreation Games for December
- [For Adults] Fun Activities and Hobby Ideas for Rainy Days
- [For Seniors] Simple Tabletop Games: Fun and Engaging Recreational Activities
- Recommended Indoor Activities and Recreation Games for July
- Indoor games and recreational activities recommended for spring
- Indoor games and recreational activities recommended for summer
- No worries even in the rain! Fun recreational activities you can do in the gym
- Indoor recreation for children: A roundup of exciting games
Recommended indoor activities and recreation games for June (1–10)
Drop the Handkerchief
Everyone sits in a circle, and the tagger walks around behind them holding a handkerchief.
The tagger quietly drops the handkerchief behind someone without being noticed and immediately runs away.
The person it was dropped behind chases the tagger, but if they can’t catch them, they become the new tagger.
Since many people can play, it’s enjoyable in large spaces like schools or community centers!
Fruits Basket
A muggy June.
With so many rainy days, it’s hard to play outside and it gets pretty boring, doesn’t it? For times like that, let me introduce Fruit Basket! Many of you have probably played it before, right? As you can see in this video, even adults can have a blast with it!
Flour clay
Clay play is fun because of the enjoyable, hands-on kneading sensation.
Among the options, try spending some indoor time with flour clay! As the name suggests, flour clay is made by turning wheat flour into a clay-like dough, and it’s easy to make at home.
To make it, mix flour and water, and if you want to add color, use food coloring.
Adding salt helps it last longer, and adding oil makes it more springy and chewy.
Depending on the children’s ages, it’s also recommended to have them join in from the clay-making process.
Once your clay is ready, try creating all sorts of things with it!
Indoor games and recreational activities recommended for June (11–20)
Card Flipping Game
A card-flipping game where you flip floor-laid cards to your team’s color.
First, lay out many two-sided cards on the floor, each side a different color.
At the start, make sure the same number of cards are face up for each color.
When the signal is given, flip any cards that aren’t your team’s color to turn them into your team’s color.
Even if the other team flips them back, you can re-flip as many times as you want within the time limit.
In the end, the team that has flipped more cards to their own color wins! It’s surprisingly active, so if you feel your child might not be getting enough exercise, give it a try.
Crawling tag
Crawl Tag: both the chaser and the runners move around on all fours.
The posture can be tough for adults, but kids who are used to crawling can enjoy it just like regular tag! Aside from the rule that you must never stand and only move by crawling, it’s played the same way as ordinary tag.
It’s also a good idea to set up obstacles that act like walls so you can’t see someone crawling until you get close.
If you keep the rules simple—just have children crawl away from parents, teachers, or friends—it’ll be easy even for kids who have only just started crawling.
Ninja Game
How about doing some full-on ninja training indoors on a rainy day? Imitate all kinds of ninja-like movements to get your body moving.
Try walking silently, placing your feet carefully so you make no sound, or use ninja arts to disguise yourself as a tree or a rock to hide from enemies…
Another fun idea is to have one person press their hands together and slide them quickly, pretending to throw shuriken in every direction, while the other keeps dodging them—repeat this back and forth.
Combine lots of different moves and really get into character as a ninja!
mat exercises
This activity uses mats—often strongly associated with cushioning during exercise—as tools for play.
Through games that involve moving heavy mats, participants can also enjoy the experience of working together.
Let them feel the weight of the mats in various ways, such as games where they tug mats against each other or compete to flip them over as quickly as possible.
The fewer people there are, the more strength is needed to move a mat, which not only helps them sense the weight but also appreciate the importance of cooperation.
