[Childcare] Perfect for June! Indoor play ideas to incorporate into childcare
June brings the rainy season, when outdoor play tends to decrease in childcare settings.
With so many days of unfavorable weather, teachers often struggle because the children can’t play to their hearts’ content.
So, we’ve gathered ideas for indoor activities here! We’ll introduce a variety of games, from ones that get kids moving to quieter activities they can enjoy calmly.
The more play options you have, the more smiles you’ll see from the children! Please use this as a reference so both children and adults can enjoy fun times together.
Children’s creations are treated as “works,” so we refer to them as “seisaku (制作)” in the text.
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[Childcare] Perfect for June! Indoor play ideas to incorporate into childcare (41–50)
Treasure Hunt Game
A treasure hunt game is an indoor activity that children can enjoy together with their preschool teachers.
After confirming the room is safe, hide items that children will love so they can freely explore.
By searching for and finding the treasures, they can experience fun and a sense of accomplishment.
Watching them wander around looking here and there is heartwarming.
If they’re struggling and say, “I can’t find it!” the teacher should offer support and search together with them.
A treasure hunt game is a charming activity that can be enjoyed with childcare workers.
[Childcare] Perfect for June! Indoor play ideas to incorporate into childcare (51–60)
Indoor beanbag toss
This is a variation on tamaire, a game often included as an event at school sports days.
The rule is simple: in a room where balls are scattered, players throw balls into baskets from behind a set line.
Attach illustrations showing point values to the baskets—for example, 3 points for a basket close to the line and 10 points for one farther away.
You can also try different ideas, such as chasing a person holding a basket to toss balls in, or aiming at a basket placed on top of a pole.
It’s a great activity that lets kids move their bodies a lot, even on rainy days, so give it a try.
Newspaper play
When it comes to items that liven up indoor play on rainy days, nothing beats newspaper.
You can enjoy a variety of activities tailored to children’s developmental stages.
For example, have them crouch while holding a crumpled ball of newspaper, then jump and open the newspaper at the same time, or let them experience the motions and sounds of tearing newspaper.
There are also races where children try to reach the goal without letting a sheet of newspaper stuck to their belly fall off, and races where they carry a sheet of newspaper balanced on a stick.
Try using a wide range of ideas—like a game where teachers or parents hold a basket for a ball-toss, and the children chase after it—to make playtime fun.
Playing musical instruments
This is an activity where children can experience how musical instruments make sounds.
Prepare instruments that produce sound with simple actions, such as tambourines and castanets.
It’s also recommended to play along to songs based on nursery rhymes and keep the rhythm with the instruments.
You can include elements of eurhythmics and incorporate movement activities set to music.
This activity helps children become interested in making sounds and conveys the joy of expressing together as a group.
Showcase the teacher’s piano or guitar performance as well, and liven up indoor time on rainy days.
Ice play
For indoor play, we recommend “ice play”! Just touching ice is fun and refreshing enough, but if you have time, try adding a little twist.
When you freeze water, include leaves, flowers, or small toys.
That way, children won’t just touch the ice—they can also think about how to melt it and get the items out as they play.
Be sure to choose things that are safe even if they end up in a child’s mouth!
Rain art made with colored water
On rainy days when you can’t play outside, why not take your time enjoying art indoors? Here’s a rain-themed art activity using colored water.
First, draw a rainy-day picture on construction paper with crayons.
People holding umbrellas, snails, frogs, and hydrangeas are great ideas.
Next, prepare blue, red, and yellow colored water, and use a dropper to place drops of your chosen colors across the paper.
Finally, lift the paper vertically, and the colored water will run down as if rain is falling.
It’s fascinating to watch the water flow downward and see the colors blend together—what an interesting piece of art.
I can’t wait to see how the children react.
Colored water play
Let’s try a colored-water activity where you add color to clear water and enjoy both the feel of touching the water and the visual changes in color.
First, use colorful water-based markers to add color to a sheet of copy paper.
Next, dip the copy paper into a clear cup filled with water.
You can enjoy watching the color gradually spread, and you can look forward to the children’s surprised reactions.
Once you’ve made a few different colored waters, it’s also fun to mix them to create new colors.
Give this activity a try—it also helps train concentration and observation skills.