[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 (51–60)
Craft play
On a rainy day, how about engaging your hands and diving into some focused crafts and art activities? Drawing pictures, folding origami, making handicrafts… Adding elements that represent the rainy season can bring out a sense of seasonality.
For example, you could draw pictures inspired by rain-themed picture books or songs, or depict seasonal creatures like hydrangeas and snails through drawing or crafts.
It’s also a great idea to express your excitement for sunny summer days by drawing things you want to do in summer or a clear blue sky.
Even in the gloomy rainy season, creating something nice will surely brighten children’s moods!
Rain hand play—let’s toss that damp, clammy feeling away!
Let’s brighten up the muggy rainy-season mood with a lighthearted song and hand play.
The hand-play song “Toss That Dampness Away!” uses fun gestures to “gather up” the clammy feeling when the rain goes on and on, and the soggy wetness when you get caught in the rain.
The lyrics even have you collect the rain clouds at the end, which makes it extra fun and sure to get the kids excited.
After tossing away the rain-induced slump, you’ll be ready to start the next childcare activity feeling refreshed.
Balloon play
A play activity using balloons, which are often used to decorate indoor parties and events.
Children can enjoy the feel of lightly floating balloons by touching or tossing them, while also encouraging their free imagination.
It’s a good idea to make some preparations to prevent balloons from popping, such as placing them in pre-inflated bags.
There are many ways to play, like touching suspended balloons or playing peekaboo.
Why not incorporate these items, which can brighten up a rainy day indoors, into your childcare setting?
[Let’s make it together] Pretend play
![[Let's make it together] Pretend play](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/9vWbulDrOgA/sddefault.jpg)
There are plenty of easy indoor activities that don’t require any special preparation.
First, tearing up newspaper gives you a refreshing feeling that blows away the muggy rainy-season blues.
You can tear it into long, thin strips, or rip it into small pieces and let them fall like rain.
You can also crumple the pieces into balls and throw them to play.
Another fresh idea is to make holes, put your hands and feet through, or wrap the paper around to create outfits and have a fashion show.
You can take it even further by coloring crumpled paper to make pretend food for play kitchen, or by feeding it into a “mouth” made from construction paper to enjoy a chomping game—the possibilities are endless.
[Early Childhood Education] Perfect for June! Indoor play ideas to incorporate into childcare (61–70)
Indoor water play
Let’s play a color-water game using baking parchment and colored water.
As preparation, draw several cups in different colors on the baking parchment.
Use a waterproof marker.
Next, make a few kinds of colored water and drop them onto the parchment with a dropper.
Touch the dropped colored water with a chopstick and move it gently—like magic! The colored water moves.
The goal is to keep moving the colored water and gather it into the cups.
Because this involves fine motor work, it isn’t suitable for large groups in childcare.
Why not try it as a special treat when there are fewer children, such as in the late afternoon or during extended care?
Towel play
If you want to get plenty of movement indoors even when it’s raining, games using a towel are recommended.
Prepare a long, narrow towel.
You can rub your body vigorously as if doing dry brushing, jump with it like a jump rope, or play tug-of-war—one long towel lets you enjoy all kinds of activities.
It’s also great to roll the towel into a ball and play catch.
Just be careful not to slip on a towel that falls on the floor and get injured while you play!
Handmade toy: fishing
A fishing game that kids love.
Use handmade toys to make it even more exciting.
Crabs and fish can be made cute and easily by using googly-eye stickers sold at 100-yen shops.
Paste origami on empty yogurt or jelly cups to make crabs and turtles.
For fish, crumple origami paper and put it inside plastic to give them a 3D look.
Jellyfish made from toilet paper rolls are also adorable.
Lay out a blue tarp as the sea, arrange your creatures, and have a blast fishing them with magnets!