Parent-Child Events for Sports Day: Recommended Ideas for Nurseries and Kindergartens
Parent-child events at kindergarten and nursery school sports days are a great way for families to have fun together and get everyone excited! Here, we’ll share ideas for parent-child competitions at sports days.
From classics like sprints and beanbag tosses to obstacle courses and quirky games, there’s a wide variety to choose from.
It’s also wonderful for children to see their parents getting really into it.
You can easily adapt the activities to fit your space and number of participants, so use these as a reference and brainstorm fun ideas with your fellow teachers.
Imagine the children’s smiles as you prepare, and make it a joyful sports day!
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[Parent-Child Events for Sports Day] Recommended Ideas for Nursery Schools and Kindergartens (91–100)
Borrowed Item Race
The borrowing race, where participants proceed by borrowing items written on paper, is a classic sports day event! Spice things up with fun items like oversized pants or a portable shrine to liven up the day.
You can designate items prepared in advance by the school, but it’s also recommended to choose items that are easy to borrow from the audience, such as handkerchiefs, parasols, or hats.
However, to avoid causing trouble with overly specific instructions, make sure to select items that can definitely be gathered at the sports day venue.
obstacle course
A parent-child obstacle course where children and their guardians work together to overcome various challenges on the route.
They move through the course by doing hopscotch together, having the guardian hold the child’s hand as they cross slopes and balance beams, and more.
Adding movements like the guardian piggybacking or carrying the child while running in the middle or at the end of the course gives it a uniquely parent-child feel.
It’s a fun event packed with highlights, from guardians struggling with kid-sized obstacles that children breeze through, to children conquering tasks that are difficult alone by having their guardian lead them by the hand.
[Parent-Child Events for Sports Day] Recommended Ideas for Nurseries and Kindergartens (101–110)
[Parent-Child Event] Ball Carrying
![[Parent-Child Event] Ball Carrying](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Zw-jzHCmU9A/sddefault.jpg)
Let’s enjoy the sports day with an event where adults and children work together to quickly carry a large ball to the goal.
This team-based game is all about cooperation between two people.
Keep in sync and aim for the goal quickly without dropping the ball placed on the tray.
The rule is that the tray holding the ball must be carried by the two of you while running.
Be careful—if you run too fast, the ball will roll off.
After making a U-turn at the target point, keep your focus and carry the ball all the way.
Do your best until you can pass the baton to the next person!
Parent-child dance
A parent-child dance where you joyfully dance together with a guardian.
It’s an event where you can experience your child’s growth from the best seat in the house—right in front of you.
For guardians who don’t usually dance, there may be moments when you learn the steps from your child, who regularly dances at daycare or kindergarten.
You might find yourself moved by the fact that they’ve learned to dance, by the way they say, “This is how you do it,” and by all the different ways their growth shines through.
Recommended songs include those your child often dances to at daycare or kindergarten, as well as tunes featured on “Okaasan to Issho.”
My First Errand
This is a first-time shopping game where children look for the items written on a chosen card, put them in their own basket, and move forward.
At the “Ready, go!” signal, they open the task card and go search for the listed items.
Set up a table like a greengrocer’s stall with large, handmade vegetables and fruits prepared by the teachers, and have parents and children go shopping together.
If what they bring back matches what’s written, they head straight to the goal! If you want to incorporate the names of vegetables and fruits into the activity, it might be a good idea to learn the ingredient names together beforehand using picture books or kamishibai.
In conclusion
We’ve introduced some parent-child activity ideas.
These activities can be customized in many ways, and we hope they give parents and children a chance to experience the importance of working together.
Feel free to adapt the ideas to match the children’s vibe and the teacher’s personality! Try coming up with wonderful activities that will make everyone say, “That was fun!”