Childcare: Recommended program ideas for a sports day

Giant ball rolling

Preschool sports day parent–child event: Giant ball rolling (ōdama korogashi) – Japan

Giant ball rolling is a game that really heats up when done as a team competition! When adults join in, the height difference makes ball control more challenging—that’s part of the fun.

Let’s all work together while paying attention to our calls and chants.

Decorating the ball with your preschool’s original designs can add to the enjoyment.

Adults should make adjustments—like crouching slightly—so children can reach and touch the ball.

Which team will be the fastest? It’s the kind of event that makes adults unintentionally get serious.

Because falls and collisions are a concern, make sure the children get plenty of practice on their own beforehand.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

tsukada moe

Report a problem

A circuit where you role-play as a ninja

[3-year-olds] Ninja Training! ~Circuit Play~

Nin-nin! Swift and stylish moves! Here are some circuit ideas for becoming a ninja.

Prepare a ninja transformation set made from construction paper, a balance beam, a jump rope, mats, and so on.

The video introduces circuit ideas for three-year-olds, but with a few tweaks, many of them can be uniquely adapted for two-year-olds as well! Let’s use the balance beam, jump rope, and mats to fully get into ninja mode.

Wearing a ninja dress-up set to boost the mood is a great idea, too.

Handmade ball circuit

[Ages 1–2] Can You Predict the Movement? Handmade Ball Play

Let’s use a variety of balls! Here are some ideas for a handmade ball circuit.

Prepare palm-sized balls, large balls you can hold with both hands, newspaper, cushioning material, tape, and bags or baskets big enough to hold the balls.

Try events like rolling balls along the floor or collecting balls in bags or baskets—use balls of different sizes and materials to build spatial awareness through play! Using balls that differ in weight and texture will also stimulate children’s senses.

Give it a try!

Newspaper Spiderweb Circuit

[Ages 0–5] Let’s play boldly! Use the whole room to make a spider web!

Tear it! Stick it! Crawl through and play! Here’s an idea for a newspaper spiderweb circuit.

You’ll need plastic ribbon (suzuran tape), newspaper, and tape.

This is a great idea when you want to include crawling movements in your circuit.

Some children find tunnels challenging because they’re dark and long.

By tearing and sticking newspaper as part of everyday activities, you can naturally encourage crawling movements! The making process also stimulates children’s creativity—what a wonderful idea.

athlete entrance

[Sports Day & Daily Childcare • Choreography Supervision: Hiromichi Sato] We’re Pirates! Lively to that famous tune! A versatile marching song “Yo-Ho” usable from 2-year-olds to elementary schoolers • Choreography instruction with counts

Why not channel those pre-event jitters—your excitement just before the sports day and competitions begin—into a performance starting from the entrance march, and enjoy the sports day even more? A lively entrance performance will instantly lift everyone’s spirits, thrilling the parents who’ve come to watch as well.

Simply marching in is fine, but adding a little choreography or movement raises expectations, as if the performance has already begun.

Let’s enjoy the sports day to the fullest with a spirited entrance performance set to music.

expand_lessRaise the rankingexpand_morelower

nikki

Report a problem