[Childcare] Unique event ideas to try at a sports day
A sports day is a precious once-a-year occasion where you can witness children’s growth.
Classic events are fun, but here we’ll introduce some unique, slightly unusual ones!
With quirky movements and creative ideas, kids can enjoy practicing even more.
You’ll also see more moments that bring spontaneous smiles to parents watching.
If you mix these events in between the standard ones, the whole sports day becomes even more entertaining.
By all means, create a sports day that leaves the children saying, “That was so much fun!”
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[Childcare] Unique event ideas for a sports day that we want to try (81–90)
Borrowed Item Race
The borrowing race held at daycare centers and kindergartens starts like a footrace.
It can be done individually, but pairing up works well because the younger children are small, and the older children can take the lead.
Have the older child take the younger child by the hand and guide them to the table where the prompts for the items to borrow are written.
The older child can tell the younger child what the prompt says, and the two can search together.
You can prepare the prompts on sheets, or you might plant them with parents in the audience.
It’s an event that gets the whole venue excited and having fun.
Deploy! Ninja Squad
This is an obstacle course recommended for 2-year-olds, where children pretend to be ninjas and overcome obstacles.
Becoming a ninja helps motivate them, right? First, they jump off a vaulting box, then hang from a horizontal bar.
After that, they touch a sound-making shuriken shape to reach the goal.
It can also be fun to add more ninja-like activities depending on what you can set up at the time, such as crawling through a tunnel or under a net.
After this event, adding a ninja dance segment could create consistency and make the program even more appealing.
Family Space Travel
Ride a handmade two-person spaceship, defeat the aliens, and grab the sparkling star from the treasure chest.
This is a sports day event recommended for nurseries and kindergartens that even small children can enjoy while participating.
The race starts by getting into the two-person spaceship.
Work together with your partner to board the ship and run in sync toward the target treasure chest.
Once you arrive, take the star from inside, make a U-turn, and head back to the starting point to pass the baton to the next pair.
The sight of the kids riding in the spaceship is adorable, and it really livens up the sports day.
Water Balloon Splash Ball Toss
At a summer outdoor sports day, I highly recommend adding the “Water Balloon Splash Ball Toss”! Normally, ball toss games use fabric balls, but this version uses water balloons.
Of course, any that miss the basket will hit the ground and burst into a watery splash! But that’s exactly what makes it so fun.
In summer, getting wet isn’t too cold—if anything, it’s refreshing, right? Kids will surely love it.
Just wear swimsuits or water-friendly clothing so you’re fine even if you get soaked, and have a great time!
Urashima Taro
Urashima Taro, the picture-book hero you know, has become a sports day event.
Take on the roles of the characters and clear each challenge as if tracing the story.
This is a paired event for two people—children team up with an adult, such as a teacher or guardian.
To start, transform into your character.
Dress like Urashima Taro or wear a turtle shell, then hold hands and run to the checkpoint while overcoming obstacles.
Once you’ve picked up the required items, make a U-turn, return to the starting point, and pass the baton to the next pair.
Let’s liven things up with a cheerful relay that combines cute cosplay and mission-clearing fun.
Enjoy freshly baked bread.
Popular anime characters join the sports day events! These are fun sports day games that even small children can enjoy while playing.
First, in a footrace, choose a character face—like Anpan, Shokupan, or Melonpan—placed in the field.
Once you’ve picked a face, look for the house that has the same picture as the face you’re holding.
When you find the matching house, throw the face you’re holding through the window to clear the game.
You can, of course, use non-anime characters for the event as well.
[Childcare] Unique Competition Ideas to Try at a Sports Day (91–100)
Parent-child obstacle race
A parent-child event where parents and kids participate together in an obstacle race—the classic you’ve probably seen at every sports day or field day.
Parents and children clear the same obstacles together, or mom or dad helps the child get over them, working as a team to reach the finish line.
The rules make it enjoyable for both parents and kids.
Because adults and children differ in size and build, it presents challenges unlike competing alone, letting not only the children but also the adults feel like kids again.
It’s a simple yet profound event where well-synchronized teamwork determines victory.
