[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 (1–10)
Hula hoop relay

Let’s clear the game by cooperating with friends! Here’s an idea for a hula-hoop relay.
It’s perfect for a sports day event for five-year-olds and is a great game for building teamwork.
Everyone holds hands and, without letting go, passes the hula hoop from person to person—working together is the key! Children will learn the importance of cooperation as they value teamwork and call out to encourage each other.
Through this event, they’ll deepen their bonds with friends and experience a real sense of accomplishment.
Jama-Jama Ball Toss

Even the classic ball-toss game can get the whole family excited with a simple twist.
In this version, called “Jama-Jama Tamaire” (the “Nuisance Ball Toss”), a character appears whose job is to block the balls from going into the net.
“Jama-Jama-kun” holds a big cardboard shield and bats back the balls thrown toward the net.
Wear an eye-catching outfit like a full-body suit or a disguise so your identity stays hidden, and fully commit to playing the villain.
If you throw yourself into the role without getting shy, the kids’ cheering will heat up, and the parents will feel a stronger sense of togetherness too!
Pull hoop play
@soramame.sensei Super easy to set up! Perfect for cooperative play with friends, too! 🥰✨Kotoba no Kyoushitsu Soramame Kids#SoramameKids#KagoshimaRehabilitation# developmental support (ryōiku)Child Development SupportAfter-school day serviceLet's play at home#Indoor Play#Indoor Play#IndoorPlay#HandmadeToysFocusPhysical play (exercise)Cooperative Play
♬ The comedian’s gallop, a classic foot race song for athletic meet(1265442) – Kids Sound
Compassion is the key to winning! Here’s a fun idea for a Pull-the-Hoop game.
Prepare a hula hoop or a ring made from newspaper, some plastic ribbon (suzuran tape), and start and goal lines.
The person moving inside the hoop should walk in step with the moving hula hoop.
Be careful to keep your feet inside the hoop and maintain your balance! The person pulling the hoop should control the speed and the amount of force to guide their teammate to the goal.
Give it a try!
[Childcare] Unique event ideas to try at a sports day (11–20)
Ring Relay
@kidschallengeclub ⭐️Exciting⭐️ 🌈Ring Relay🌈 We’ll split into two teams and do a relay‼️ I think you’ll understand the rules once you watch the video☝️✨ Let’s do it while thinking with your friends about how to get to the finish faster❣️ After explaining the rules, we’ll give you practice time again, and then it’s the real run‼️ It’s more fun than just training 😀 And because it’s done as a team, everyone takes it more seriously than usual 🎵 We’re sharing fun games like this 🗽 Please follow us 🙇♀️relayteamRecreationCooperationFriendshipKids Challenge ClubExercise Play ClassFukuoka City#Momochi Gymnasium <h id=”10″>弥生幼稚園</h>︎
Battle Theme / Dragon Quest III – Me Gāne
Here are two ideas for ring relay games.
What you need to prepare are markers for the start and finish lines.
In the first game, each person crawls under the feet of the person in front, then quickly stands up and spreads their legs to form a tunnel, connecting all the way to the finish.
In the second game, players form pairs to make a ring, and the next person in line crawls through as they all move toward the finish.
The key point is that neither game can be completed by a single person.
It’s also fun to compete by team!
Kicking Sniper

How about incorporating a “Kicking Sniper” event, modeled after soccer—one of the Olympic sports? In this game, you kick a ball at targets, and the person who knocks down the most wins.
You can use softer balls suited to the participants’ ages, and making the targets popular characters could add extra fun.
For infants, you might intentionally place the targets in an unstable way so they topple easily, while for preschoolers, adding mechanisms that make the targets move would make it even more exciting.
Give it a try together as a parent-child team!
[Parent-Child Event] Gather, Little Sushi!
![[Parent-Child Event] Gather, Little Sushi!](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/6MmQir6r2fc/hqdefault.jpg)
This is a parent-child competition themed around sushi that kids love.
At the start, the child flips a card that shows a type of sushi topping.
They find the matching topping attached with hook-and-loop fasteners to a cardboard base and stick it on the child’s back.
The parent then carries the child on their back: the adult is the rice (shari) and the child is the topping (neta), making a “sushi,” and they run together.
Next, the child grabs a hanging piece of wasabi, goes around the set-up cones, and finishes by getting into the plate at the goal.
It’s also fun to plan your target topping together before starting—asking things like, “Which topping do you want?” or “Where’s the tuna?”
Join forces for a giant panel

Let’s work together as a whole class! Join forces and present your ideas for a giant panel.
In this event, each person selects one large panel and fits it into a frame.
When the last runner inserts their panel into the frame, a big picture is completed—what a fun idea! If the event feels too simple for older children, consider adding activities on the way to the panels, such as vaulting boxes or horizontal bars.
Feel free to adapt and arrange it as you like.



