Get excited! A list of popular and fun hand games that captivate children
Here are some fun hand-play ideas that will captivate children!
Move your hands and body to the songs and rhythms of hand-play, and both kids and adults can enjoy it together.
Have fun matching the songs and movements of the hand-play.
Through communication with friends, children can create precious memories as they play.
It’s easy to do anywhere, so try incorporating it as an opener for childcare events and other activities!
Enjoy hand-play with the children and spend a wonderful time together.
Get the crowd going! A list of popular and fun hand-play games that captivate children (1–10)
It fell, it fell.
This is a rhythm game played with the chant and clapping, “It fell, it fell—what fell?” You change your reaction depending on what fell.
If it’s an apple, you pose by extending your hands forward as if to catch it; if it’s a fist, you pose by covering your head; if it’s lightning, you pose by hiding your belly button.
You can also make your own versions by changing what falls and the corresponding poses.
five melon breads
The hand game “Five Melon Buns,” derived from a British nursery rhyme, captivates children with its regular rhythm and fun actions! The phrases using the numbers from 1 to 5 are repeated, helping children naturally learn to count.
Another charm is the recurring melon buns, which create their own storyline, allowing children to enjoy using their imagination.
By changing your voice and using bigger gestures, you can have fun together with the children.
The Three Little Pigs
Enjoy a familiar picture book story through a hand play activity! Here’s a hand play version of “The Three Little Pigs.” Let’s act out the story with hand motions: the piglets gather materials and build their own houses, and then the wolf arrives.
When the wolf shows up, some children might get scared and shout, “Eek!” But the story ends with a reassuring “What a relief!” so everyone can enjoy the hand play.
Give it a try!
I love rice balls.
I wonder what’s inside the rice balls? Let me introduce the hand game “I Love Onigiri.” It’s also nice to start with an opening like, “What filling do you all like in your onigiri?” This hand game features animals like rabbits and monkeys, so it’s likely to capture children’s interest! And what’s more, each rice ball has a surprising something inside! It could be fun to have the children imagine and answer what’s inside as an added twist.
Be sure to give it a try.
Let’s clap our hands
Move your body to the rhythm! Here’s an introduction to the hand-play song “Clap Your Hands.” It’s a recommended activity you can enjoy together with infants! Hum the tune and move your body in time with the rhythm.
By moving along with the song and rhythm, children can develop their physical abilities while having fun.
There are moments during the hand play where you can make various facial expressions.
Playing with smiles together with parents or teachers can make the time even more enjoyable.
It’s a charming hand-play activity that helps deepen the bond with children!
Meat buns and sweet bean paste buns
Delicious foods appear one after another, and your stomach goes “g-r-r-r” with hunger! Here’s a hand play activity for the song “Nikuman Anman.” Nikuman (meat buns) are steamed warm in a steamer, and eating them on a cold day gently warms you up! It’s a perfect hand play for the chilly season.
The lyrics feature various kinds of Chinese dishes, which is so exciting.
The hand motions that go with the lyrics are unique and easy for children to learn, which is part of their charm.
Let’s enjoy the hand play while moving our bodies to the rhythm!
Grill the mochi
January is a month with many chances to eat mochi.
Kids may each have their favorite ways to enjoy it—soy sauce, kinako, anko, and more.
In this hand-play song, we have fun with hand motions themed around tasty ways to eat mochi.
You can pretend to grill the mochi, dip it in soy sauce, and even enjoy it as a bonding play activity with babies.
Beyond the methods mentioned in the lyrics, it could be fun to ask the children and try out various ideas together.
If you’re looking for a hand-play perfect for January, give this one a try.
