Lovely childcare

[Childcare] Let’s all play! A collection of recommended ideas for group play and games

20 years of experience as a nursery teacher / kindergarten teacherhiyoko sensei
I’m Hiyoko-sensei, a former nursery school teacher from Hyogo Prefecture. Ever since I was five, my dream was to become a childcare worker, and before I knew it, 20 years had passed since I achieved that dream. Through singing and playing with the children, I kept working with the spirit of someone in their twenties, even as I increasingly felt my physical limits year by year (haha). From here on, I’d like to share helpful information carefully and thoughtfully, drawing on my on-site experience.
Nursery Teacher Mom Writertsukada moe
After working for five years at an after-school childcare club and three years at a nursery school, I began working as a freelance writer. I’m a mother of two children. Inspired by playing the flute in the school wind ensemble in elementary school, I joined a jazz club at university. I’ve also incorporated ukulele and piano performance into childcare. Playing, laughing, feeling sad, feeling frustrated—through all kinds of experiences, I want children to grow.

Group play is essential in early childhood care, isn’t it?

But it’s easy to end up doing the same games over and over, and children can get bored.

So we’ve gathered a collection of group play ideas for teachers who have that concern.

We’ve included a variety of movement-based games that can be enjoyed both outdoors and indoors, so you can choose according to the day’s activity setting.

Another fun aspect of group play is that the level of excitement varies depending on the class’s age and the children’s personalities.

Try choosing while thinking, “Which games will suit my class?”

Let’s spend a fun time with the children.

[Childcare] Let's Play Together! Recommended Group Play and Game Ideas (21–30)

Merry Christmas Rhythm Game!

[Play] Instantly exciting! Merry Chris★ Rhythm Game | Lala-chan | Christmas | Kids’ Activities | Party | Christmas

Merry Christmas Rhythm Game!

“Merry-Cri Rhythm Game” is a rhythm game that even children can enjoy.

When someone says “Santa’s beard,” stroke your chin as if showing a beard while saying “Ho ho ho.” When someone says “Santa’s sleigh,” stretch both hands forward and shake them while saying “Jingle jingle jingle.” Listen carefully to which one is called out and move so you don’t mix them up.

Speeding up the rhythm increases the difficulty, so try that once you get the hang of it.

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Fun for kids and adults! Balloon Battle

[Balloon Battle] How to play the balloon relay

Fun for kids and adults! Balloon Battle

Here’s a game called “Balloon Battle” that uses long balloons and round balloons.

Prepare one long balloon for each participant.

After inflating the balloons, each participant holds a long balloon, and at the start signal, they pass the round balloon to the opponent.

The rule is that you can’t use your hands—you must pass using the long balloon.

Balloons are light, and if you misjudge your strength, they’ll drift away.

If you drop the balloon, you lose, so be careful when passing.

The game is basically played by two people, but it could also be fun as a team relay.

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Fun for toddlers and up! Find-the-friend game

[For Kids/Toddlers] Find-the-Matching-Group Game ~Christmas Edition #2~ [Spot the Difference/Educational]

Fun for toddlers and up! Find-the-friend game

In the Matching Friends game, one sample illustration and multiple candidate illustrations are shown.

Once the game starts, look through the candidates and find the one that matches the sample illustration.

If you find it, you clear the game! If not, please try again.

The candidate illustrations are very similar to the sample, so you’ll need to pay close attention to the details.

Do your best to find the matching friend for the sample illustration!

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Come-here game

[Toddler Play] “Come here, come here” game — a play activity that even 3-year-olds can do!

Come-here game

The “Come here” game where children move toward the teacher step by step when the teacher calls, “Come here.” The children can only move forward while the teacher is saying “Come here.” If the teacher says another word that also starts with the “o” sound, they don’t move forward.

And if the teacher says “obake” (ghost), the children quickly run back to the starting line so they don’t get caught by the teacher.

Try adding feints with other “o”-starting words like “otousan” (dad), “okaasan” (mom), or “onigiri” (rice ball), in addition to “oide” and “obake.” Because the children focus on the teacher’s words, it helps develop their listening skills!

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Fun educational game

https://www.tiktok.com/@soramame.sensei/video/7254149835400416514

This is a simple indoor game where you gently stack colorful cardboard pieces—cut into shapes of foods kids love—onto a toilet paper roll using chopsticks or your hands.

Because it requires careful control of force, it helps develop fine motor skills, concentration, and recognition of colors and shapes.

You can use everyday materials! Even if pieces fall, it’s still fun, so children naturally experience cooperation and a sense of accomplishment as they play.

Kids with and without disabilities can enjoy it together, and you can adjust the difficulty with a bit of creativity.

It’s a gentle, handmade activity that even adults can get absorbed in.

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Group therapy treasure hunt

https://www.tiktok.com/@bear_kids_official/video/7513775675971489042

A game where you search for hidden treasures in a room.

As children naturally build concentration and observation skills—and if you turn it into a team game suited to their developmental stage—they also develop communication skills by cooperating with friends.

The sense of accomplishment when they find the treasure boosts their confidence and self-esteem! It’s easy to prepare and not affected by the weather, so you can put it into practice right away.

Since both kids and adults can enjoy it together, it’s the perfect activity for creating time filled with children’s smiles.

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Balloon roly-poly game

@soramame.sensei
Let’s make a roly-poly toy with a balloon and play a game! 😊 With friends! With family! An indoor game you can play even on rainy days ☔✨️Child Development Support After-school day service #SoramameKids #StayHomeTime #Indoor Play Parent-child time #HandmadeToys child # developmental support (ryōiku)translation
♬ A cute pop and bouncy song(1526882) – sanusagi

First, attach a weight to a balloon to make one that pops back up when knocked over.

Create a 3×3 grid on the floor with hula hoops or similar, and you win by lining up three in a row vertically, horizontally, or diagonally! This activity effectively improves motor skills, hand–eye balance, and sense of force control.

Kids are sure to be captivated.

It’s easy to prepare and safe to enjoy indoors, so adults can join in the fun too.

It promotes growth through play, so be sure to enjoy it together with the children!

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