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)

Copycat contest

[Kids' Exercise You Can Do at Home] Copycat Race (For Preschoolers to Lower Elementary)

Copycat contest

Here’s a fun “Copycat Race” you can enjoy on the spot.

Prepare small chairs or cushions to get started.

The teacher says, “What’s the copycat race today?” and then names an animal or vehicle for the children to imitate.

The children pretend to be that animal or vehicle and go around their own chair or cushion three times.

When they finish, they sit on their chair or cushion to reach the goal.

The first person to sit down wins.

The rules are simple, so it’s a great game for all ages to get excited and play together.

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Copycat Animals

[Have Fun with Music] Try imitating animal movements with “Copycat Animals”

Copycat Animals

Here’s a copycat animal game that kids of different ages can enjoy while moving their bodies.

Along with a piano melody, the teacher says the name of an animal and imitates it.

The children enjoy moving like the animal in their own way, at a level that suits their age.

You might even see the younger children copying the movements of the older ones.

It could also be fun to ask the children what animals they can think of as you go along.

This copycat animal play is a great way to get kids moving indoors—give it a try!

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[Childcare] Let’s all play together! Recommended ideas for group play and games (31–40)

Mimic Animal Rock-Paper-Scissors

[Kids’ Exercise You Can Do at Home] Copycat Animal Rock-Paper-Scissors (Preschool to Lower Elementary)

Mimic Animal Rock-Paper-Scissors

Here’s a game called “Copycat Animal Rock-Paper-Scissors” that helps children of different ages interact and become friends.

At the cue, “Copycat animal, rock-paper-scissors—go!” everyone strikes an animal pose.

If both partners choose the same animal pose, they earn 1 point; if they choose different poses, they spin around once on the spot.

It’s recommended that teachers and children decide the set of animal poses in advance.

You may see older children teaching the animal poses to younger ones.

Come up with lots of pose variations and have fun!

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Mimic Rhythm Play

A handy game for meeting time: “Copycat Rhythm”

Mimic Rhythm Play

Here’s a follow-the-leader rhythm activity you can enjoy while copying movements.

As you hum the rhythm, the teacher demonstrates by clapping hands and gently tapping their own head or arms.

After watching the teacher’s example, the children play along with the rhythm by copying the movements they’ve learned.

During this time, the teacher should also move together with the children to serve as a model.

Younger children can participate within their abilities.

Older children, once they’re used to it, should try making their expressions bigger and more exaggerated.

Have fun by adjusting the tempo as you go.

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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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Balloon Rally

Balloon Play: 10 Simple Games for Preschool and Kindergarten 🎈

Balloon Rally

One highly recommended group activity is the balloon rally.

At first glance it looks like a simple game, but it requires more than just strength.

In this game, everyone holds hands in a circle and keeps tapping a balloon up while moving toward a designated goal—so teamwork is essential.

Kids can physically experience how to control the force they use to hit the balloon and how to cooperate with their friends.

Try adjusting the difficulty by changing the size of the balloons to match the children’s ages.

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Fish Flipping Game

Fish Flip Game | Coordination Training for Groups

Fish Flipping Game

The Fish-Flipping Game treats teachers and children lying face down as “fish,” and the goal is to flip them over to cook the other side.

After flipping one person, you move on to flip the next fish.

If a fish is big and hard to flip, everyone should work together to turn them over! If you play as a team competition, those acting as fish must resist being flipped.

This play helps develop a sense of engaging the whole body and can improve core balance.

Be sure not to pull hair, clothing, or anything below the elbows.

To prevent injuries, we recommend playing on a mat.

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