[Childcare] Letter and word games: Introducing fun activities using hiragana
Incorporating hiragana and characters into play has very positive effects on children’s growth, such as nurturing their vocabulary and expressive abilities and promoting the development of their communication and thinking skills.
It would be wonderful if everyone could deepen their interest in letters and words while having fun through a variety of games.
So this time, we’re introducing wordplay and hiragana play ideas recommended for children.
We’ve gathered a wide range of hiragana activities—from games that require no preparation and can be started anywhere right away, to activities that involve moving the body and cooperating with friends.
There are also handmade toys that let kids learn letters with excitement, so be sure to check them out.
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[Childcare] Letter and word play: Fun games using hiragana (1–10)
opposite words
It’s one of those games that lets you expand your vocabulary in a fun way.
For the question, “What’s the opposite of ‘long’?” the answer is “short,” right? It might be more enjoyable to play while looking at a picture book so it doesn’t become just a back-and-forth of words.
“Tall/high” has multiple opposites like “low” and “cheap,” so it seems like it would really spark a child’s curiosity.
Jumbo Karuta
Karuta is a familiar New Year’s game, and it’s perfect for helping children learn hiragana and other characters! How about making a jumbo-sized karuta set to liven things up? Big cards are sure to get kids excited! You can pick a theme like food or animals and design the illustrations.
It’s also great to add educational elements suited to their age, such as traffic safety or disaster preparedness.
You can even tweak the rules for extra fun—have them search by letters, or distinguish cards by color, and so on.
Word association game
A word-association game where you keep linking words that come to mind from a single item.
For example, if the prompt is “strawberry,” you connect it to words like “red” or “fruit” that you associate with it.
If you link from “strawberry” to “red,” then you continue by linking to the next words associated with “red,” such as “apple” or “fire truck.” Because you’ll encounter many words—including not only the ones you say yourself but also those said by friends and teachers—you’ll build knowledge and improve your vocabulary.
It also helps develop thinking and creativity, so be sure to try incorporating it into play.
[Childcare] Letter and word play: Fun games using hiragana (11–20)
Hiragana cards
Let’s try making handmade hiragana cards—perfect for children who are in the middle of learning hiragana—and play with them.
Write the hiragana characters big and clear, then cut them out using scissors or a craft knife and paste them onto colored construction paper.
It’s easier to see if the character and the backing paper are contrasting colors.
On the back of each card, draw or create (with colored paper) an illustration that starts with that hiragana.
例えば、「あ」の裏には「あめ」（candy）を、「い」の裏には「いぬ」（dog）を書きます。
Choose things children like and can easily recognize.
tongue twister
A very popular word game is tongue twisters.
It’s a game where you try to say hard-to-pronounce phrases accurately and quickly, and it’s often used to practice enunciation.
It can also be a fun way to learn lots of words at once, and by moving the mouth fully, it trains the facial muscles, helping children show even brighter expressions.
In addition to well-known ones like “Nama mugi, nama gome, nama tamago” and “Red pajamas, blue pajamas, yellow pajamas,” choose tongue twisters that match their age and aren’t too complicated.
Playing postman
How about incorporating the process of writing a letter, putting on a stamp, and posting it into a mailbox as a “let’s play post office” activity? Have everyone write their own message on a postcard.
Children who are just starting to learn letters will surely enjoy turning their feelings into words.
After they fill the postcard with sentences or drawings, give them a stamp and show them where to place it: “Let’s put the stamp right here.” Once they post it themselves into a cardboard mailbox, they’re done—then you can spark lively conversation by asking, “Who did you write to?” and “What did you draw?”
AIUEO Pocket
Let’s make an “Aiueo Pocket” that turns the Japanese syllabary into a game.
Use a wall pocket arranged like a calendar and aiueo cards.
If you’re using cards from a 100-yen shop, check that the cards fit into the pockets.
Stick the 50-sound syllabary onto the pocket side as well, and it’s ready! Insert each card into the pocket with the matching character.
This is a great idea for kids who are learning or practicing the 50 sounds.
You can also do it with numbers or the alphabet, not just the 50 sounds.