[Childcare] Full of energy! Indoor activity ideas to get kids moving

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.

There are times when the weather or location keeps you from playing outside, right?

You still want to get moving and play with your energetic kids, even just a little.

For teachers who feel this way, here are some ideas for indoor active play.

The games that captivate children vary depending on their age and interests.

This time, we’ve gathered activities that involve different movements and creative thinking—so you’re sure to find ideas that fit your class perfectly!

Kids will be thrilled with games that are possible precisely because they’re indoors.

Teachers, have fun together with the children, too.

[Childcare] Full of energy! Indoor play ideas that get kids moving (61–70)

Touch-in game

@bear_kids_official
Group therapy: Touch-in Game. Purpose: - Develop the ability to track with the eyes. - Learn to control the strength of movements. Everyone had fun challenging themselves while cheering each other on 👏Child Development Support After-school day service # developmental support (ryōiku)#Nursery school #Kindergarten Elementary school
♪ Original Song – BEAR KIDS – BEAR KIDS 🧸 Child Development Support / After-School Day Service

Build tracking and control skills! Here’s a touch-in game idea.

It’s perfect for developing visual focus and a sense of pressure control.

Children try not to let a balloon drop while collecting colored balls from the floor into a basket, letting them have fun and work on their physical abilities at the same time.

Simple yet effective for training concentration, this idea lets kids play by controlling the balloon and colored balls—making it a great indoor game!

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Island of Hula Hoops

Work together with your teammates to reach the goal! Here’s an idea for a “Hula Hoop Islands” game.

Prepare five small hula hoops or flat markers.

Form teams of four, line up, and have the person at the front hold the hula hoops.

On the path from the start line to the goal, you may only step inside the hula hoops! When the front person runs out of hula hoops, they should call out to the person at the back.

Once they receive a hula hoop hand-to-hand from a teammate, they continue toward the goal.

It’s also fun to compete head-to-head as teams!

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Hoop Helium Ring

@omiyamichinoko
Perfect timing 😂 If you don’t know what the helium ring is, check the previous post!#Omiya Michinoko Nursery School Nursery teacher / Childcare worker #HulaHoop Happening coincidence Recommendation Helium ring
Nanikore Chin Hyakkei Theme (Pictures at an Exhibition) – Soundworks

Let’s play with a hula hoop! Here’s an idea called the Helium Ring.

All you need is a hula hoop.

Form a circle with 4 to 10 people and hold the hula hoop using only your index fingers.

If your team can lower the hula hoop from chest height to the floor without anyone’s finger losing contact, you win! It’s a great game for building teamwork as you communicate and match your pace.

Adding a time limit makes it thrilling—your urge to hurry will clash with the need to move the hoop slowly, creating a nail-biting challenge.

Give it a try!

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centipede ogre

@yokohama_rs
#Centipede Demon (Mukade Oni)Recreation Children's Play #Sports Childcare Nursery teacher / Childcare worker Technical college Yokohama #RizospoLet's give it a try!Agility Training
♬ Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom!! – Vengaboys

Move nimbly and avoid danger! Here’s an idea for a game called Centipede Tag.

You probably know there are many types of tag, like Freeze Tag and Color Tag.

Have you heard of Centipede Tag, where you work together with teammates to escape the tagger? Assign one person as the tagger, and everyone else is on the centipede team.

The centipede players place their hands on the shoulders of the person in front and stay connected without letting go.

When the last person in the centipede gets tagged, the tagger switches.

It’s tough to escape from a freely moving tagger, but by cooperating, the centipede team will build strong bonds.

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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 Support After-school day service Let's play at home #Indoor Play #Indoor Play #IndoorPlay #HandmadeToys Focus Physical 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!

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