Lovely childcare

[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 to get kids moving (91–100)

oshikura manju (a children’s pushing game)

Traditional Playground Games Newspaper #1: Oshikura Manju

oshikura manju (a children’s pushing game)

Oshikura Manju, a traditional folk game that has been played for generations, is a lively activity that works well indoors.

Participants stand back-to-back inside a designated circle, and at the start they chant, “Oshikura manju, don’t cry when you’re pushed,” while using their backs and hips to push others out.

If you step outside the circle or touch the floor with your hand, you lose; the last person standing wins.

The simple rules make it enjoyable for children of a wide range of ages.

It’s a classic game where the larger the group, the more unpredictable—and fun—the effects of each push become.

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Hoshino Takashi

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Ball Toss Game

All Sorts of Ball Toss Games! [Ages 3–5] | Torikai Yuiku-en [Nursery/Kindergarten]

Ball Toss Game

Tamaire, where you throw balls into a high basket, is a game often played at school sports days.

It’s hard to do it indoors with the exact same rules, but if you set a rule where players throw balls toward a box or similar container from a designated spot, it’s sure to get kids excited.

By changing the points awarded depending on the distance to the box, children can enjoy the game at a level suited to their abilities.

It’s a game uniquely suited to indoors that helps improve throwing skills and nurtures strategic thinking about how to win.

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Hoshino Takashi

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Ball passing

Grandeur Daycare Nursery [Gymnastics Class for Ages 2 and Up – Ball Passing]

Ball passing

A simple game where players stand in a line and pass a ball from the person at the front to the person at the back; the team that gets it to the end the fastest wins.

It’s a team-play game often seen at school sports days.

At sports days, which are usually held outdoors or in large spaces, it’s common to use a giant ball, but indoors you can use a regular ball—or even a smaller ball—to add a different kind of challenge.

Once the ball reaches the back, you can send it forward again, or after passing it overhead to the back, switch to passing it forward between the legs.

With a few variations, it becomes an even more exciting indoor activity.

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Hoshino Takashi

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Thunder Game

[Exercise & Gymnastics Kids Enjoy] The “Thunder Game” recommended from age 3 / Rule-based movement games and exercise-gymnastics educational videos to improve motor skills together with mom

Thunder Game

This is an indoor game where children lie on their backs and hide their belly buttons at the thunder god’s signal.

When the thunder god shouts “Boom!”, they catch any child who hasn’t flipped over onto their stomach to hide their belly button.

For ages 3 and up, the thunder god can use feints by saying other words like “Fish cake!” to trick them.

You win if you don’t get fooled and only hide your belly button when they say “Thunder!” Because the rules can be adjusted by age, it stays fresh and fun as an indoor game for a long time.

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Hoshino Takashi

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In conclusion

We introduced ideas for indoor activities that get kids moving.

Even when they can’t play outside, children are full of energy—we want to help them burn it off while having fun.

The ideas we shared can be adapted to play with children of various ages.

Teachers, please enjoy these indoor activities together with the kids!