Lovely childcare

Let's play with a big group! A collection of fun children's recreational activities

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.

When there are large gatherings—such as children’s events, school activities, or mixed-age interactions in childcare settings—you’ll want to plan recreational activities everyone can enjoy.

In this article, we introduce recreation ideas that are perfect for large groups.

If you’re a teacher looking for “some fun recreation activities,” be sure to check this article out.

It’s packed with activities that not only are fun but also get kids moving, boost their concentration, and support their development!

Let's Play with a Big Group! A Fun Collection of Children's Recreational Activities (31–40)

Balloon Parachute

We played with a parachute! The Bunny Class (1-year-olds) and the Elephant Class (2-year-olds) were thrilled! Everyday life at Hachiman Kodomoen (Fukui City).

Balloon Parachute

Let’s get moving with a parachute (paraballoon).

When enjoying it with younger children, it’s best to go slowly so they can appreciate the movement and colors of the parachute.

Kids will be captivated by the way it ripples like waves and billows up.

From around ages 4–5, parachute play can be used to learn more structured movements, making it perfect for a sports day performance.

Moving the parachute while stretching their arms and striking poses also helps children practice moving with awareness of the space and distance to their friends.

It’s a recreational activity that’s both thoughtful and fun.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

Let’s make and play! Christmas Curling Game

[Christmas Activity] Curling Game! Easy to make once and use forever! A game you can play even during the COVID-19 pandemic! (Elderly care activity / Kids activity)

Let's make and play! Christmas Curling Game

Let’s enjoy curling with a Christmas tree–themed sheet! To make the sheet, connect pieces of construction paper to create a large base, then glue colored construction paper on top to form a tree.

Write point values on the tree’s tiers and ornaments, and draw a starting line at the base of the tree.

For the stones, attach colored construction paper to plastic bottle caps.

Once the sheet and stones are ready, try playing! Flick the stones with your finger on the sheet—if they stop on a scoring area, you earn points.

Be careful: if a stone slides off the sheet, it’s out.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

Various number-taking game

https://www.tiktok.com/@bear_kids_official/video/7524629709666290952

It’s a game where you use various cards—numbers, symbols, illustrations, and more—to find 1 through 10! While becoming familiar with numbers and letters, kids develop number recognition, concentration, and the ability to follow rules.

By cooperating or competing with friends, their communication skills improve too.

It’s full of clever ideas that naturally lead to learning through play.

Even adults watching will want to join in.

Give it a try—children and adults can play together and enjoy a great time.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

Fun educational game

@soramame.sensei
It looks cute and gets you excited💕 It’s also fun to roll the dice and stack as many as the number you get!! It’s even more fun if you make your own rules♪Child Development Support After-school day service #StayHomeTime child Educational # developmental support (ryōiku)#CardboardCrafts Fruits
♬ Exciting, fun, shopping, pop, loop – arachang

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.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

Group therapy treasure hunt

@bear_kids_official
Group Therapy: Treasure Hunt Game. Everyone searched for the treasure using clues! We had fun while nurturing: the ability to act with foresight, comprehension of instructions and memory, and cooperation and social skills.After-school day service Child Development Support # developmental support (ryōiku)#ADHD #Indoor Play
♬ Original Song – BEAR KIDS 🧸 Child Development Support & After-School Day Service – BEAR KIDS 🧸 Child Development Support & After-School Day Service

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.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

Let's play with a big group! A collection of fun children's recreation activities (41–50)

UFO Tag

@kidschallengeclub ♬ UFO – Pink Lady

Spin around and protect the captain! Here’s an idea for a UFO tag game.

It’s a unique game that really tests teamwork! Form teams of three, hold hands, and dodge the tagger so your captain doesn’t get caught.

Choose a captain among the three and have them wear a bib number so the tagger can easily tell who it is—highly recommended.

The key is to hold hands firmly so no one lets go!

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

30-second guessing game

[Indoor Game] Trust Your Body Clock and Take on the 30-Second Guessing Challenge!

30-second guessing game

This is a game where you rely solely on your internal body clock to see if you can stop a stopwatch at exactly 30 seconds.

The rules are simple: press start and stop based only on your sense of time without looking at the numbers, so you can add all kinds of variations.

For example, keeping a conversation going while timing, or having people around you call out random numbers to distract you—both could make it more exciting.

You can also try closing your eyes to sharpen your senses, or keeping a rhythm to feel the passage of time.

Experiment with whatever method works best for you.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem