Lovely childcare

Recommended for childcare! Game and activity ideas to liven up a summer festival

10 years as a kindergarten teacher / elementary school teacher / junior and senior high school teacher / childminderkepiko
Graduated from Kunitachi College of Music, Faculty of Music (now: Department of Music Culture and Education, Early Childhood Music Education major). In elementary school, my homeroom teacher was Jun Kusaba, a game researcher. After graduating from university, I worked for 10 years as a kindergarten teacher and for 7 years as an after-school childcare instructor, then took a post as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I also engaged in activities that shared Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational play, working with many children. Afterwards, through freelance writing, planning, and editing work at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and conveying ideas. Leveraging the perspective cultivated in educational settings and my experience as an editor, I aim to deliver practical information—focusing on fields related to music and children—that values both input and output. Hobbies include instruments, singing, handcrafts, toys, drawing, traditional play, the outdoors, books, DIY, and crafts. Special skill: spinning-top tricks.
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.

The once-a-year summer festival that the kids look forward to is here! At nursery schools and kindergartens, you’ll want to make the special time with friends even more exciting.

Here, we’ll share recommended ideas for games and activities you can do together with the children.

Enjoy the preparation time together, too.

Classic activities like target tossing and yo-yo fishing can be even more fun with a few simple twists.

Choose ideas that fit the size and atmosphere of your school, and make it a summer festival that thrills both children and adults!

Recommended for childcare! Game and performance ideas to liven up a summer festival (41–50)

Handmade Uchiwa [Festival Mood]

[Summer Craft] Roll marbles to make a hand fan♪ Perfect for summer festivals! [For 2-year-olds]

Handmade Uchiwa [Festival Mood]

Colorful uchiwa fans are a summer festival staple, aren’t they? Using the marble painting technique, kids can enjoy making bright, eye-catching fans all by themselves! They can carry them around and play with them on the day of the festival, or make lots and set up a little fan shop—that sounds fun too.

At summer festivals in preschool, whether outdoors or indoors, the heat is always a concern.

Having a fan they made themselves means they can cool off when it gets hot.

When helping them make their favorite fan, be sure to provide plenty of colors.

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[Shaved Ice Shop] Rainbow Shaved Ice

[Nursery/Kindergarten] Rainbow Shaved Ice for Summer Festival Pretend Play! [July Craft]

[Shaved Ice Shop] Rainbow Shaved Ice

Let’s make rainbow shaved ice using coffee filters.

Line up lots of handmade shaved ices and your shaved ice shop is open for business! The best part of a festival is shopping while chatting—saying things like “Welcome!” and “Which one do you recommend?” It’s also fun to let the kids’ imaginations lead and make their favorite flavors, like melon or strawberry.

When you open your shop, prepare price tags and play money to really set the mood.

Have fun with your shopping game!

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Himokuji Shop: Will I win something I like?

[How-To] Perfect for festivals and events! Easy string lottery (Himo-kuji) making guide

Himokuji Shop: Will I win something I like?

Despite its simple mechanism, the string lottery is one of those games that really gets kids excited.

Depending on the preschool, there may be restrictions on prizes.

In that case, it can be fun to start by making the prizes together with the children.

They’ll be thrilled, wondering, “Which prize will I get?” and the adults watching can’t help but get excited too.

If you’re giving the prizes as summer festival souvenirs, waterproof mini mascots or color balls that can be used in the bath or pool are likely to be a hit with the kids.

Let’s share ideas and liven up the game so we can hear them say, “That was so much fun!”

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Target practice: Hit it accurately

Kindergarten Summer Festival

Target practice: Hit it accurately

Target-hitting games, where you aim and hit a target, are definitely ones you’ll want to include.

Some versions use targets that the thrown object sticks to, but that can be tough for children who don’t have much strength yet.

So how about shaping the target like a bowl so the thrown balls can land inside? Of course, they’ll go in if thrown to the right spot, but it’s also exciting when a ball bounces or slides in by chance.

Let’s fully spark the children’s spirit of challenge.

As we cheer them on, we can’t help getting caught up in the excitement, too.

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[Bon Odori] The Waste-Not Grandma Ondo

“Mottainai Grandma” Ondo (Official) – Icchi & Naru [Bon Odori]

[Bon Odori] The Waste-Not Grandma Ondo

“Mottainai Grandma Ondo” is a bon dance inspired by the picture book “Mottainai Grandma.” It’s a humorous bon dance where children dance while saying “what a waste,” about things they can probably relate to.

There are movements like using a cane, just like a grandma, making it a fun song to dance to.

Let’s incorporate it into everyday childcare time as we head toward the summer festival.

It actually uses the whole body more than you’d expect, so it also works as a light warm-up.

Let’s all sing and dance together!

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[Bon Odori] Moonlit Ponchararin

Ponchararin on a Moonlit Night

[Bon Odori] Moonlit Ponchararin

To boost the summer festival mood, bon odori is essential.

“Tsukiyo no Ponchararin” has a classic bon odori style, yet its unique depictions of tanuki and fun choreography make it an entertaining song.

The moves are easy to remember as you repeat the dance, so even infants can enjoy it.

Once you’ve learned the steps, you might practice dancing while moving in a circle next.

If you dance bon odori as if you’re surrounding a yagura tower, your school event will feel just like a real festival venue.

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Thousand-string Fishing (Senbon-tsuri)

Perfect for summer festivals and events☆Senbon-tsuri (lucky fishing game)

Thousand-string Fishing (Senbon-tsuri)

The festival game Senbon Tsuri that everyone loves—I’ve heard some regions call it “Senbon Biki.” What about in your area? In Senbon Tsuri, you pull a string that’s connected to a prize, and you get whatever you hit.

It’s fun precisely because it’s so simple: you just pull a string.

I wonder if old-fashioned candy shops still have small lottery games modeled after Senbon Tsuri.

If the prizes are candy and snacks, it’s an activity everyone can enjoy, from little kids to slightly older boys and girls.

At a large venue, a jumbo Senbon Tsuri could even be the main attraction!

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