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)

Crocodile Game: Will I/We hit the mark?

[Summer Festival] We tried the Crocodile Game 2!!

Crocodile Game: Will I/We hit the mark?

Let’s handcraft the classic arcade-style game where you whack the crocodiles that pop out.

Just attach a crocodile made from a decorated box to the end of a sturdy stick, like a plastic wrap core.

Then divide into roles: the customer who does the whacking, and the shopkeeper who makes the crocodile appear and disappear from behind a wall, and start the game.

Because the roles are clearly defined, children can also take on responsible tasks like minding the stand.

It’s heartwarming to see kids do their best as shopkeepers.

Be sure to include this as one of your summer memories.

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In conclusion

We introduced game ideas you can incorporate into your preschool’s summer festival. A summer festival is an event where games become many times more exciting thanks to the unique atmosphere! You’ll want the children to go home saying, “That was so much fun!” The time spent preparing together with the kids will also become a great memory. Let’s enjoy the summer festival to the fullest.