Lovely childcare

[January Childcare] Traditional New Year’s Games! A Collection of Ideas to Enjoy with Children

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 as a kindergarten teacher for 10 years and as an after-school childcare instructor for 7 years, then took a position as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I engaged in activities that introduced Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational activities, working with many children. Later, through freelance writing, planning, and editing at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and sharing. Drawing on the perspective cultivated in the field of education and my experience as an editor, I provide practical information with an emphasis on both input and output, mainly in areas related to music and children. My hobbies include instruments, singing, handicrafts, toys, drawing, traditional games, the outdoors, and books. My special skill is spinning-top tricks.
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.

Are you wondering what kinds of activities to include in childcare in January? January is a perfect time for children to get familiar with Japanese culture through traditional games and seasonal recreation.

Here, we introduce New Year’s themed play ideas such as invisible-ink drawings (aburidashi), lion dance (shishimai), and shell matching (kai-awase).

Traditional games are full of elements that nurture children’s creativity and concentration.

They offer many ways to play—moving their bodies with friends, using their hands to make things, and more.

These ideas are also perfect for events in childcare settings, so please use them as a reference!

[January Childcare] Traditional New Year’s Games! A Collection of Ideas to Enjoy with Children (61–70)

Hyakunin Isshu

Sabotage Kanna! The KanAki Family New Year Hyakunin Isshu Tournament!

Hyakunin Isshu

I’d love for you to play this with your kids over New Year! Let me introduce Hyakunin Isshu.

The rules are simple: one person reads the first half of a poem, and everyone else tries to grab the matching second half.

While the gameplay is simple, the depth is part of its appeal.

It’s also a great memory challenge—how quickly can you take the second half when the first half is read? There are apps that read the poems aloud, so it’s fun to listen, get into the reader’s rhythm, and memorize the Hyakunin Isshu.

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Hanafuda

Hanafuda rules in 1 minute

Hanafuda

We’ll introduce simple Hanafuda rules for adults and kids who see it in games and wonder, “What is Hanafuda?” There are 48 cards in total.

Deal them into hands and to the table.

Play a card from your hand to the table; if there’s a card from the same month on the table, you capture it.

Next, draw one card from the deck and place it on the table.

If there’s no matching month, just leave it on the table.

Players take turns like this, and when someone forms a scoring combination with the cards they’ve captured, that round ends.

The points depend on the combination.

Decide the number of rounds in advance—the player with the higher total score at the end wins!

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Shell matching

I tried playing kai-awase, a shell-matching game passed down since the Heian period!

Shell matching

A perfect activity for January! Let me introduce “Kai-awase,” a craft that’s also fun to make with kids.

Kai-awase was a game played by nobles in the Heian period, similar to the modern card game Concentration (Memory).

You paint matching patterns on the insides of paired shells.

Turn them face down, mix them up, place one shell in the center, then arrange the remaining shells in a circle around it, and try to pick the one that matches the center shell.

Recommended shells include shijimi (corbicula), ark shells, clams, and abalone.

If you have leftover shells, remember this and give it a try!

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Bozu Mekuri

bōzu-mekuri (a traditional Japanese card-flipping game)

Bozu Mekuri

Bozu Mekuri is a game that tests luck and memory using illustrated cards.

Born from the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu, this pastime is designed so everyone gathering for New Year’s can enjoy it.

The moment a teacher flips a card with a child and they try to guess what will appear is heart-pounding.

By incorporating local rules passed down in different regions, it can stimulate children’s creativity and also serve as a good opportunity to develop communication skills through play.

Moreover, engaging with traditional aspects of Japan through Bozu Mekuri gives the game value that goes beyond mere amusement.

There’s no doubt it can help families, including guardians, share a joyful time together.

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Sugoroku

[For 5-year-olds] Let’s make a sugoroku game!

Sugoroku

Sugoroku is a game that has long been loved in Japan.

Many of you may have played it with family and friends during the New Year holidays.

It’s a simple game where you move your piece according to the number rolled on the die and compete to see who reaches the goal first.

The Game of Life, which incorporates elements of sugoroku, is also well-known among children! Whether you play a commercially available game or create your own original sugoroku, it’s sure to be a hit.

Making your own is recommended, as it helps develop thinking and creativity.

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In conclusion

Traditional January games and early childhood events offer rich opportunities to experience Japanese culture.

From time-honored activities like kakizome (first calligraphy of the year) and kai-awase (shell matching), to kagami mochi and oshikura manju, there are plenty of ideas you can enjoy with children.

Through play at the nursery, children’s smiles will grow, along with their excitement for the new year.

Be sure to spend a heartwarming time with New Year–specific recreations.