Lovely childcare

[Nursery Schools & Kindergartens] Liven Up Setsubun! Entertainment Ideas

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.
9 years of experience as a nursery school teacherShibata Risa
I am an active nursery school teacher with 9 years of experience. After graduating from university, I worked at a daycare center. The time I spent happily with children—playing piano, singing songs, and doing finger-play—are priceless memories to me. Currently, while raising three children of my own, I work at an after-school day service, engaging with children and providing individualized developmental support. Drawing on my diverse experiences as a childcare worker and as a mother, I hope to express and convey my thoughts through writing.

As Setsubun approaches, it’s the time when nursery schools and kindergartens start thinking about what performances to put on.

There are many ideas to liven up a Setsubun assembly, such as plays, dances, and finger plays that children can get absorbed in.

It’s also fun in ways unique to this season—cheers erupt when the ogres appear, and everyone moves their bodies to the bean-throwing song.

Here, we’ve gathered ideas for performances perfect for Setsubun events at nursery schools.

Please use them as a reference to make your Setsubun assembly full of children’s smiles!

[Nursery Schools & Kindergartens] Liven Up Setsubun! Performance Ideas (41–50)

Panel theater

Oni Pants♪ Panel Theater – Setsubun Bean-Throwing

Panel theater

Do you know about panel theater? It’s like a puppet show that uses a board covered with a special fuzzy fabric called panel cloth as the stage, and pictures made from a nonwoven material called P-paper are stuck on and peeled off as you perform.

You flip them over and move them around the stage as you act.

Since you don’t need to create elaborate backgrounds, it’s simple, and for those who aren’t good at drawing, ready-made panel theater picture puppets are available for purchase.

Please give it a try!

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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paper puppet theater

Setsubun Bean-Throwing (Paper Theater).mp4

paper puppet theater

Do you know what a “peep art” is? Peep art is an abbreviation of Paper Puppet Theater—basically a paper puppet show.

It’s easier to make than regular puppets, so give it a try.

For the story, we recommend something connected to Setsubun, like a tale about defeating the ogre in your belly.

It can be an original story or one adapted from a picture book—either is fine.

If you assign someone to act as the narrator who guides the story, it will be easier to develop the plot.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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Tango of the Red Ogre and the Blue Ogre

Oni no Tango 2014 T.T original choreography

Tango of the Red Ogre and the Blue Ogre

Speaking of “The Tango of the Red Ogre and the Blue Ogre,” it’s the song sung by Isao Bito that aired on NHK’s music program “Minna no Uta” in 1978.

The original video—famous for featuring lots of rabbits—was truly delightful, and inspired by that imagery, I created this original choreography for the song.

Dancing makes it more visually appealing, so it would be great fun if this dance became widely known to make the song more memorable.

It’s not too difficult, so please give it a try!

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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In conclusion

We introduced ideas for activities to liven up Setsubun gatherings at nursery schools and kindergartens.

There were plenty of options to choose from—songs and dances, paper puppet shows, and panel theater—tailored to children’s interests and developmental stages.

With read-aloud picture books that explain the origins of Setsubun and plays everyone can enjoy, there are many ways to have fun depending on your creativity.

Be sure to create a memorable Setsubun event together with the children.