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[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 & Kindergarten] Setsubun Gets Exciting! Performance Ideas (1–10)

Demon Parent and Child

@soiflhoiku
Setsubun hand play 👹#Nursery school Kindergarten Teacher Aspiring childcare worker Nursery teacher / Childcare worker #NurseryTeacherThings child 1 year old 2 years old Nursery School Practicum Hand games Setsubun Demon Setsubun hand play # Demon’s Hand Play Oni Parent and Child
♬ Loose and relaxing 3 beats cute recorder(1229428) – ruby

Speaking of oni (ogres), they remind us of the thunder god, don’t they? In this hand play, a child oni, a father oni, and a mother oni appear.

Use both index fingers to make horns on top of your head, and use your hands and arms to represent the thunder god.

When the rumbling thunder starts, rotate both fists in front of your chest, and when it flashes, quickly open both hands in front of your face.

The basic movements are the same for all the oni, so change your tone and volume depending on the oni you’re playing.

Try making the child oni’s movements small and the father oni’s movements big.

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Attention childcare workers! How to play the role of an ogre

@nexus_official5
Setsubun is coming up soon. Nursery teachers! What kind of oni (ogre) will you play this year? Please take a look at Nonno’s carefully crafted oni!#nexus #memorytree nursery school Nursery teacher / Childcare worker Setsubun Demon 👹February 3 Bean-throwing (Setsubun)
♬ Runaway Baby – Bruno Mars

If you’re going to do a full-on bean-throwing for Setsubun, you can’t go without an oni, right? At daycares and kindergartens, teachers may even dress up as an oni and appear in front of the children.

Here are some easy ideas to turn yourself into an oni! First, wear a matching tracksuit in the same color as an oni’s skin.

Then put on an oni mask, and top it with an afro wig with horns.

Pull tiger-print shorts over your tracksuit pants, and finish the look with black gloves and long black room socks.

You’re all set!

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Hand play ideas perfect for Setsubun

@nexus_official5
I tried a hand game that could be used for Setsubun! Please give it a try 👹#memorytree nursery school #fyp Nursery teacher / Childcare worker Childcare student #nexus Hand games Tsuno tsuno tsūno Setsubun
♫ Original Song – BonBon Academy – BonBon Academy

It’s not about an oni itself, but a fingerplay song themed around oni horns.

You raise both index fingers and move your hands up and down to the lyrics that go “tsuno tsuno tsuno~.” Then you show one horn… two horns… by placing your index fingers on top of your head to represent horns, and you strike poses or change your facial expression to match the “◯◯ horns” part.

For example, for “stretching horns,” you fling both index fingers upward above your head, and for “sleeping horns,” you close your eyes.

Have fun thinking with the children about what kinds of horns you can express.

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[Nursery & Kindergarten] Liven Up Setsubun! Performance Ideas (11–20)

Gymnastics! The Tango of the Red Ogre and the Blue Ogre

[Gymnastics • The Red Ogre and Blue Ogre Tango] Exercises and dance for Setsubun season! Let’s dance at nursery/kindergarten bean-throwing events and activities, or at home! Easy choreography and lyrics [Active Nursery Teacher Nakky]

Gymnastics! The Tango of the Red Ogre and the Blue Ogre

Let’s try dancing to “The Tango of the Red Ogre and the Blue Ogre”! Since it has solid choreography, it’s also great as a performance for Setsubun events.

After tapping your knees and shoulders, quickly open both arms overhead, or keep both arms extended to the sides and do a one-foot jump with a full turn.

The powerful moves match the song perfectly and are part of the appeal.

If two or more people are dancing, it’s nice to show off each person’s signature pose.

The choreography itself repeats, so kids can imitate it and have fun dancing along.

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Puppet Paper Theater ‘Momotaro’

For teachers! This is recommended as an activity for Setsubun events.

A famous story featuring ogres (oni) is “Momotaro.” It’s the story of a boy born from a peach who is named Momotaro and sets off to defeat the oni.

Defeating oni is a bit similar to the Setsubun bean-throwing that drives away oni, isn’t it? So let’s present the story of “Momotaro” to the children using a paper puppet show (peep show).

Even children who are scared because the oni come during bean-throwing might feel encouraged to try their best after seeing Momotaro’s bravery.

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Easy! Newspaper Theater

[Daycare] Setsubun Performance / Newspaper Theater / Easy Prep Yet Exciting [Bean-Throwing Event]

Easy! Newspaper Theater

Let’s make an ehomaki using newspaper! Use the first sheet as the seaweed, then stack additional sheets as the “fillings” suggested by the children.

Once you’ve finished stacking, roll it up while wishing for everyone’s good health to complete the ehomaki.

But we’re not done yet! Next, while pretending to eat it, the teacher will make a cross-shaped cut on one end of the newspaper with scissors.

After making the cuts, twist the center of the newspaper and pull it out.

Now the ehomaki has turned into a metal club (kanabō), so from here, let’s enjoy mamemaki (bean-throwing)!

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Gymnastics! Oni Ranger

[Gymnastics・Oni Ranger] Oni/Setsubun Dance! Fun for Bean-Throwing Events at Preschools and Kindergartens! Mitsuru & Ryota [Easy Choreography & Lyrics]

Gymnastics! Oni Ranger

In Setsubun, demons are the villains, but some kids might secretly think the demons’ strength is cool.

Here’s a gymnastics song that those kids are sure to enjoy: “Oni Ranger.” In this song, three heroes of justice appear: Red Oni Ranger, Blue Oni Ranger, and Pink Oni Ranger.

Pick your favorite Oni Ranger and try dancing along.

Since it’s a gymnastics routine, focus on making big, full-body movements.

During the instrumental break, you can move freely.

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