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)

Momotaro

[Skits] Transform into Momotaro! Demon-Slaying!! [Setsubun / Bean-Throwing] himawari-CH

Momotaro

How about putting on a Momotaro play based on stories the children come up with? Kids often have surprisingly fun ideas.

If you keep the basic plot of Momotaro defeating the ogres but tweak the story a bit, you’ll end up with your very own unique Momotaro.

If you record and edit it, it will become a keepsake you’ll cherish when you look back on it as an adult.

Should Dad take on the role of the scary ogre? Your child might even give you acting notes like, “Dad, do it more like this here.”

Raise the rankinglower

Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

Report a problem

Instrument performance

Easy Pianica Performance: Setsubun ‘Mamemaki’ — A Song Even Toddlers Can Play ☆ Tried Playing It on a Keyboard Harmonica

Instrument performance

Let’s all put on an ensemble with songs perfect for Setsubun! For instruments like the melodica, it’s helpful to put stickers on the keys so children can play even if they don’t yet know where do-re-mi are.

Some kids really struggle with keyboard instruments, so it’s a good idea to provide percussion options like tambourines, castanets, and drums as well.

Performances at daycare or kindergarten can spark interest in instruments, and some children may even start lessons.

At your event, be sure to give them the chance to try a variety of instruments!

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

Reading picture books aloud

[Picture Book] Demons Out! Good Fortune In! [Read-Aloud] Setsubun Oni wa Soto, Fuku wa Uchi

Reading picture books aloud

No matter how old they are, children always seem to love being read picture books.

Any story can be enjoyable, but for this season I recommend stories about the origins of Setsubun and about bean-throwing.

If children know why we throw beans, they’ll likely have even more fun celebrating Setsubun.

Libraries have lots of picture books, so borrowing a few and reading various ones to them is a great idea.

It might also be fun for parents and guardians to exchange information with each other about read-aloud ideas.

Raise the rankinglower

Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

Report a problem

Ogre Pants

[Children’s Song] Oni no Pants / Daisuke Yokoyama

Ogre Pants

Released in 1975 as a song by Seiji Tanaka, then NHK’s “big brother” singer, this piece is actually a parody of the original Italian song “Funiculì, Funiculà.” Still, many people probably think of “The Ogre’s Underpants” as soon as they hear the tune.

It seems this version has firmly taken root in Japan.

Many parents likely grew up with it, too.

There’s also a simple handplay dance that goes with the song, and singing it while dancing makes it even more fun.

Raise the rankinglower

Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

Report a problem

Demon slaying

[Setsubun] Become Momotaro and slay demons ♡

Demon slaying

It might be fun and memorable to put on a simple play with family, record it, and even edit it.

A story where little kids defeat an ogre is simple, but for children, facing a scary ogre can be a great experience in building courage.

It’s nice to watch it again when they’re older, and it could also be fun to screen it at a birthday party.

It’s a good idea for the adults to sketch out the story first and then explain it to the kids.

Raise the rankinglower

Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

Report a problem