Fun Setsubun Activities for Childcare: A Collection of Exciting Games and Craft Ideas

Demon Bowling Game

[Crafts] [Handmade Toy] Perfect for Setsubun! PET Bottle Oni Bowling Game

Introducing the “Oni Bowling Game,” where you throw a ball to knock down pins.

First, let’s make the pins and the ball.

Prepare several empty plastic bottles and stuff them with tissue paper.

Decorate them with construction paper to create oni (demon) designs, and the pins are done.

For the ball, simply crumple up some newspaper into a sphere and wrap it with colored tape.

Using tissue paper in several colors will make it look festive.

If the pins are too light and topple too easily, try using colored water or something similar instead!

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Pak-kun Tag Golf

[Ages 0–2 (Infant Class)] “Oni Game (Let’s Enjoy Seasonal Play)” | Minami Senrioka Yuiku-en [Nursery/Kindergarten Event]

This is a game where you make an ogre target out of cardboard and paper cups, and try to get balls into the ogre’s mouth.

It’s a good idea to decide in advance how many balls it takes to defeat the ogre.

You move the balls using a homemade golf club.

You can probably make one if you have a long stick-shaped item and a roll core, like from plastic wrap.

Unlike throwing by hand, aiming is a bit harder—which is exactly what makes it fun.

You can play this game indoors or outdoors, so work together as a team or class to take down the ogre!

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A bean-picking game for practicing with chopsticks

Handmade Toy: A Bean-Picking Game for Setsubun That Lets You Practice Using Chopsticks

Beans are essential for Setsubun.

You eat as many as your age, and they’re used for driving away demons.

This is a game that uses those beans.

Using chopsticks, move the beans to the dish next to it.

You can compete for the best time individually, or set a number like “five per person” and enjoy a team match.

Since beans are slippery, wooden chopsticks might make them easier to pick up.

It’s also fun to stick a demon’s face on the bottom of the bean dish so that, once all the beans are moved, a crying demon face appears.

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Target game where the oni’s face changes

[Handmade Toys] Oni-Busting Game for Setsubun Bean-Throwing | Easy Crafts Kids Will Love | Great for Families with Children, Daycare and Kindergarten Projects | DIY Using Empty Milk Cartons and Recycled Materials

Let’s have fun with a demon-themed target game made from a milk carton.

This version has two types of demon faces attached to the sides of the carton: when you hit and knock down the target by throwing a ball at the scary-looking demon, a sad-faced demon appears.

First, leave about 5 cm from the bottom of the milk carton, then cut along the corners so that each side can be separated.

Cut off two of the sides and leave the other two.

Decorate the remaining parts with construction paper.

Finally, attach a scary demon face to the inside of one of the remaining sides, and a sad demon face to the outside of the other side to complete the target.

Use a small, lightweight ball.

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Eurhythmics “Mame Mame, Pah”

[Setsubun Play] 'Mame-mame, Pa' (Bean-Throwing Eurhythmics)

This is a Setsubun-themed eurhythmics activity using a loop towel.

In this version, you identify the direction the oni (demon) is coming from by sound, and throw the towel, treating it like beans.

Actual bean-throwing is fun, but cleaning up can be hard and it may pose a choking risk for small children, so this is a good alternative.

The towel loops around the hand for a secure hold, so kids can throw it over and over without making a mess.

It’s also convenient because you can easily get one at a 100-yen shop.

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Setsubun ball-toss game

How about having fun with a ball game using ogres made from cardboard? The rules are simple: just throw a ball into the ogre’s mouth.

Infants don’t need to throw—putting the ball directly into the mouth is fine.

If you make the ogre’s mouth jagged, that alone can add a bit of excitement and thrill.

For preschoolers, assign different point values to each ogre and add a time limit so they can compete for the highest total score.

It should make for a pretty heated game.

Knock down the ogres and have fun playing!

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[Craft] Oni Den-Den Daiko (Devil Hand Drum)

[Setsubun/Craft] How to Make an Oni Den-Den Daiko? Easy with Cardboard!

How about making an Oni Den-Den Daiko, a toy you can play with during Setsubun? Use cardboard to make the drum body and decorate the oni’s face with construction paper and yarn.

For the striking parts, use twine and buttons.

For the handle, simply sandwich a chopstick between layers of cardboard to secure it—done! Please have a teacher or guardian tie the buttons to the twine.

This drum has an oni face on both sides, so you can make two different oni faces.

Encourage the children to change the colors and expressions of their oni as they create them!

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