[Entertainment/Performances] Ideas for Performances to Introduce at Kindergartens and Nursery Schools—Great for Children and Staff
At kindergartens and nursery schools, there are often opportunities to include entertainment and performances for fun.
Many teachers are probably wondering what kinds of activities they can plan for the children.
This time, we’ve gathered ideas that are perfect for such entertainment and performances.
From activities that children can take the lead in and enjoy themselves to ideas that teachers and parents can perform for the kids, we’re introducing a wide range.
If your ideas have become repetitive and you’re looking for something new…
Please use this as a reference.
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[Entertainment/Performances] Activities you’ll want to include at kindergartens and nursery schools! Performance ideas for children and staff (41–50)
Magic ‘Surprise Flower’
A classic for party entertainment and performances: magic.
Depending on your child’s age, you’ll want something instantly understandable that makes everyone gasp.
That’s why I recommend this trick, the “Surprise Flower.” You start with a sheet of paper wrapped with a ribbon like a present.
You untie the ribbon, open the paper that’s folded in thirds, and there’s an illustration of a flower.
It looks ordinary at first, but when you fold it into thirds again and open it once more—there’s a real flower inside! The secret is that a real flower is hidden behind the drawing, and the way you fold the paper makes the back flower appear instantly.
It’s a simple trick that really gets the crowd going.
Rearrangement Quiz
How about enjoying a party game where you turn letter rearrangement into a quiz? Each person holds a sheet of poster paper with a large hiragana character on it, and everyone lines up in a way that doesn’t reveal what word it spells.
The rest of the group then tries to guess the word.
Fewer letters make it easier; more letters increase the difficulty, so gradually adding more letters builds excitement.
Since being able to read hiragana is necessary to enjoy it, this idea works well for events like farewell parties for older kindergarteners that include participation from the middle-year kids.
Rock-Paper-Scissors Train
A perfect game for large groups is “Rock-Paper-Scissors Train.” While singing or playing music, everyone moves around freely; when the music stops, you play rock-paper-scissors with someone nearby.
The loser lines up behind the winner, and you keep repeating this.
In the end, you’ll have a single long train with everyone in one line! It’s a game that gets even more exciting when teachers or parents join in, so it’s great for many occasions like parent-child field trips or farewell parties.
Dance “Abraham’s Children”
The children’s song “Abraham’s Children” has long been beloved.
The tune is an American folk song, and the familiar lyrics featuring the “seven children” seem to have been added in Japan.
It has a cheerful melody and simple choreography, but with each additional person, new movements are added to match the lyrics: right hand, left hand, right foot, left foot, head, and bottom.
It all wraps up neatly with a final “The end!” Because most of the lyrics and movements are repetitive, it’s a performance that even very young children can enjoy watching.
[Magic] The Mysterious Paper Bag
![[Magic] The Mysterious Paper Bag](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/dhYfMqLG3Wk/sddefault.jpg)
Magic that makes communicating with children fun! Here’s a mysterious paper bag idea.
How about putting on a curious and delightful act that makes it look like the teacher has turned into a magician? Put a card with an apple illustration into a paper bag, do a countdown, and then—surprise!—a real apple appears from the bag.
The children will be fascinated by the magic and the teacher’s movements.
You can almost hear them asking, “How did you make the apple appear?”
Paper Plate Theater
It’s like a handmade animation where the picture changes as you move the paper plate.
First, you show a silhouette illustration and have people guess what it is.
Then you gradually transform it until the true image is revealed.
The paper plate has slits cut into it, and you make the illustration appear by sliding it through those gaps.
By revealing the answer bit by bit and prompting them to respond as soon as they figure it out, you can encourage them to keep thinking carefully about what the illustration might be without giving up.
Play: The Monkey and the Crab
This is a play based on the traditional folktale “The Battle of the Monkey and the Crab.” In addition to the monkey and the crab, characters like a chestnut and a bee also appear.
It’s a story about the crab and its friends fighting back after being tricked by the monkey, but when children perform it, it’s recommended to add creative twists, such as delivering unique lines or playing harmless pranks.
Wearing costumes to fully become each character and doing impressions will make it even more exciting.
It could also be fun to make the story end with the monkey and the crab reconciling.
