[Elementary School] Quick and Easy! Indoor Recreational Activities Perfect for Lower Grades
We’ve gathered a bunch of fun recreational activities that will make lower elementary school kids want to get moving! From active indoor games that offer plenty of exercise to brain-teasing games you can enjoy while thinking, these ideas are perfect for rainy days and cold seasons.
Kids can naturally deepen their communication skills by competing with friends or working together as a team.
Preparation is simple, and you can start right away—so make recess at school or time at home even more rewarding!
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Classic and traditional play and games (rule comprehension and hands-on/experiential) (1–10)
The card game Daifugō
Let’s align on the rules before we start! We’d like to introduce the card game Daifugō (Grand Millionaire).
It’s a card game where you can learn the rules while thinking about your strategy! Because rules may vary by region or household, it’s important to confirm them carefully before the game and make sure everyone agrees before starting.
Doing so prevents rule violations and helps the game proceed smoothly and enjoyably, so be sure to check.
It’s a deep game with a charm that makes you want to play again and again.
Definitely try incorporating it into your playtime!
Bomb Game
Kids love thrilling games, too.
The “Bomb Game” is a highly recommended, easy-to-play, exciting game.
Here are the rules: first, prepare a ball or something similar and sit in a circle.
Pass it quickly to the next person, one after another.
When the song or music ends, the person holding the ball “explodes” and is out.
Try playing while everyone sings a song you all know.
Classic and traditional play and games (rule comprehension and hands-on) (11–20)
Wild Beast Hunting Game
Just hearing the name “Mōjūgari Game” (Wild Beast Hunting Game) doesn’t make it easy to imagine what it is, but the content is a very simple activity.
After performing the customary song and choreography, an animal’s name is called, and everyone must form groups with the same number of people as the number of characters in that name.
For example, for “raion” (lion), you form a group of four and sit down as soon as the group is complete.
Anyone left out loses.
Since it’s a game about gathering the right number of people, the key is to keep a wide field of view so you don’t get left out and to call out actively to others.
Where are you from?
Let’s use the famous handball song “Antagata Dokosa” and try a two-person jumping game! Before you start, use masking tape (or similar) to make a grid on the floor.
Create a large square and divide the inside into a cross.
Make four squares total, each big enough for one person to stand in.
Once you’re ready, face each other and stand in the square on your left from your own perspective.
Jump to the rhythm, alternating left and right, and whenever the lyric “sa” comes up, jump forward! It’s quite a workout, so it’s great for getting some exercise.
Card game ‘Old Maid’ (Doubt)
The card game “Doubt” (also known as “Cheat”).
Since the goal is to see through lies, you get both a thrill and a sense of tension! First, shuffle the deck well and deal all the cards to everyone.
Hold your hand so only you can see it, then decide the order with rock-paper-scissors and start playing cards in sequence from 1 upward.
If you don’t have the required number, you lie and play a different card; however, if someone calls “Doubt,” you must take all the cards on the table into your hand.
The first person to get rid of all their cards wins!
Drop the Handkerchief
The tagger holds a handkerchief and walks in circles behind everyone sitting in a ring.
Without being noticed, they quietly drop the handkerchief behind one person, complete the circle, and if they touch the person behind whom they dropped it, they can switch roles and that person becomes the new tagger.
Even if they are noticed, as long as they reach that spot and sit down without being caught, they’re safe and the tagger is switched.
Menko game
The traditional Japanese game “menko” is perfect for indoor play.
Menko is a game where you use cards called “menko” to knock other players’ menko out of the designated area.
The way you throw the menko and the spot you choose to place it within the area can determine the outcome of the game.
Another fun aspect is that you can make your own original menko.
Try cutting sturdy cardstock into shapes you like, then drawing pictures or attaching photos to create your own custom menko and play with them.
