[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) (11–20)
Rock-Paper-Scissors Train
This is the game “Rock-Paper-Scissors Train,” where a long single-file train forms in the end and you can instantly tell who bought it! You play music and everyone moves around freely in circles; when the music stops, everyone stops moving and finds someone nearby to play rock-paper-scissors.
The loser goes behind the winner, holds their shoulders, and follows them.
In the end, the final winner is at the front of the train and gets to show off with a smug face.
Musical chairs
In the classic recreation activity “musical chairs,” everyone forms a circle, and inside that circle you place a ring of chairs that is short by one or more chairs compared to the number of participants.
Then, with music playing, everyone walks around the outside of the chair circle, and the moment the music stops, it’s a free-for-all to grab a seat.
Because it’s a game that relies on hearing, it’s a fun activity that tests your reflexes—from ears to brain to body.
rhythm wordplay
This is a “rhythm word game” where you say prompted words in time with the beat.
Decide on a theme and pass words around that fit the theme.
For example, if the theme is “animals,” after a handclap someone says “Lion, three,” calling out an animal name and a number, then points at someone to nominate them.
The nominated person must say “lion” three times in rhythm and then pass it to the next person.
If you miss the beat or mess up the words, you’re out.
Finger Smash
The game known as “Yubi-suma,” whose name is said to have become widespread thanks to the variety show SMAP×SMAP, has long been played by children under names like “Issē no se” or “Issē no de,” so many people may have heard of it in their childhood.
All participants form a circle and extend both fists in front of them so that thumbs can be raised.
In time with a chant, players call out how many thumbs in total they think will be raised among all participants.
If a player’s prediction is correct, they lower one fist; the person left with a fist at the end loses.
With these simple rules, it’s a handy party game you can play anytime.
Newspaper Rock-Paper-Scissors
Newspaper Janken is a game played in pairs.
All you need is a single sheet of newspaper.
The rules are simple: first, each player stands on their own sheet of newspaper and plays rock-paper-scissors.
The loser folds their newspaper in half.
As you repeat this, the newspaper keeps getting smaller.
The player who can no longer stand on their newspaper loses.
When standing on the paper, it’s okay to balance on one foot or stand on tiptoe.
To prevent slipping, play this game barefoot!
Classic and traditional play and games (rule comprehension and hands-on experience) (21–30)
Chinese jump rope
Rubber-band jumping is a traditional game that lets children enjoy using their flexibility and sense of rhythm.
A looped rubber band is fixed around the legs of two people, and the jumper hops over the band—above, below, and between it—in various rhythms.
The height and movements vary, starting low and then raising the band to waist or shoulder level to increase the difficulty.
Jumping to a song creates a steady tempo, and everyone around joins in by keeping the rhythm.
There’s no single correct way to jump, which fosters creativity and free thinking.
It’s a smile-filled game whose simple movements and sense of achievement when you succeed appeal to a wide range of ages.
Back Telephone (a game like “Chinese whispers” played by tracing on someone’s back)
A communication-based game that sparks laughter and surprise: the Back-to-Back Drawing Telephone Game.
A few people line up in a single file.
The person at the front looks at a picture on a sheet of paper and traces it with a finger on the back of the next person to pass it along.
Each person continues the same way in turn, and the last person draws the picture on a whiteboard or similar so everyone can compare the result.
The more accurate the transmitted drawing is, the more surprising it is; if it turns into a completely different picture, it leads to big laughs.
Differences in drawing ability and perception stand out, and the unexpected twists are sure to energize the group.
The rules are simple, it requires minimal materials, and it can be enjoyed in classrooms or indoors.
It’s a game where communication and imagination are put to the test, and the unpredictable ending is part of the fun.