Recommended outdoor games and recreational activities for lower elementary school children

Hand-holding dribble relay

Recreation and Games for Elementary School Kids at Children’s Association Farewell/Welcome Parties and After-School Care Events — Relay Activities Edition in the Gym

This recreational game is a team competition.

Several people form one team, and everyone stands in a circle holding hands.

While keeping your hands linked, you kick the ball along and compete to see which team can reach the goal the fastest.

Since it’s important not to lose sight of the ball, the game builds concentration and fosters team unity.

Tail-tag game

Physical activity play to improve children's motor skills: 1-2. Tail Tag

Introducing a perfect recreation activity for elementary school kids that gets them moving while having fun with friends through games.

The tail-tag game is a playful activity that helps develop quick movements.

First, several players each put on a “tail” and wait.

At the start signal, they try to grab each other’s tails.

The goal is to see how many tails you can collect within the time limit.

Prepare spare tails in the center of the court.

If your tail is taken, attach a spare tail and jump back into the game.

Compete to see how many tails you can grab within the time, all while developing keen observation and agile movement skills through play.

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Birdcage play

Birdcage Game — Using Ringbee and Dodgebee (After-School Care Recreation)

Do you know the game called Torikago-asobi? In short, it’s like a “keep-away” ball game that’s great fun and really livens things up outdoors in open spaces or at camps.

The basic idea is to keep the ball from being taken, similar to soccer.

In soccer it’s called rondo, but torikago has looser rules, so it’s more play-oriented and works well as a fun recreational activity.

Within a set area, players pass the ball around so the defenders can’t win it, building both attacking and defensive skills while playing.

It’s easy to adapt the rules, so it’s a blast when everyone plays together.

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nikki

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The Seven Children of Abraham

Abraham Has Seven Children: Campfire Edition. Father Abraham in Campfire.

This is a simple game played to the song called “Seven Sons of Abraham,” where you move your body.

You start by moving only your right hand, then gradually add parts like your left hand and feet.

It’s easy to run if one person demonstrates in the center and the others join by calling back to them.

A key feature is that you can add variations—not only which parts to move, but also how to move them.

Because the structure is simple, people of any age can enjoy playing together.

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kappamaki

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Cat and Mouse

Physical play to enhance children's motor skills: 4. Cat and Mouse (Mouse Trap)

This is a team-based game themed around cats and mice.

The players acting as cats hold hands to form a large circle, and the game starts with the mice inside that circle.

The mice try to escape to the outside through gaps between the cats’ hands, while the cats crouch, stand, and take other actions to block the mice from getting out.

Teams switch roles, and the team whose mice escape more times wins.

As you repeat the game, both escaping and blocking strategies improve, so it may be more exciting not to end after just one round.

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kappamaki

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dodgeball

The result of a serious dodgeball showdown with Hikakin lol [100-person special]

Dodgeball is played on a rectangular court divided into two, with the offensive side throwing the ball at the defenders’ bodies.

If a defender is hit, they’re out, and the first team to get all of the opposing defenders out wins—a simple rule set that’s part of its appeal.

Many people probably have memories of playing it over and over again in their schoolyards or gymnasiums as children.

When playing dodgeball, an important point is to consider safety, such as using a softer ball for lower elementary grades.

You can also add special rules so everyone can enjoy the game—for example, allowing children who aren’t confident in sports to get an opponent out even if the ball bounces once before hitting them.

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Yuuki

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Big Game Hunting

Let's go hunt wild beasts – campfire – Osaka Prefecture JRC Training Center 2016

Do you know any games, recreational activities, or “beast-hunting” games you can enjoy while camping or outdoors? The leader says, “Let’s go hunt wild animals,” and everyone follows by repeating the same words.

Everyone also copies the leader’s gestures.

Part of the fun is the mimicry.

At the end, you listen to the number of syllables (characters) in the animal name the leader says, and then group yourselves according to that number.

The more people there are, the more fun it is, so it’s popular at school camps and similar events.

Since it doesn’t require any equipment, you can play it both indoors and outdoors.

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nikki

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