[For Kids] Indoor Fun! Large-Group Recreational Activities and Games
Spending time with children, indoor fun time is important, isn’t it?
Even when the weather is bad or when you can’t go outside due to coordinating spaces with other classes, kids can refresh and have a fulfilling time if you enjoy doing recreations and games indoors.
Here, we’ve gathered ideas for indoor recreations and games that work well with large groups.
We’ve divided them into activities for preschoolers and for elementary school children, so you’re sure to find ideas that suit the kids who will be playing.
Please use this as a reference!
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[For Kids] Indoor Fun! Large-Group Recreations and Games (41–50)
A Hit with Toddlers! The Traffic Light Game
Let’s play the ‘Traffic Light Game,’ which also helps you learn traffic rules! Everyone except the leader stands at the start line.
When the leader says ‘Green,’ jump forward one step with both feet.
When they say ‘Yellow,’ jump back one step with both feet.
If they say ‘Red,’ you must not move.
Listen carefully to the leader’s words, move accurately, and cross the crosswalk safely.
The rules are simple, but thinking with your head and moving your body instantly is surprisingly challenging.
Once you get used to it, speed things up and try increasing the difficulty!
Don-janken
This is “Don-Janken,” a game where two teams compete.
The teams line up at opposite ends of a straight line and start moving along the line at the signal.
When a player meets someone from the opposing team, they press both hands together, say “Don!” and then play rock-paper-scissors.
The loser returns to the end of their team’s line, while the winner continues forward along the line.
The team that advances by winning rock-paper-scissors and reaches the opponent’s side first wins.
Newspaper War
This is a game called “Newspaper Battle,” where you crumple newspaper into balls and throw them to play.
First, make many balls by crumpling sheets of newspaper.
Split into two teams and throw the crumpled newspaper balls into the opponent’s territory.
The rule is to throw the balls one at a time—you must not kick them in with your feet or throw multiple balls at once.
The team that throws the most newspaper balls into the opponent’s side within the time limit wins.
Rock-paper-scissors is fun even in the rain
Here are some rock-paper-scissors games you can enjoy indoors with kids even on rainy days.
“American Rock-Paper-Scissors” reverses winning and losing, so it makes you think.
“Body Rock-Paper-Scissors” is a game where you use your whole body to show rock, paper, or scissors.
It’s recommended to decide in advance what movements will represent rock, scissors, and paper before you start.
In “Newspaper Rock-Paper-Scissors,” you stand on a sheet of newspaper while playing; if you lose, you fold your newspaper once and make it smaller each time.
In “Rock-Paper-Scissors Train,” the loser lines up behind the winner, and the train of players gradually grows longer.
Try these and find your favorite rock-paper-scissors game!
cross-handed clap
Cross-hand clapping, where you clap in sync with the leader’s movements.
The leader alternates raising and lowering their left and right hands, and everyone claps when the hands cross.
It’s easy when done slowly, but it gets quite tricky as the tempo speeds up and feints are added.
Adjust the speed to match the children’s ages, and try throwing in a few playful feints to make it more challenging.