[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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- Indoor games and recreational activities recommended for daycare and kindergarten
[For Kids] Indoor Activities! Large-Group Recreations and Games (11–20)
Color-finding game
Inside nursery schools and kindergartens, there are actually all kinds of items that even adults might overlook.
The “Color Hunt Game” is an activity where children look for objects in the color the teacher calls out.
Try simulating a wide range of colors—from easy ones like green, red, and yellow to trickier ones like purple, gray, and brown.
Clothing worn by the children or teachers counts too.
By happily searching for colors with friends, kids can have a wonderful time.
Another great point of this game is that it gets their bodies moving.
PET bottle darts
Traditional darts involves throwing darts at a target hanging on the wall, but because the tips are sharp, they can damage the wall or cause injuries.
Let’s adapt the game for kids.
A recommended version is “plastic bottle darts.” All you need are an empty plastic bottle and a pair of disposable chopsticks.
Remove the bottle cap and place the bottle on the floor.
Then drop the chopsticks straight down from above, aiming for the bottle opening.
If the chopsticks land neatly in the opening, you score points.
Repeat several times, and whoever has the most points at the end wins.
You can make it even more exciting by varying the points based on the height from which the chopsticks are dropped.
Saying the same things, doing the same things.
This is a game where everyone holds hands and plays in a line or a circle! First, choose one leader from the participants to give instructions.
The others hold hands in a line or circle and move according to the leader’s commands.
If the leader says, “Same words, same action, right,” everyone jumps to the right.
If the leader says, “Same words, opposite action, right,” everyone jumps to the left.
The leader should vary the calls—up, down, left, right—and whether it’s “same” or “opposite.” Let’s unite our minds and jump exactly as instructed!
Ball arranging game
The “Ball Lineup Game” is a game where teams place two different-colored balls on a 3×3 grid, and the team that lines up their balls in a row first wins.
Each team only has three balls, so you reuse them by rearranging ones you’ve already placed.
You can also play on a 4×4 grid with four balls.
Each team tries to make a straight line; after placing a ball on a square, you tag the next teammate to switch turns.
It’s a thrilling game where teams race to see who can line up their balls the fastest.
Human finger smartphone (likely shorthand for smartphone operated by human finger)
Ningen Yubisuma is a game where the members present form a circle, lower their heads, and then try to guess how many people will raise their heads on a given count.
For example, if there are 10 players, one person says “Yubisuma 5” and raises their head.
If, as a result, exactly five people have raised their heads, the guesser is considered to have cleared and leaves the game.
The role of the guesser should rotate in order, such as clockwise.
You can enjoy the thrill of “How many will raise their heads next?” and “I can’t get it right—what should I do?” When playing with children, adults should actively demonstrate as examples so everyone can feel comfortable and have fun.
Memory Drawing Game
This is a game where you present something everyone knows—like animals or popular characters—and players draw it relying only on their memory.
The rules are simple: the person who best recreates the subject wins.
It tests not only drawing skills but also the ability to capture distinctive features.
Consider including themes that are approachable even for people who aren’t confident in drawing, such as subjects with notable color schemes like a “panda.” You can also set specific focus points—like the color of the tail—and award points if those parts are correct, which should help everyone enjoy the game fairly.
[For Kids] Indoor Fun! Large-Group Recreational Activities and Games (21–30)
Word association game
It’s handy to have a game you can play indoors right away without preparing any equipment, isn’t it? In those situations, I highly recommend a word association game.
You pick a theme, then take turns saying words or naming things that are related to that theme.
It gets even more exciting if you add twists, like limiting each person’s response time or requiring answers to be said to a rhythm.
To ramp up the game aspect, you can also add a rule that you lose if you can’t think of an associated word or if you say something unrelated to the theme.
Have fun together!