[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 Recreational Activities and Games (21–30)
A Daruma’s Day
Many people have probably played “Daruma-san ga koronda,” but have you heard of “Daruma-san’s Day”? The rules are basically the same as “Daruma-san ga koronda,” except that the “koronda” part can be replaced with various actions.
For example, if the tagger says, “Daruma-san brushed their teeth,” everyone else must mime brushing their teeth.
If you can’t perform the instructed action, or your action isn’t recognized as matching the instruction, you’ll be caught by the tagger.
It’s a game that requires more thinking than “Daruma-san ga koronda” and is sure to spark lots of laughter.
Suitable for ages 4 and up.
human disentanglement puzzle
In the “Human Knot” game, everyone stands in a circle and crosses both hands forward.
Then, each person grabs the hands of two different people (not their own), forming a knot.
Let’s work together to untangle it until we’re back to a neat circle! Be careful not to pull forcefully or climb over others, as that can cause injuries.
It’s also recommended to appoint one participant as a “helper” to assist with the untangling—this makes the game safer and more enjoyable!
Anything Basket
The advanced version of “Fruits Basket” is “Anything Basket.” The way you play is the same as “Fruits Basket.” Players sit on chairs arranged in a circle, and the It-person stands in the middle and calls out a characteristic of the next people who will move.
In “Anything Basket,” anything goes—like “People wearing black clothes” or “People who drank milk this morning.” Anyone who matches what the It-person said moves.
And when “Anything Basket” is called, everyone switches seats.
It’s a game that makes you excited to hear what kind of prompt will come next.
Thunder Game
This is a game where you hide your belly button so lightning won’t strike you.
The children lie down on the floor in a row and cover their belly buttons.
Make sure to leave space so you don’t bump into the person next to you.
The leader playing the role of lightning approaches the children while rumbling, “Goro goro goro…” When the lightning says “Dokan!” (Boom!), the children must quickly lie face down to protect their belly buttons.
Use words that start with “do” to fake them out and build excitement.
How many people can fit? Game
This is a game where teams compete to see how many people can fit on a mat with a fixed size, such as a sheet of newspaper or a picnic blanket.
The team with more people wins, so discussing and communicating with friends is important.
The way children interact may even make adults think, “I see.” The process of figuring out strategies—how to win and how to stand on the mat—is a valuable experience for the children.
Since losing balance and falling can be dangerous, make sure to supervise so they can play safely.
Bamboo Shoot Gnocchi
Takenoko Nyokki is a classic game that many adults are also familiar with! You don’t need any props—just your body, and you’re ready to have fun.
The rules are simple: sit in a line in order and take turns saying “1 nyokki,” “2 nyokki,” and so on.
However, if you speak at the same time as someone else, or if you wait too cautiously and end up being the last one, you’re out.
It’s simple, but you can enjoy a psychological battle with your opponents.
Gesture Game
Gesture games, where you act out prompts using only your body, are a popular activity enjoyed by both kids and adults! You can adjust the difficulty by narrowing down the categories or intentionally choosing prompts that are hard to express physically.
Splitting into two teams and competing to see how many prompts you can clear within a time limit also adds excitement! It doesn’t take much space and isn’t very noisy, so try it at home too.
Think about what movements will get your message across, and work together to clear the prompts!