Outdoor games for large groups. Fun, exciting games for kids.

Hand-Holding Tag

Hand-Holding Tag

This is a game created as a variation of tag.

You can tell that while the children were playing, they were thinking, “How can we make tag even more fun?” Their imagination never fails to excite me.

You can play it anywhere as long as you have a space about the size of a park.

What makes it different from regular tag is that when someone is tagged, they hold hands with the tagger and keep playing as part of the game.

As time goes on, the chain of taggers holding hands gets longer.

The last person remaining wins.

Because the rule is to hold hands, it also seems like a good activity for building communication with new students!

Tail tag

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

This is a variation of the game of tag.

It’s also written as “Shippo Oni” or “Shippō Oni” (tail tag), and it’s often played as an event at school sports days.

The playing field is a square about 10 meters on a side, and roughly 20% of the participants are designated as “it.” Those who are not “it” tuck a towel into the back of their waistband to serve as a tail.

When the game starts, the taggers try to snatch the towels (tails).

If your towel is taken, you lose.

There’s also a rule variant where spare towels are placed in the center of the field so players who lose their tails can replenish them.

It’s a great outdoor game that gets really lively with a large group!

Hana Ichi Monme

Warabe Uta 2-6-2: Hanaichimonme — How to Play

In Hana Ichi Monme, the word monme refers to a unit of currency.

It means “Please give me one monme’s worth of flowers.” In other words, they trade by price rather than by number of stems.

It’s considered a girls’ game, where children split into two teams and negotiate for the members they want.

Almost all older people know this game, so it could be nice to learn and play it together at intergenerational gatherings.

The lyrics of Hana Ichi Monme vary by region, so comparing the differences is fascinating.

It’s one of those familiar games we’d love to pass down—played in the home garden or in a nearby back alley.

Let’s go hunting for wild animals.

[You can also see childcare in action] Ms. Rio’s active play [Big Game Hunting]

This is a game for preschoolers and lower elementary students that you play with the chant “Let’s go on a bear hunt!” The leader says the names of various animals to the rhythm of the chant, and everyone forms groups and sits according to the number of syllables in the animal’s name.

For example, if the leader says “lion,” that’s four syllables, so make groups of four and sit down.

Be careful—if you can’t form a group, the beast will eat you! Repeating the chant and forming groups makes it lively and fun.

As long as the leader knows the chant, anyone can play.

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sasashina

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kickball

When grown-ups play kickbaseball seriously, it’s insanely fun!! [Vs. Japan National Soccer Team]

It’s a game that became popular on a segment of the TV show “Yume ga MORI MORI,” which featured Hiroko Moriguchi, Kenji Moriwaki, and SMAP.

There are even organizations that play it as a sport, and it’s sometimes called foot baseball.

Like baseball, there’s a pitcher, but instead of throwing the ball, the pitcher rolls a soccer ball–sized ball toward the batter.

The batter kicks it back.

The rest of the rules are the same as in baseball or softball.

When younger children play, the ball is sometimes placed on home plate for them to kick from a standstill.

Since there’s no risk of whiffing and falling over or spraining an ankle, the rule of placing the ball might be better when playing with small children.

I’d love to play it on a large athletic field!

Number Dodge

numbered badge

All participants wear numbers and play dodgeball.

Players are numbered sequentially starting from 1.

If you hit someone with a larger number than yours, a number of players equal to the difference between the two numbers must move to the outer field.

For example, if the player with number 3 hits the opposing player with number 6, three players from the opposing team go to the outer field.

If you hit someone with the same number as yours or a smaller number, only that person moves to the outer field.

Higher-numbered players are easier targets, so plan a strategy and assign your team’s numbers wisely!

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utatane

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long rope jumping

A new record with the long rope! The children are overjoyed!

There are probably many people who say, “I’m not good at single jump rope, but I can do double dutch (long rope)!” I remember doing it in elementary school PE and at class matches in junior high.

It’s great to have a game that brings everyone together.

If it’s the type where people take turns running into the rope one by one, you compete on how many people can get through successfully.

If it’s the type where about ten people jump at once, you compete on how many consecutive jumps you can do.

The key to having fun is not pinpointing who got caught in the rope.

Once you start looking for the “culprit,” the fun really disappears.

In fact, the people turning the long rope are more important, and tall, strong people are said to be best suited for it.

It could be a great icebreaker for events with new students or new members.

Wouldn’t it be nice to romp around and enjoy it under the sun?