Games that liven up festivals. Ideas that children can enjoy.
Festivals and fair days are fun events that kids can take part in, aren’t they? In addition to local festivals, many kindergartens, nursery schools, and elementary schools also plan summer festivals, don’t they? In this article, we’ve gathered ideas for festival games and activities recommended for those who want to find games that kids will love or want to know about events beyond food stalls.
It’s packed with fun ideas you can enjoy both indoors and outdoors, so please use it as a reference.
If you’re making the games by hand, having the children help will make great memories!
- [For Kids] Fun Entertainment and Activities to Liven Up a Festival
- Great for festival stalls! Handmade game ideas
- Fun for adults and kids alike! Home festival ideas to capture the lively spirit of a Japanese matsuri
- [For Elementary Schools] Recommended Exhibits and Recreational Activities for a Cultural Festival
- Liven up your children’s club event! A collection of ideas everyone can enjoy
- [For Kids] Popular party games. Fun games that get everyone excited
- Elementary School Fun Day a Big Hit! Indoor Game Idea Collection
- Handmade summer festival games: a collection of ideas you can enjoy at kindergartens, daycare centers, and at home.
- [For Kids] Today's Recommended Recreation Idea Collection
- Recommended for school cultural festivals! Stall ideas that let you enjoy a traditional fair atmosphere
- Handmade decoration ideas for summer festivals
- Recreation Activities That Excite Kids’ Clubs! Plans and Ideas Children Will Love
- [For Kids] Fun Indoor Game Ideas for After-School Day Services
Games that liven up a festival. Ideas that children can enjoy (51–60)
children’s taiko drums
When you think of festival music, it’s all about the flute and the taiko drums, right? In some regions, there are children’s taiko teams, and festivals often serve as their recital.
Even if you don’t practice year-round, preparing for the festival and putting on a performance can really liven things up.
We don’t get many chances to hear taiko drums, so it’s great to experience their sound in person at events like these.
grab bag
How about a candy grab, where you fill a box with lots of sweets and let people scoop them up with a ladle or their hands? It keeps costs low, people can eat what they get right there, and it also makes a nice take-home treat—so these grab-and-go booths are said to be popular.
It’s exciting and fun when someone manages to grab a lot of candy.
When stocking up, it’s convenient to use a local candy wholesaler or shop online.
If you put the candy in a large inflatable pool and have participants grab it with a toy grabber arm, it adds even more of a game element.
Okonomiyaki Game
A perfect pick for summer festivals and fair booths is the “Okonomiyaki Flipping Game,” which is fun to watch and even more fun to play.
Using a spatula, players try to flip a large okonomiyaki made from felt or cardboard—simple, yet super exciting! You can adjust the size of the tools and the difficulty to match kids’ ages, which is a big plus.
Decorate it to look realistic and you’ll feel like you’re at an actual food stall.
You can also tweak the gameplay however you like—time the flips, aim for consecutive successes, and more.
It’s safe to enjoy indoors, easy to set up, and perfect for creating an event filled with laughter and cheers.
Takoyaki Ball Toss
@yumelabo Hello, this is Yume Labo! Here’s Part 2 of the second installment introducing the summer festival corners from the Kannon Classroom⭐️ We’ve made a small improvement to the takoyaki machine, adjusting it so it goes from a slant to a flat surface. It’s now easier for children to put them in! The staff member from last time is making a comeback—how many will fit this time!? The summer festival is finally happening this weekend! We hope parents and children will enjoy it together 😊#YumeLabPraise-based therapyChild Development SupportChild Development Support Yume Lab#HandmadeToysA child's potential is limitless.Aki District, Fuchu TownNishi Ward, Hiroshima City#Minami Ward, Hiroshima City#Parent-Child Event#TherapeuticSupportGoodsExercise TherapySummer FestivalTakoyaki
Sounds great! – Appare!
Let’s have fun throwing balls! Here’s an idea for a Takoyaki Ball-Toss game.
When you think of summer festivals, delicious food stalls are the highlight, right? This time, let’s try a ball-toss game decorated like a takoyaki stall.
Cut nine holes into a black cardboard panel.
It’s cute if you color the balls to look like takoyaki.
The key is to control your strength so the takoyaki balls land in all the holes! Be sure to include this at your summer festival.
Lucky Ball
Lucky Ball is a game whose play style and format vary by region.
Similar attractions are popular at places like Disneyland and Universal Studios Japan.
You line up cups or use a pegboard-style target with holes drilled into a board, then throw balls about the size of a baseball.
You can set your own rules—like getting the ball into a designated color, or lining them up vertically and horizontally like bingo.
As long as you can throw a ball, anyone—young or old—can enjoy it, so it’s perfect for festivals that draw a wide crowd.
And don’t forget to prepare some eye-catching prizes!