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!
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Games that liven up festivals. Ideas kids can enjoy (21–30)
Basketball
If you’re looking for a game that excites crowds at festivals and fairs, basketball is a great pick.
It’s easy to incorporate into preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school events, and its simple rules make it highly engaging.
Using a mini hoop or basket, players just throw a ball from a set distance, and every successful shot draws cheers and energizes the venue.
You can adjust for age by giving younger kids smaller balls or closer shots, and increasing difficulty for older kids.
Adding a scoring system or prizes boosts motivation even more.
It’s a versatile game that’s fun both indoors and outdoors, so we highly recommend it.
Number push
Number Push lets kids experience the fun of moving their bodies.
In addition to the rule of touching the number cards on the wall in order, the key twist is that players must hold a balloon and keep it floating in the air at all times.
If the balloon drops, they have to start over, so both caution and speed are required.
It builds a sense of rhythm and reflexes, and the game encourages kids to move energetically.
Small groups can take turns, avoiding crowding while still sparking a competitive spirit and bringing lively energy to the festival venue.
Because it engages both seeing and touching at the same time, it keeps children interested and eager to try again.
Slack Out-style target game
You often see baseball players on TV shows testing their control by throwing balls at panels with numbered targets, like in a strikeout challenge.
The kids’ version of that game is called a target game.
The idea is the same as strikeout: you throw a ball at the numbered sections and see if you can hit them accurately.
Using light items like rubber balls makes it safe and fun even for small children.
maze
Mazes always draw huge crowds at any event.
They may look hard to make at first glance, but one of their charms is that they’re easy to build using everyday materials like cardboard! Since fairs and festivals are usually held outdoors, rather than using cardboard, we recommend making use of nearby community centers or the intricate features of natural landscapes.
You can set puzzles along the route like an escape game, add various tricks to give it a haunted-house feel—there are lots of ways to enjoy it! Create a maze that gets hearts racing and sparks excitement, tailored to the ages of the children participating.
Corinth game
Also known as a pachinko game, the classic Corinth game is something you often see at festivals.
You can win various prizes depending on the points for where the ball lands, and since you never know where the ball you launch will end up, you can enjoy the excitement right up to the end.
Although it has an image of being an old-fashioned pastime, it’s sometimes made as a summer vacation project, so it’s surprisingly familiar to kids today as well.
Small ones are fun to make yourself, but there are also places that rent out larger versions for a few thousand yen.
If your festival is on a larger scale, it might be worth taking the plunge and renting one.
Slime Treasure Hunt
A slime treasure-hunting game where you turn the pool water into slime and search for hidden prizes inside.
There’s a product called slime powder, and using it lets you easily transform water into slime.
Lots of kids love slime, and if you play in summer it might feel nice… or maybe a little gross? Either way, you can enjoy a quirky kind of treasure hunt.
Put in small items like super balls, and the child who collects the most within the time limit wins! How about offering prizes to the winners? If you fill a vinyl pool with water and run it there, it won’t take up much space, so it’s great for small festivals.
crane game
If you want to create an authentic festival vibe, a handmade “claw machine” is perfect.
It can be made from familiar materials like cardboard, string, and paper cups, yet the thrill of operating it feels just like the real thing.
The mechanism is simple—pull the strings to grab a prize—but kids get totally absorbed.
Using plush toys or sweets as prizes boosts their sense of achievement.
You can adjust the size and difficulty to suit daycare, kindergarten, or elementary school events, and it’s great for indoor play.
It’s a thrilling idea packed with excitement that can be the star attraction of a fair or summer festival.