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 that children can enjoy (41–50)
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!
children’s dance
A classic choice for recitals and performances is dance.
It’s an act that works regardless of the number of participants and is enjoyable for the audience too.
Large group dances are impressive to watch, and even with a small group you can create excitement by coordinating costumes and more.
If it’s for a festival or fair, it’s also great to liven things up with dances and songs in the style of Bon Odori.
Above all, children dancing are simply adorable, and I think parents and spectators alike can join in and have a lively, fun time together!
Bingo game
Bingo is a classic game for events that everyone—adults and kids alike—can enjoy.
Numbers are called as they come out of the bingo machine, and if you have the number on your card, you mark it.
Get a full line—vertical, horizontal, or diagonal—and it’s bingo! And of course, as with any bingo game, you can win prizes.
You don’t have to buy a bingo machine; you can rent one, and these days there are also apps, so it’s easy to enjoy.
New Year’s gift game
First, make a tray-like shape using a piece of cardboard.
Cut a hole in the center that’s slightly larger than the balls.
Put in ten or more balls, and compete to see who can drop all of them through the hole the fastest.
At first, since there are many balls, they fall quickly, but once there are only a few left, it gets quite tricky.
You’ll need to tilt it deliberately to aim, or they won’t drop easily.
Do your best and try not to get frustrated!
Curling game
A handmade curling game that lets you enjoy strategy and a satisfying feel using familiar materials.
Cut cardboard to your preferred size to create the course, then lay a PVC sheet on top to form a slick playing surface.
Use plastic bottle caps as stones and flick them with your fingers toward the target area.
Beyond the fun of aiming by adjusting force and angle, competing with friends makes it a hit at festivals and events.
You can also customize the caps—add stickers or weights—expanding the gameplay depending on your ideas.
Balancing competitive play with crafting, it’s an easy-to-join game for children from lower to upper elementary grades.
Empty Can Fishing Game
Introducing an “Empty Can Fishing Game” that kids will want to try over and over.
Just attach paper clips or rings to empty cans and use a fishing line with a magnet or hook to lift them—simple rules that even adults can’t help getting absorbed in.
It takes concentration and a bit of technique, making you want to keep trying.
Add point values to the cans or sort them by color to make it more game-like and even more fun.
Adjust the can sizes and distances to suit the child’s age so it can be enjoyed safely.
It’s easy to prepare, low-cost, and perfect for game corners at festivals and summer fairs.
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.