[For Kids] Fun Entertainment and Activities to Liven Up a Festival
We’ve collected ideas for entertaining performances and attractions that will liven up large community fairs as well as school and daycare festival events.
Since these are aimed at children, this is perfect if you’re looking for things like “performances involving lots of kids” or “entertainment for children enjoying the festival.” We’ve selected a variety of ideas, from activities that are especially fun within a close-knit group to ones that get everyone excited—even among people who don’t know each other.
Feeling unsure if you can pull it off? Don’t worry—keep challenging yourself to create wonderful memories, and let’s make it a fun festival!
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[For Kids] Fun Entertainment and Booth Ideas for Festivals (1–10)
Kids band performance
A band performance is one of the attractions that really excites a festival, isn’t it? It’s great to have people who can play instruments perform, but forming a kids’ band for the event and having them join in is also a great idea.
Performing songs everyone knows creates a sense of unity and is sure to delight the crowd!
theater
When you want a show-stopping centerpiece that grabs attention, why not try putting on a play? It may be an elaborate undertaking—with scriptwriting, acting, sets, and direction—but it will be all the more captivating and create memories everyone will cherish.
You could choose a seasonal theme, add lighthearted comedic moments everyone can enjoy together, or incorporate simple dance routines.
Coming up with fun staging and clever gimmicks is surprisingly enjoyable.
Rally everyone as one team and put on a performance that’s truly worth watching!
Bamboo Dance
How about performing the traditional Filipino dance, the “bamboo dance,” as an attraction? In the bamboo dance, you step and dance while bamboo poles are opened and closed.
It’s a bit challenging because you need to learn the rhythm and match the timing, but if the rhythmic clacking of the bamboo and the elegant footwork come together beautifully, it will surely be a showstopper.
After the performance, you could also invite interested children from the audience to try it out.
[For Kids] Fun Side Shows and Entertainment at Festivals (11–20)
children’s portable shrine (for festivals)
One essential part of a festival is the mikoshi, isn’t it? A mikoshi is a portable shrine that carries the deity; it sets out from the shrine to spread the god’s power throughout the town and is said to have the meaning of warding off misfortune.
In the area where I lived, there were two kinds of children’s mikoshi: one carried by the older kids and another that the smaller children walked along with, pulling it by a rope.
Hearing the lively shouts of the children really energizes the spectators too!
manzai (a traditional Japanese stand-up comedy duo performance)
When it comes to entertainment that instantly brightens the atmosphere of a festival, manzai is the go-to.
A duo decides on a theme in advance and delivers quick-witted banter—playful jokes and sharp comebacks—about festival-related topics.
We recommend incorporating seasonal material and relatable “everyday” bits from workplaces or schools.
By keeping up a lively back-and-forth, the audience naturally gets drawn in.
The key is to wrap things up with a punchline that ties the story together and creates a peak of laughter.
It’s an idea that can deliver many kinds of laughs through snappy talk, unique expressions, and more.
balloon art
Balloon art, which you often see at street performances, uses colorful, long balloons that are inflated and combined to create pieces.
Watching a piece come together right before your eyes is exciting and fun, isn’t it? With balloon art, there are plenty of things even beginners can make, so it’s perfect for children’s performances too.
Start by practicing simple items like flowers or dogs.
If you gift them as accessories that can be worn on the spot, like on the arm, people will love it and it really livens things up!
Soran Bushi
The Soran Bushi is originally a folk song from Hokkaido.
It’s a song themed around herring fishing in Hokkaido, and these days it’s often performed at events like school sports days.
Kids dancing it in happi coats would be pretty cool and exciting, wouldn’t it? It works well with a small group, and with a large group it becomes a very impressive performance.