Wonderful entertainment/performances

[For Kids] Fun Entertainment and Activities to Liven Up a Festival

Keyboard playerSAKI
I’ve been playing the Electone since I was six, mainly performing Disney music, anime songs, and music from dramas and films. I post performance videos on YouTube and social media, and I also give concerts. Building on my Electone experience, I took up synthesizer and piano during my student years and performed at school-sponsored events. As a writer, I’ve covered not only music-related topics but a wide range of genres, so I hope to draw on my experience to deliver articles that make readers think, “I want to try that!” or “I want to listen to that!”
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSICsasashina
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSIC. JFC-certified fact-checker. I’m Sasashina, a mom currently raising an elementary schooler and a preschooler. During my student years at Kyoto College of Science and Technology, I studied a wide range of fields including sound, lighting, and video technology, building a foundation in comprehensive stage production and creative expression. After graduation, I joined a music production company, where I still work, consistently building experience in production and engaging in a variety of music-centered tasks. Currently, I mainly handle articles for children, drawing on what I’ve learned about parenting and what I feel and discover through daily interactions with my kids. I hope my work can be of help to you, even in a small way!

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!

[For Kids] Fun Entertainment and Booth Ideas for Festivals (41–50)

Clapping Fantasy

Fun March: Clapping Fantasy Music Festival

Clapping Fantasy

Let me introduce a lively performance that uses your own hands: Clapping Fantasy, which is also featured in elementary school music textbooks.

You’ll clap along to the instruments.

Try getting everyone to clap in unison, or split into clapping and non-clapping parts for variety.

The instrument can be a piano, a recorder, or a keyboard harmonica.

You can even swap handclaps for castanets or bells to make it even more fun.

When the clapping and instruments come together, both the audience and the children performing will feel their excitement rise.

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[For Kids] Fun Sideshow Acts and Performances to Liven Up Festivals (51–60)

projection mapping

[Mapping at the Kindergarten] Overnight Nursery Camp Mapping at Akatsuki Kindergarten [SHADECOR]

projection mapping

Projection mapping is also very popular as a form of illumination.

It’s a popular program that is sometimes projected onto large structures like the Tower of the Sun, Osaka Castle, and Nijo Castle.

How about trying projection mapping at a festival? It would make for a wonderful memory.

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English play

School activities in Tanegashima: Iwaoka Elementary School Iwaoka Festival 5th- and 6th-grade English play Momotaro learning presentation All-student chorus “Nijiiro”

English play

From seeing it in class to encountering foreigners in daily life, English has gradually become indispensable, hasn’t it? Among the many ways to learn English, how about focusing on speaking rather than reading and writing by staging a play performed entirely in English? It challenges students to improve both the quality of their acting and the smoothness of their English, testing their ability to handle different tasks at the same time.

For the story, well-known folktales are recommended so everyone is familiar with the plot—then they can notice how the impression changes when it’s presented in English.

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Chikirin Tournament

Children’s Chikirin Tournament, Wakamiya Hachiman Shrine Summer Festival 2018, Kanaike Minami 2-chome

Chikirin Tournament

Chikirin Bayashi is a folk song from Oita.

It’s a festive hayashi featuring drums and bells.

There’s a version that turns this hayashi into a melody with lyrics, and it’s said that Harumi Miyako released a recording of it in 1971.

In this Chikirin, the bell sounds take the lead and the rhythm is played at a slightly faster tempo.

If you use a small taiko drum and parade while playing, it really livens things up.

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body percussion

Let's try! Body Percussion: 100% Courage — Solo Body Percussion! Everyone, try creating your own rhythms! Akiko Yamamoto

body percussion

Body percussion involves using your body like a musical instrument, striking it with your palms to produce sounds.

How about choosing songs that children love or tunes that are likely to get them excited and giving it a try? It’s a performance that can be shown by a single person, and you don’t have to worry much about the number of participants, so it works well even with large groups.

Start with clapping, then as the song progresses, slap your knees, hips, and belly to create bold, resonant sounds! Since you use your whole body, it’s dynamic and also feels like a dance performance.

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Rakugo Children’s Performance

Jugemu: A Wedding Reception Performance

Rakugo Children's Performance

There probably aren’t many kids with the refined taste to regularly listen to rakugo.

So how about putting on a rakugo performance? Rakugo may seem difficult at first, but it’s often full of “funny and amusing stories,” so kids are sure to enjoy it.

With big gestures and sound effects, even younger children can have a good time.

It’s best to choose simple, easy-to-understand stories.

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Kids Flea Market

Both the sellers and buyers are kids! Kids Flea Market

Kids Flea Market

How about having the kids run a flea market by themselves? There are lots of items like children’s clothes and toys that quickly become too small or no longer age-appropriate, yet feel too good to throw away.

Let the kids take the lead in selecting items and setting prices, with other children as the customers.

It’s a great activity that teaches valuing things and the importance of money.

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