![[Childcare] May events and activities at nursery schools and kindergartens](https://i.ytimg.com/vi_webp/kppLbwpMOhs/maxresdefault.webp)
[Childcare] May events and activities at nursery schools and kindergartens
May is full of events themed around nature and growth!
While enjoying the fresh greenery of the season, here are various ideas for celebrating with children in childcare settings.
May also includes Children’s Day.
It’s a great opportunity to celebrate children’s growth and deepen communication between adults and kids.
Be sure to enjoy the warm days of May together with the children.
Through fun events, may both children and adults spend a spring full of smiles!
[Childcare] May Events & Activities at Daycare Centers and Kindergartens (1–10)
A stroll with the carp streamers
https://www.instagram.com/reels/DJGT9hbBajn/Here’s an introduction to a perfect Children’s Day activity: “Carp Streamer Stroll.” Children carry carp streamer bags they’ve made from construction paper and other materials, and everyone enjoys a leisurely walk together.
Holding a bag they created themselves makes kids feel happy.
As you walk and spot roadside flowers and carp streamers swaying in the wind, you can feel the comfort of the season.
Even very young children can join without difficulty, and conversation naturally flows.
Because it combines the fun of making with the excitement of a walk, it’s a great way to create Children’s Day memories—highly recommended.
Balloon Whack Game
Watermelon splitting is a classic summer activity and a big hit with kids.
However, actually breaking a watermelon can be messy to clean up and carries a risk of injury, so it’s not easy to incorporate into activities at a nursery school.
This “Balloon Whacking Game” is an adaptation that lets you enjoy the fun of watermelon splitting safely.
Prepare a bat and an eye mask, some balloons, and ring toss rings.
The rules are the same as watermelon splitting: if you can hit the balloon with the bat while blindfolded, you succeed.
To keep the balloon from flying away, secure it with a ring from the ring toss set.
Have the children who are watching call out directions like “A little to the right” or “Left!” so everyone can participate and have fun together.
Panel Theater: The Carp Streamer Swallowed It!
Speaking of Children’s Day, it’s all about carp streamers! So how about doing a panel theater storytime themed around carp streamers, called “What the Carp Streamer Sucked In,” for the kids? The story begins with the carp streamer swimming along, looking like its belly feels heavy.
Since carp streamers always swim with their mouths wide open, it seems it unknowingly sucked in all sorts of things.
As you tell the story, encourage the children to think about what kinds of things it might have swallowed.
Finish by singing a song to wrap up the tale.
Celebrate Children’s Day! Sketchbook Theater
https://www.tiktok.com/@himawarihoikusi/video/7359143785093254416Here’s a perfect sketchbook theater idea for a fun activity.
Divide a sketchbook horizontally into four equal sections.
On one side, draw foods like strawberries and bananas, and on the other side, draw koi-shaped streamers (koinobori).
When you flip a food page, the koinobori “chomps” it and transforms into a koinobori of the same color as that food! Ask the children, “If it eats a strawberry, what color will it be?” as you go along, and they’ll enjoy it with excitement.
The color changes are engaging and really capture children’s interest.
Preparation is simple and easy to incorporate, making it perfect for Children’s Day gatherings or as a performance in early childhood settings.
Easy! Bomb Game
All you need is a ball! It’s the simple yet sure-to-be-exciting “Bomb Game.” The rule is to move from a designated spot to another designated spot without getting hit by a ball acting as a bomb.
You can lay out mats for clarity, or if many people are playing, mark spots with tape.
The key to keeping kids engaged is to start with a low difficulty and a relaxed pace.
From there, make the ball bounce or speed it up so they can enjoy its unpredictable movement.
Rather than focusing on winning or losing, why not include it as a game that everyone can simply enjoy?
How do you convey/express Children’s Day?
It’s hard to explain to children what Children’s Day is, isn’t it? If you just explain it plainly, they’ll get bored… To make it clear and keep their attention to the end, it’s a good idea to use illustrations.
Show pictures of carp streamers, kashiwa mochi, and samurai helmets, and explain, “We display this for this reason,” and “This is filled with these wishes.” It might also be good to move the story along by occasionally giving the children a quiz.
If there are parts that are hard to understand, take your time and focus on explaining those sections more carefully.
Pop-out! Card Magic
For Children’s Day, if you want to do something kids will enjoy, magic tricks are a great choice! Here’s a fascinating trick where, even though you put many cards into a bag, only the chosen one mysteriously pops out.
First, prepare several cards with different drawings on them.
Next, make a bag out of thick paper that’s just the right size for the cards.
Before forming it into a bag, attach a rubber band to the inner edge.
Finish making the bag with the side that has the rubber band as the opening—now you’re ready! To perform the trick, have someone choose one card, and first put the remaining cards into the bag.
When you put the chosen card in last, catch its edge on the rubber band as you insert it.
Then, at your signal, let go—and only the selected card will pop out!