Lovely childcare

[Childcare] May Activities: Spring Outdoor & Indoor Play

20 years of experience as a nursery teacher / kindergarten teacherhiyoko sensei
I’m Hiyoko-sensei, a former nursery school teacher from Hyogo Prefecture. Ever since I was five, my dream was to become a childcare worker, and before I knew it, 20 years had passed since I achieved that dream. Through singing and playing with the children, I kept working with the spirit of someone in their twenties, even as I increasingly felt my physical limits year by year (haha). From here on, I’d like to share helpful information carefully and thoughtfully, drawing on my on-site experience.
9 years of experience as a nursery school teacherShibata Risa
I am an active nursery school teacher with 9 years of experience. After graduating from university, I worked at a daycare center. The time I spent happily with children—playing piano, singing songs, and doing finger-play—are priceless memories to me. Currently, while raising three children of my own, I work at an after-school day service, engaging with children and providing individualized developmental support. Drawing on my diverse experiences as a childcare worker and as a mother, I hope to express and convey my thoughts through writing.

In May, when temperatures begin to rise little by little from the warmth of spring, the fresh greenery is beautiful and it’s a season when you can spend lots of time in nature.

However, as the latter half of the month approaches the rainy season, there are more days with unstable weather, and you’ll likely spend more time indoors.

So this time, we’ll introduce activities that suit May’s climate and can be enjoyed both outdoors and indoors.

We’ve gathered a variety of May-recommended activities—from games that let kids move their bodies to their hearts’ content, to ways to savor nature, pretend play, traditional children’s songs, and even activities perfect for Children’s Day.

As children gradually get used to their new routines around this time of year, we hope you can deepen their connections with people and nature while sharing fun moments together!

[Childcare] May Activities: Spring Outdoor & Indoor Play (11–20)

Playing strawberry picking

[0- and 1-year-olds] We made strawberries and played pretend strawberry picking.

Playing strawberry picking

Strawberry picking is an activity where you pick and eat strawberries grown in greenhouses, and it’s very popular with children.

Let’s try a play activity themed around this.

Put crumpled flower paper into a clear bag to make strawberries.

After sealing the bag, stick black stickers on the surface.

Finally, decorate with green calyx pieces to complete the strawberry.

If you hang the strawberries with tape or clothespins, you can recreate the feel of real strawberry picking.

Try making these strawberries—they’re great for various situations like colored water play and pretend play.

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Playing Bento Bus

[1-year-olds] We had fun playing “Lunchbox Bus” pretend!

Playing Bento Bus

May, when you can feel the spring warmth, is a popular time for field trips and walks.

A perfect play activity for this season is “bento bus pretend play.” Make a bus-shaped lunch box out of paper and stick ingredient stickers on the inside to create your bento.

Pack it with your favorite items like rice balls, eggs, meat, and vegetables.

Once the bus is finished, hold the steering wheel, sing songs, and pretend to go for a drive.

It’s also fun to spread out a picnic blanket and act out a scene of eating lunch.

Why not try some indoor activities for May that let children enjoy a variety of play?

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Koinobori Tag

Childcare magazine Monthly Hiroba May issue - Physical Activity Play series 'GO! GO! 5 Guts!'

Koinobori Tag

This is a game of tag themed around koinobori (carp streamers), which are displayed in gardens and elsewhere when May arrives.

It’s best tried in a large space like a kindergarten or nursery school yard or a sports field.

First, draw lines on the ground to create a pattern that suggests the silhouette of a koinobori.

Place the “oni” (tagger) and the runners on the lines, and have them play tag along the lines.

If you’re tagged by the oni, crouch down inside the koinobori drawing and become a “scale.” The rule is that if another child touches a scale, that player comes back to life.

If the runners make it to the end without being caught, the children win.

It’s a game that fosters communication as the kids help each other.

Give this tag game a try to experience the feeling of May while enjoying the warm spring weather.

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Dandelion Play

Easy to do!? Dandelion games!

Dandelion Play

These are dandelion-themed activities that bloom in the warm spring season.

They can be enjoyed in kindergarten and nursery school yards, as well as on outings like field trips.

The first activity is a ring-toss game where children throw loops made from vines or ropes toward dandelions.

It’s also fun to boost the game element by competing to see how many dandelions land inside the rings.

The second activity is making a waterwheel using dandelions.

Cut slits into both ends of a dandelion stem and place it in water.

When the slit parts open up, thread a twig or similar through the stem and let water flow over it.

These are May activities that offer a chance to connect with rich nature.

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Cat and Mouse

[You can see the childcare in action] Teacher Rio’s active play [Cat and Mouse]

Cat and Mouse

Which team will win? Here’s an idea called Cats and Mice.

All you need to prepare is a base area for each team.

It’s best to make full use of the room so the children can move around freely and comfortably.

Split into a Cat team and a Mouse team, and play a game where you try to get back to your base without being caught by the other team.

The tension of concentrating so you don’t mishear whether it’s “cat” or “mouse,” and the thrill of running away, make this a fun activity that will have kids laughing out loud! Give it a try!

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Nursery rhyme “Yomogi Jōbu no”

Spring children's song / For the April–May seasonal festivals: [Yomogi-Jobu no]. I'd like to play it to coincide with the festival.

Nursery rhyme “Yomogi Jōbu no”

Yomogi Jōbu, a game themed around mugwort, which is in season in spring.

The person playing the “oni” (it) holds a bundle of mugwort and sings a children’s song.

When the song ends, the rule is that they chase and tap the runner’s bottom.

Tapping with mugwort leaves carries the wish to remove impurities and promote a healthy body.

If mugwort leaves aren’t available, you can substitute with wildflowers or a rolled-up newspaper tube.

It’s a game that allows for many variations, such as holding hands while singing and spinning in circles.

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[Childcare] May Activities: Spring Outdoor & Indoor Play (21–30)

Koinobori Pattern Search Game

A carp streamer pattern-hunting game themed for Children’s Day is sure to get everyone engaged and excited! Let’s add patterns to the laminated carp streamers.

Draw a card and find the specified pattern.

It’s best to start with easy tasks and then try more difficult ones.

If you’re playing with a group, decide the order and take turns.

Searching for a designated pattern among many different ones helps improve concentration, making it a highly recommended activity.

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