[Elementary School] Indoor Games and Recreational Activities Recommended for Upper Primary Grades
There are lots of elementary school children who love the internet and online games, right?
Of course, they can build relationships and develop various skills through them, but many parents and educators probably feel, “I’d like them to play something other than games a bit more.”
Kids can learn a lot from new experiences, so we hope they’ll try a variety of activities.
In this article, we’ll introduce fun games and recreational activities suited for upper elementary grades!
All of them can be played indoors, so they’re perfect for days when you can’t go outside!
- Recommended for upper elementary grades! Exciting indoor recreation and games
- Fun activities for junior high school students. Recreation games.
- Fun Indoor Games for Elementary School Kids Without Any Equipment
- Elementary School Fun Day a Big Hit! Indoor Game Idea Collection
- Indoor games and recreational activities recommended for junior high school students
- [Elementary School] Quick and Easy! Indoor Recreational Activities Perfect for Lower Grades
- Indoor and outdoor activities that avoid crowding. Enjoyable for students from first to sixth grade.
- [Play Right Away!] Exciting Recreation Games Recommended for Elementary School Students
- Play ideas kids can enjoy from 1st to 6th grade [indoors & outdoors]
- [Elementary School Rec] Recommended Games and Performances for a Fun Party
- Recreation popularity rankings for junior high school students
- [Part 2] Recommended Indoor Activities and Recreation Games for December
- No worries even in the rain! Fun recreational activities you can do in the gym
[Elementary School] Indoor Games and Recreation Activities Recommended for Middle Grades (21–30)
Who am I? Quiz
Who Am I? A quiz that everyone—questioners and answerers—can enjoy together.
The questioner chooses a topic and gives hints and characteristics to the answerers.
The answerers think about what the topic might be and give their answers.
It’s a fun game that nurtures and stimulates thinking and imagination.
Once you get used to it, try adding a time limit or increasing the difficulty of the questions as you go.
We also recommend using real people or historical figures as topics.
Have fun and give it a try!
Catch
Catch is a game that can be enjoyed by both large and small groups.
Everyone forms a circle.
Each person extends their right hand toward the person on their right.
With the left hand, they stick out their index finger and place it on the palm of the person to their left.
When the caller says “Catch,” your right hand tries to catch the finger of the person on your right, while your left hand tries to escape from the person on your left.
It sounds simple to move your hands differently on each side, but it’s surprisingly tricky.
Fun for elementary school kids! 5 indoor activities
Indoor recreational activities that you can enjoy for short periods of time—such as on rainy days—are perfect for exercising both the mind and body, since the rules and movements vary by game.
Plus, enjoying each game by working together as a team helps energize communication among participants.
Competing with friends and enjoying games also leads to discussing strategies and experiencing the emotions of winning and losing.
Experiencing fun, joy, and even frustration through physical activity is recommended for fostering a positive mindset.
5 super fun activities
We’ll be introducing five activities: “Irregular Play,” “Swirly Tail Chase,” “Receive & Catch,” “Ball Rolling Play,” and “Cross Rubber Jump Tail Chase.” They mainly use a ball—putting it into a basket, catching it, and combining movements like hopscotch and forward rolls to get the body moving.
In “Swirly Tail Chase,” attach a jump rope instead of a string and run away from the tagger, changing directions between clockwise and counterclockwise.
For “Cross Rubber Jump Tail Chase,” stretch elastic bands across the room and escape from the tagger while jumping over the bands.
Saying the same things, doing the same things.
In “Same Words, Same Actions,” you jump right or left according to the leader’s instructions.
This game surprisingly engages the brain, making it great brain training for kids.
It’s a win-win to strengthen the brain while playing, right? The rules are simple too, since all you do is move as instructed.
Cat and Mouse
This is a game called “Cats and Mice,” played in two teams.
The cat team stands in a circle holding hands.
The mouse team goes inside the circle.
At the starting signal, the mice try to escape outside the circle by slipping between the cats’ hands, crawling under, or stepping over.
The cats stand up or crouch down to keep the mice from escaping.
Teams switch roles on a timer, and the team whose mice escape the most wins.
Exercise play you can enjoy at home
Even when you can’t play outside, you still want to move your body! In times like that, let’s enjoy some active play at home.
For infants and toddlers, try baby massage or touch-and-play activities.
For preschoolers through elementary school kids, how about a spy game with a treasure hunt or a round of table tennis on the table? For the spy game, setting up obstacles around the room and preparing a treasure map can really liven things up.
For table tennis, you can substitute household items: a tissue box for the net, a pot lid for the paddle, and a super ball for the ball.