Fun activities with newspaper! Recreation games kids will love
We’ve gathered ideas for children’s games and activities using newspapers.
Newspaper play is fun to enjoy together with kids, so it’s easy to incorporate as an indoor activity at daycare centers, kindergartens, and elementary schools.
If it’s hard to get newspapers, try using advertising flyers or unwanted letters and notices instead.
Using colored paper will give the activities a different feel.
We’ve also included games that get kids moving a lot, so they can be active even indoors!
- [Childcare] Newspaper play ideas! With a little creativity, the ways to play are endless.
- [For Kids] Indoor Fun! Large-Group Recreational Activities and Games
- Indoor games that different ages can enjoy! Ideas for fun everyone can get excited about together
- Indoor Games for Small Groups: Exciting Recreational Activities
- [Childcare] Fun recreation ideas using paper cups
- [Childcare] Play Right Now! Recommended No-Prep Games
- Let's play with a big group! A collection of fun children's recreational activities
- Introducing easy-to-make newspaper toys! Once they're finished, you can play with them.
- [Childcare / Physical Play] Fun Activities to Get Moving
- Handkerchief and Towel Play! A Collection of Fun Play Ideas
- [Children’s Club] Easy and fun indoor games. Exciting party games
- Useful for childcare! Today’s recommended recreational activities, including fingerplay and games!
- [Nursery/Kindergarten] Crafts you can play with after making them
Fun games with newspapers! Recreation activities and games kids will love (31–40)
Newspaper Race
“Newspaper Race” is a game where you run toward the finish line while keeping a sheet of newspaper pressed to your body without letting it fall.
It sounds simple, but it’s actually pretty tricky! Of course, you’re not allowed to hold the newspaper with your hands, so you have to rely only on the air pressure against your body to keep it in place.
If you run too fast or too slow, the newspaper will drop.
It’s a thrilling and fun race where even fast runners aren’t guaranteed to win.
It seems like something people of different ages could enjoy together!
sword fighting
Just by rolling up a newspaper, it quickly transforms into a sword for mock samurai battles! Since it’s made of newspaper, it’s safe even if you get hit.
You can play with it indoors or outdoors.
If you get creative with how you roll it—rolling it on a slight diagonal—you can make a slightly longer sword, too.
Once your sword is ready, let the mock battle begin! If you really get into it, it might be good exercise not just for kids but for adults as well.
It could also be fun to use leftover newspaper to make decorations for the sword!
braid
It won’t make a neat braid like when you use colored construction paper, but you can still have fun braiding with thinly twisted newspaper.
Not only girls—boys who aren’t usually interested in braiding might be eager to try it if it’s with newspaper!
A driver made of newspaper!
With just a newspaper, you can be a driver too! Roll up a single sheet into a circle and it instantly transforms into a steering wheel.
Sit in a chair and say, “Where to, sir/ma’am?” and you’re a taxi or bus driver! Or imagine a cool F1-style race car and zoom off with a vroom! After you’re done playing, tear the newspaper into pieces and sprinkle it from above to make a flurry of confetti—newspaper confetti, that is.
Donguri Korokoro
This is a eurhythmics activity set to the popular children’s song “Donguri Korokoro.” Form pairs, face each other, and hold the corners of an opened sheet of newspaper together.
Place a crumpled ball of newspaper on top to represent an acorn.
Gently rock it, and at the end of the song, quickly lift the newspaper to launch the “acorn” up into the air with a pop! It’s a simple game that even children under three can enjoy.
Once everyone gets used to handling the newspaper, you can add variations—like passing the acorn to the neighboring pair in the middle of the song.