[Childcare] Play Right Now! Recommended No-Prep Games

Butt-scooting race

Getting this hyped over a butt-walking race!? #NACE Gymnastics Class

The “butt-walking race” is a lively game where kids move forward and backward using only their bottoms without using their hands.

It helps improve children’s physical abilities, so why not try it as a recreation activity at preschools or kindergartens? Since moving directly on the floor can sometimes hurt, make sure to lay down mats.

Alternate between backward and forward walking one person at a time, and turning it into a race might get everyone more excited than you expect! It’s easy to do in short spare moments, so it’s also great as a warm-up before outdoor exercise.

Adjust the distance according to the children’s ages and stamina.

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miyabi

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Storm Storm Big Storm Game

[Indoor Play] Even MatsuJun was shocked?! Indoor play!!

Let’s play using our heads and bodies! Here’s an idea for the Big Storm Game.

Depending on the age group, it’s helpful to prepare visual aids like sample diagrams or origami markers.

Assign one child as the squirrel and two children as the trees.

At the teacher’s cue, “A wolf is coming!” the squirrel moves to a different tree.

At the cue, “A lumberjack is coming!” the trees move to a different squirrel.

At the cue, “A big storm is coming!” everyone moves and pairs up with different friends.

To start, try playing while using the sample diagram or markers as guides!

Sinking Game

[For Childcare Workers] Teacher Rio’s Active Play That Gets Kids Excited [The Sinking Game]

The Sinking Game is a fun game where you can feel the thrill of “the ship might sink!” Place several mats randomly around a large space like a hall or gym.

These mats are the ships, so divide the children into groups and have them stand on the mats.

The teacher becomes a scary shark living in the sea.

When the shark (the teacher) calls out, “We’re sinking!”, the children must get off their current ship (mat) and move to a different ship (mat).

If the shark tags them while they’re moving, they’re out! If they can move to another ship without getting caught, they’re safe.

Try mixing in other words that start with the same sound as “chinbotsu” instead of saying “We’re sinking!” to make it even more fun!

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SAKI

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Animal Role-Playing Game

[Age 4] Animal Role-Playing Game — Body-Building Games for 4-Year-Olds | Torikai Yui-Kindergarten [Nursery School/Kindergarten]

Let me introduce the Animal Role-Play Game, where you pretend to be animals.

The rules are simple: you become the animal given as the prompt and play by running around cones or avoiding obstacles.

Because you move your whole body, it can really liven up parties and gatherings.

Wearing animal masks or making animal sounds while you play is also recommended.

When you start the game, make sure to secure a spacious area and play safely to avoid injuries!

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mayumi

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Cat and Mouse

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

If you’re looking for a game that lots of people can enjoy, we recommend “Cat and Mouse.” The rules are very simple—it’s a game similar to tag.

Each time the facilitator says “ne,” both the cat team and the mouse team take one step forward.

When the two teams get close enough, the facilitator calls out either “cat” or “mouse.” If they say “mouse,” the cat team chases the mice, and the mouse team tries to escape back to their territory without getting tagged by the cats.

It’s also fun to have the facilitator say unrelated words like “nezuko” to raise the difficulty a bit.

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Ryo

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Rock-Paper-Scissors Sugoroku

@kidschallengeclub♬ EMA – go!go!vanillas

Turn your room into a sugoroku board! Here’s an idea for a Rock-Paper-Scissors Sugoroku game.

Sugoroku is a traditional Japanese board game where you advance spaces using dice.

However, in this version, you move forward by playing rock-paper-scissors instead of rolling dice.

The rules are simple: win to advance, lose and return to the start.

Kids can join in easily.

Set up mats, balance beams, and vaulting boxes around the room to represent the spaces.

If you’re playing with a large group, holding it in a gym or hall is recommended!

centipede ogre

@yokohama_rs

#Centipede Demon (Mukade Oni)RecreationChildren's Play#SportsChildcareNursery teacher / Childcare workerTechnical collegeYokohama#RizospoLet's give it a try!Agility Training

♬ Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom!! – Vengaboys

Move nimbly and avoid danger! Here’s an idea for a game called Centipede Tag.

You probably know there are many types of tag, like Freeze Tag and Color Tag.

Have you heard of Centipede Tag, where you work together with teammates to escape the tagger? Assign one person as the tagger, and everyone else is on the centipede team.

The centipede players place their hands on the shoulders of the person in front and stay connected without letting go.

When the last person in the centipede gets tagged, the tagger switches.

It’s tough to escape from a freely moving tagger, but by cooperating, the centipede team will build strong bonds.