[Childcare] From small to large groups! A collection of fun game ideas
Kids who love to play! Their innocent, adorable excitement as they find something fun every day is a joy to see.
Through lots of play and a variety of experiences, we hope they grow freely in both mind and body.
In this article, we’ll share plenty of fun game ideas for childcare settings.
It’s packed with activities you can enjoy at preschools or at home! Choose games that suit children’s ages and developmental stages, or adjust the rules to match their interests, and they’ll have even more fun.
Enjoy a wonderful time together!
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[Childcare] From Small to Large Groups! A Collection of Fun Game Ideas (71–80)
Chestnut Ogre
A tag game perfect for autumn! Here’s an idea called Chestnut Tag (Kuri Oni).
It’s similar to Freeze Tag, but the twist is that you transform into a chestnut! Choose one person to be ‘it’ (the oni), and everyone else runs to avoid being tagged.
If you’re about to be tagged, you can transform into a chestnut to create a barrier.
If a teammate touches you, you can start running again.
However, if you get tagged before transforming into a chestnut, move to the spectator area.
Rock-Paper-Scissors Balance Game
Let me introduce a Rock-Paper-Scissors balance game that gets your whole body moving.
Play Rock-Paper-Scissors with your friends.
If you win, hold a one-legged balance for 5 seconds.
If it’s a tie, spin around twice and then hold a one-legged balance for 5 seconds.
If you lose, spin around three times and then hold a one-legged balance for 5 seconds—great for getting your body moving.
For children who find one-legged balance difficult, it’s recommended to hold onto something while balancing.
When playing the Rock-Paper-Scissors balance game, make sure you have a spacious area and keep a reasonable distance from others, paying attention to safety.
Number rearrangement game
Let’s play a number-sorting game using playing cards.
The goal is to arrange the cards so that the smallest number is on the left and the largest number is on the right.
There are many kinds of playing cards, but cards with designs children love—like animals or popular characters—are recommended.
It’s even better if the number on the card matches the number of items illustrated.
For example, a card with the number 3 could have three rabbits on it.
Start with 2 or 3 cards at first, and increase the number as you get used to the game.
[Childcare] From small to large groups! A special feature of fun game ideas (81–90)
Number Bingo
As the name suggests, “Number Bingo” is a game that combines numbers with bingo.
First, using familiar number references like calendars and clocks, you make numbered pieces with plastic bottle caps.
Next, create a 3×3 bingo sheet and fill each square with numbers you like.
Put the numbered pieces into a bag, draw them like a lottery, and fill in the bingo sheet—that’s the basic flow of the game.
It’s an idea for getting comfortable with numbers through crafting and play.
The key is that it blends various hands-on elements like searching, making, and writing!
Daikon Game
Let me introduce the “Daikon Game,” a fun activity you can enjoy indoors while moving your body! Get everyone excited by having them pretend to be daikon radishes.
Lie down in a circle holding hands.
Stay in character as daikon and don’t let go of your friends’ hands so the ‘oni’ can’t pull you out.
The child who stays until the end wins! Rules vary by region, but if you link arms instead of holding hands, you can become even stronger daikon! It’s also fun to let the kids come up with ways to avoid being pulled out, so I highly recommend it.
Churippu sharippu
Hold hands with your friends and play while calling each other’s names! Let me share the idea for “Churippu Sharippu.” There’s nothing to prepare, so just hum the song together and play.
There are moments in the song where you call out names, which makes it great for learning your friends’ names.
It’s especially recommended for classes with new or transferring children! You can adapt the way you play, so it’s an idea that children from infants to preschoolers can enjoy.
Be sure to try it in your activities.
Hiragana Transformation Quiz
Add one letter to a word! Here’s an idea for a Hiragana transformation quiz.
これは幼稚園児がひらがなに親しむための楽しい方法です！例えば、くま（kuma, bear）に「る（ru）」を付けると「くるま（kuruma, car）」になり、たこ（tako, octopus）に「い（i）」を付けると「たいこ（taiko, drum）」になります。
Through the quiz, children discover the fun of how a word changes by adding a single Hiragana character to a complete word, making wordplay more and more enjoyable.
This can help them expand their vocabulary, deepen their understanding of Hiragana, and boost their motivation to learn new words!