[Childcare] From small to large groups! A collection of fun game ideas

Anything Basket

[Exposé] Puchimo’s Anything Basket

In Fruit Basket, anyone who fits the prompt moves seats, and the person left without a seat gives the next prompt.

You’re ready once you arrange chairs in a circle with one fewer chair than the number of players.

The person standing in the middle calls out prompts like “People wearing white socks” or “People who wore a jacket today,” and everyone swaps seats accordingly.

Kids will come up with delightfully creative prompts that adults might never think of! Make sure to supervise carefully to prevent injuries during movement, and support the child in the center as you go.

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yuri

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Copycat game

Let's try it with the teacher! Copycat Game♪

Let’s have fun with body mimicry! Here are some ideas for a copycat game that’s sure to make everyone smile.

While copying the teacher’s movements, strike unique poses like animals or heroes and play together.

You’ll find yourselves laughing and saying, “What is this?!” as you move your bodies.

While playing, kids build flexibility and balance, and the best part is learning through fun—“Can you really do this pose?” You might even discover some unexpected moves!

Mukkuri Kuma-san

At the daycare, staff members introduce the activities that children enjoy.

Mukkurikuma-san is a game where everyone wakes up a sleeping bear—but once it wakes, it will try to eat you, so you have to run away! Choose one person to be the bear and have them crouch down.

The children form a circle around the bear, hold hands, and walk around while singing.

The song is used to wake the bear, but the bear doesn’t wake easily.

Once it does wake up, run as fast as you can so you don’t get caught! If you’re caught, you become the next “it,” the bear.

It’s a very simple group game that even younger children can play.

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utatane

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Musical Chairs

Musical Chairs (4- and 5-year-olds)

A classic recreation game: musical chairs.

Prepare one fewer chair than the number of participants, arrange the chairs in a circle, and have everyone walk around them.

Playing music makes it lively and easy to follow.

When the music stops, everyone must stop and sit in an empty chair.

Whoever can’t sit loses; remove one chair and continue until only one person remains.

If younger children are playing, it may be good to start with more chairs than participants at first and then reduce the number from there.

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utatane

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Mr. Wolf, what time is it now?

Daycare Grandeur: “Mr. Wolf, What Time Is It?” Game

A great game for when you want to run around and play outside is “Mr.

Wolf, What Time Is It?” First, choose one person to be the Wolf, who does the chasing, and the rest are Little Goats who run away.

The Little Goats ask, “Mr.

Wolf, what time is it?” The Wolf answers with any time they like.

In the version shown in the video, the Little Goats move forward the number of steps matching the time called.

When the Wolf says “12 o’clock (midnight)!” the Wolf starts chasing, and everyone else runs away to avoid being caught.

You don’t need any equipment, and it’s recommended for children around age three who can run a bit.

Since you have to run as soon as you hear “12 o’clock!”, it also helps develop attention and alertness.

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Yoimachi Jēn

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