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

Pasta Twirling Race

[After-school Day Service] Pasta Wrapping Race! 🍝

Here’s a perfect indoor activity: the Twirling Pasta Race.

Prepare some “pasta” by attaching yarn to a paper plate with tape.

On the free end of the yarn (the side without tape), attach an empty plastic wrap core.

To race, hold the core and twist it to wind the yarn around it.

It’s a fun competition to see who can wind the yarn—pretend pasta—onto the core the fastest.

To make it even more exciting, place a cutout of an animal with its mouth open between the paper plate and the core, and set up a little sign showing it “eating.” You could also time each round to add a competitive element.

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Pyramid Rock-Paper-Scissors

Pyramid Rock-Paper-Scissors: Guaranteed to be a hit! A recreational activity

Guaranteed to be a blast—let’s play Pyramid Rock-Paper-Scissors! First, split into a defense team and an offense team.

Draw pyramid-shaped lines on the ground and place the defenders on the lines.

For example, if there are 15 defenders, place 5 people on the longest bottom line, then 4 on the next, and so on, with the last line having exactly 1 person—the King! The offense team starts by challenging anyone among the 5 defenders on the bottom row to rock-paper-scissors; if they win, they advance.

In the end, if they play rock-paper-scissors with the King and win, they clear the game.

If they lose at any point, they return to the starting point.

Losing to the King also sends you back to the start.

It’s a fun game where luck is put to the test!

Range ogre

10. Microwave Demon (Microwave tag) [Exercise play]

Here’s an introduction to “Range Tag,” a variation on the familiar ice tag (freeze tag) that kids love.

“Range” refers to a microwave, and this is a cooperative version of classic freeze tag.

The rules are the same up to the point where a child who’s tagged by “it” must freeze on the spot.

In Range Tag, when you find a frozen friend, two teammates work together: they surround the frozen friend and hold hands.

While saying “Ding! (like a microwave),” they lower their joined hands, and the frozen friend is “defrosted” and can move again.

Of course, if they get tagged by “it” before the defrost is complete, everyone freezes—making it a thrilling, heart-pounding game of tag!

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!

Fish, Birds, Trees

[20 Easy Classroom Activity Ideas No.20] Gyōchōmoku (Fish-Bird-Tree)

Do you know the game called “Gyocho-moku”? It’s read “gyo-cho-moku.” First, everyone stands in a circle and choose one person as the leader; the leader stands in the center of the circle.

The leader says, “Gyocho-moku, mousu ka, mousanu ka,” and everyone else replies, “Mousu, mousu.” The leader then points at someone while saying one of “gyo” (fish), “cho” (bird), or “moku” (tree).

The person who is pointed at must answer accordingly—for example, if the leader says “gyo,” you should quickly name a fish; if they say “cho,” you might answer “duck”; if they say “moku,” you could say “cherry tree.” There are endless ways to tweak the rules and enjoy variations, so give it a try!