Indoor games and recreational activities recommended for daycare and kindergarten
Even on days when the weather is bad and the kids can’t go outside, they still want to move their bodies and play! At times like that, many teachers and parents wonder what indoor activities to do.
Here, we introduce indoor recreational activities that can be enjoyed at nurseries and kindergartens.
You’ll find lots of ideas that kids can dive into with sparkling eyes—full-body movement games, activities everyone can enjoy together, traditional games, and sensory play.
Have fun staying active with the children, even indoors.
These are also great as references for games at events!
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Recommended Indoor Activities and Recreation Games for Nurseries and Kindergartens (111–120)
Don Janken
Let’s try playing Don-Janken, a quick and exciting game you can enjoy anywhere! The rules are very simple: split into two teams and line up at opposite ends.
At the signal, the first person from each team runs forward, and when they meet, they play rock-paper-scissors.
If you win, you keep going; if you lose, the next teammate starts running.
You continue advancing by playing rock-paper-scissors, aiming to reach the opponent’s side.
It’s called Don-Janken because when you meet, you both stretch your hands forward, touch with a “don!” and stop.
Play carefully to avoid injuries.
Handkerchief-snatching game
The classic indoor game you can play even on rainy days, the “Handkerchief Grab,” has lots of fun variations depending on the rules.
In this version, players sit on chairs facing each other with their knees touching, place a handkerchief in the middle, and grab it when the whistle blows.
It works well with a larger group, or you can do head-to-head matches and make it a tournament.
There’s also a high-level version where someone keeps chatting to distract players, then blows the whistle when their attention slips.
It’s a recommended game that everyone can enjoy while training reflexes and coordination!
Balance game
Let’s play a “Balance Game” using our bodies! Prepare equipment like a vaulting box, balance beam, foam blocks, trampoline, and mats, and set them up like a circuit.
Have the children tackle them one by one.
Can they balance their bodies well—standing on the vaulting box and jumping, or making it all the way across the balance beam without falling? To help develop the children’s problem-solving skills, adults should avoid stepping in as much as possible and simply keep a watchful eye.
If you want to increase the difficulty, try placing obstacles such as blocks on the balance beam.
Pasta Twirling 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.
Bingo Relay
Let me introduce a game called “Bingo Relay,” which gets kids using both their heads and bodies.
You’ll need bingo squares—prepare nine items you can use to mark off spaces, like mini hoops.
If you’re outside, you can draw circles on the ground instead.
Arrange them in a 3×3 grid.
Divide the children into two teams, and have only the first three players on each team hold their team markers.
At the signal, the first player from each team runs to the bingo grid and places their marker inside a ring.
When they’re done, they run back, tag the next player, and switch.
The team that first completes a line—vertical, horizontal, or diagonal—wins.
Starting from the third move onward, players should move one of their own team’s already placed pieces instead of adding a new one.
It’s a fun game that requires quick thinking!
Hoop Music Play
Let me share some ideas for playing with music using hula hoops.
All you need is a piano and large hula hoops.
Eurhythmics nurtures children’s interest in music and their abilities by moving the body to music and playing with rhythm.
While it’s possible to do these activities without any props, why not try eurhythmics ideas that use hula hoops? By moving the hula hoops to the music or along the scale, children can enjoy the fun of expressing themselves with their bodies.
Pool cue play
A pool noodle is a round, hollow foam rod.
It’s a handy item that kids can play with as is or cut down to palm size.
Since it’s made of foam, it’s easy to reshape—bend it into an arch to make a tunnel, have children jump over the rod, or stuff pom-poms into the holes of small, cut pieces of pool noodle.
With a teacher’s creativity, there are countless ways to play! It’s great to separate activities into those that use the whole body and those that use fine motor skills, so children can choose the kind of play they enjoy.
mat exercises
This activity uses mats—often strongly associated with cushioning during exercise—as tools for play.
Through games that involve moving heavy mats, participants can also enjoy the experience of working together.
Let them feel the weight of the mats in various ways, such as games where they tug mats against each other or compete to flip them over as quickly as possible.
The fewer people there are, the more strength is needed to move a mat, which not only helps them sense the weight but also appreciate the importance of cooperation.
Rhythm Play
Let’s try playing by moving our bodies to the rhythm! Rhythm play includes making sounds with your own body—like clapping your hands or stomping your feet—and moving along to the piano played by the teacher.
You can vary your movements to match the music’s dynamics, making them bigger or smaller, and keep moving while the music is playing, then stop sharply when the music stops.
Music lets you play in many different ways.
It’s also great to try instruments: use castanets or tambourines found in nurseries and kindergartens, or make your own instruments with items like plastic bottles and try playing them.
There are many ways to enjoy rhythm play, so try different activities suited to the child’s age.
Sorting Game
Let me introduce a sorting game.
Prepare three colors of balls—red, blue, and yellow—and one red box and one blue box.
Catch the ball that the teacher throws, then put red balls into the red box and blue balls into the blue box, while avoiding (not catching) yellow balls.
By repeating these movements continuously, you can train reaction ability.
Start with slow throwing speed at first, and as you get used to it, it’s recommended to increase the speed to make it more fun.