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!
- Popular recreation ranking for toddlers
- Indoor games that different ages can enjoy! Ideas for fun everyone can get excited about together
- [Childcare] Play Right Now! Recommended No-Prep Games
- February: Liven up childcare! A collection of ideas for indoor play and physical activities
- Indoor Games for Small Groups: Exciting Recreational Activities
- Get the party started at the preschool graduation! A collection of party game ideas
- Parent–child interactive play. Fun activities popular in childcare settings and at parent–child observation days.
- [For 5-Year-Olds] Recommended Indoor Play! A Collection of Exciting Games
- Recreation for daycare centers and kindergartens: fun activities for children
- [Childcare / Physical Play] Fun Activities to Get Moving
- Recommended for 3-year-olds! Fun indoor activities and group game ideas
- [Kindergarten/Daycare] Games and Performances for Fun Events
- [Childcare] Let’s all play! A collection of recommended ideas for group play and games
Indoor Play and Recreation Games Recommended for Nurseries and Kindergartens (141–150)
Children’s song game “Nabe-nabe Soko-nuke”
Among traditional children’s songs and games, “Nabe-nabe Sokonuke” is especially well-known.
Two players face each other, hold hands, and—while keeping their hands linked—turn all the way around to end up back-to-back in time with the song.
Kids are flexible, so they can surprisingly make the turn quite easily.
It’s simple, but somehow so much fun it makes you smile.
Try enjoying it with lots of different friends!
Card flipping
“Card Flipping” is becoming a staple event at nursery and kindergarten sports days.
It’s a game where teams flip double-sided cards to their own team’s color within a time limit.
The rules are very simple, but it’s one of those games kids get totally absorbed in.
Once you make the cards, you can enjoy it over and over, so it’s highly recommended! It’s also great because kids can really move their bodies to the fullest.
Keropons Dance “Working Vehicles”
Keropons, who are beloved by children, are like idols with their cute songs and dances.
Let’s all try doing the dance to their song “Working Vehicles,” which Keropons sing and dance to! Dump trucks and excavators, along with other construction vehicles, make an appearance, and the choreography matches the vehicles with powerful moves.
The playful, tongue-twister-like lyrics are also part of the charm that makes you want to sing along.
Let’s put on a sticker
Sticker play—little kids love it, don’t they? Even with simple round stickers, you can pretend the red ones are fruit and stick them on a tree illustration, or use red, blue, and yellow to make a traffic light.
It’s fun to just keep sticking them on, even if the stickers themselves are nothing special.
It’s okay if they’re not stuck on perfectly! There are also sticker books you can stick and peel over and over again.
Tunnel play
Kids love active play, don’t they? Let’s try some tunnel play using various items found in daycare or kindergarten! You can cut holes in newspaper or use the frame of a vaulting box, and add variety by arranging them vertically or horizontally.
You could also make lots of tunnels out of things like string or plastic bags and set them up like an obstacle course—kids are sure to love it.
Let’s play on the mat.
Let’s all try playing “mat play” together! You can jump, hop, and do forward rolls for a full-body workout.
When it’s raining or you can’t play outside, it can be stressful, so let’s have them play a lot and move a lot on the mat! It’s fine to follow set movements, but it’s also great to run around freely and play.
Children from toddlers to slightly older kids can all play together.
Flour clay
Clay play is a favorite activity for both boys and girls.
Some children create large pieces, while others make lots of small, detailed items.
Some enjoy using various cutters to make shapes.
Kneading and shaping clay is an activity where each child’s individuality really shines.
They can pretend to make food and even extend the play into make-believe cooking.
With flour-based clay, it’s reassuring to know that even if a small child accidentally puts some in their mouth, it’s safe.
Hand games <10 types>
We’re introducing popular hand-play games from daycare and kindergarten! Hand-play is great even for young infant classes, so it’s perfect for times when all the children gather together.
“Ton ton ton ton Anpanman,” featuring a character kids love, is especially popular—so if you’re unsure what to do, give it a try! Children ages two and up can imitate and enjoy it, and even babies who can’t imitate yet will watch with great interest.
horizontal tug-of-war
When you think of tug-of-war, you probably picture everyone lined up in a single file pulling straight back.
But in this “sideways tug-of-war,” players line up side by side and pull horizontally.
You can enjoy it without deciding a winner, but you could also set rules—like creating two team territories, and if a certain number of players get pulled into the opponent’s territory, that team loses.
A slightly spacious classroom is enough to play.
Try it with children who can’t go outside and have energy to spare.
It’s also great as a sports day event!
Ice play
A great indoor activity for summer is “ice play”! Just touching ice is fun and cooling enough, but if you have time, try adding a little twist.
When you freeze water, place leaves, flowers, or small toys in it as well.
That way, children won’t just touch the ice—they’ll also think about how to melt it and get the items out as they play.
Be sure to choose objects that are safe even if they end up in a child’s mouth!