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 (41–50)
Song game ‘Drawing a Thousand Ants’
This is the play song “Ari-san Senbiki,” which sings about ants working hard to carry biscuits.
It’s a very cute song, but it uses the whole body—raising both hands high to represent the biscuits, crouching down to be the ants, and more.
Kids who love to move should do great with it.
Ants are the insects most familiar to children, right? At the end of the song, you can expect lots of questions from them, like “Do ants like biscuits?” and “They’re so small—how do they carry them?”
Musical Chairs
It’s the famous game “Musical Chairs,” which everyone can enjoy, from small children to adults.
It’s very simple and doesn’t depend much on age, so kids can play it easily.
It’s also an all-round game that works with both small and large groups.
The basic rule is “play music, and when the music stops, sit,” but it’s also fun to sing the music yourselves or sit on a stop command.
Vinyl Umbrella Ball Toss
Let’s play “tamaire” (ball toss) indoors! Tamaire is usually a sports day event, but here’s an easy indoor version: use a vinyl umbrella as the basket and badminton shuttlecocks as the balls.
Any umbrella will work, but a clear vinyl one lets you see the action and makes it more exciting.
You can also make balls by crumpling up newspaper.
Let’s start by having everyone crumple newspaper together!
Rock-Paper-Scissors Train
A classic kids’ game: the “Rock-Paper-Scissors Train.” Here’s how to play.
First, play some music and have everyone walk freely around the room.
When the music stops, find a nearby friend and play rock-paper-scissors.
The person who loses stands behind the winner and places both hands on the winner’s shoulders.
Repeat this, and the person who ends up at the front at the end is the winner! It’s a simple game, but before you know it, everyone’s hooked—great fun as a recreation activity.
chimney game
Let’s work hard so we don’t lose to the chimney sweeper! Here’s an idea for a chimney-themed game.
It’s a unique game that uses balls and a mat.
If your center doesn’t have a mat, you can use connected cardboard pieces instead.
Inside the chimney, a teacher transformed into a chimney sweeper will go in.
The children will try to put balls into the chimney so they won’t lose to the sweeper.
They’ll develop their ability to strategize and be inventive by making plans and watching for the teacher’s openings.
Give it a try!
Copycat Animals
Here’s a copycat animal game that kids of different ages can enjoy while moving their bodies.
Along with a piano melody, the teacher says the name of an animal and imitates it.
The children enjoy moving like the animal in their own way, at a level that suits their age.
You might even see the younger children copying the movements of the older ones.
It could also be fun to ask the children what animals they can think of as you go along.
This copycat animal play is a great way to get kids moving indoors—give it a try!
Mimic Animal Rock-Paper-Scissors
Here’s a game called “Copycat Animal Rock-Paper-Scissors” that helps children of different ages interact and become friends.
At the cue, “Copycat animal, rock-paper-scissors—go!” everyone strikes an animal pose.
If both partners choose the same animal pose, they earn 1 point; if they choose different poses, they spin around once on the spot.
It’s recommended that teachers and children decide the set of animal poses in advance.
You may see older children teaching the animal poses to younger ones.
Come up with lots of pose variations and have fun!