Lovely childcare

Party games that are a hit at kindergartens and nursery schools

10 years as a kindergarten teacher / elementary school teacher / junior and senior high school teacher / childminderkepiko
Graduated from Kunitachi College of Music, Faculty of Music (now: Department of Music Culture and Education, Early Childhood Music Education major). In elementary school, my homeroom teacher was Jun Kusaba, a game researcher. After graduating from university, I worked as a kindergarten teacher for 10 years and as an after-school childcare instructor for 7 years, then took a position as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I engaged in activities that introduced Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational activities, working with many children. Later, through freelance writing, planning, and editing at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and sharing. Drawing on the perspective cultivated in the field of education and my experience as an editor, I provide practical information with an emphasis on both input and output, mainly in areas related to music and children. My hobbies include instruments, singing, handicrafts, toys, drawing, traditional games, the outdoors, and books. My special skill is spinning-top tricks.
Nursery Teacher Mom Writertsukada moe
After working for five years at an after-school childcare club and three years at a nursery school, I began working as a freelance writer. I’m a mother of two children. Inspired by playing the flute in the school wind ensemble in elementary school, I joined a jazz club at university. I’ve also incorporated ukulele and piano performance into childcare. Playing, laughing, feeling sad, feeling frustrated—through all kinds of experiences, I want children to grow.

Here are some party game ideas for kindergartens and preschools that will spark children’s excitement!

By having fun together, smiles will abound and a sense of camaraderie will grow.

There are lots of games that are easy to prepare and can liven things up in a short time.

When children play cooperatively, communication happens naturally and the fun doubles.

We’ve got a variety of party games recommended for events and occasions, so be sure to choose ones that suit the children’s ages and enjoy them together.

Party Games That Liven Up Kindergartens and Daycare Centers (81–90)

Christmas games using paper cups

There are lots of cute, Christmas-themed paper cups on sale, aren’t there? How about using them to try out some different games? For example, you could race to see who can build a tower of paper cups the fastest, or play a shell game, juggling the cups to guess where an item is hidden.

If you top the cup tower with a star or use ornaments as the hidden items, it will feel even more Christmassy.

There are plenty of other games you can play too, so if you’re interested, give it a search!

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Hoop Musical Chairs

[Nursery Teacher | Outdoor Play] Hula Hoop

Hoop Musical Chairs

Let’s play using both our bodies and brains! Here’s an idea for a hula hoop musical chairs game.

Prepare about 10 small hula hoops in various colors.

As everyone hums a song with a deserted island theme, walk around the hula hoops.

When the teacher calls out “1, 2, 3,” everyone jumps into a hula hoop island.

It gets more exciting if you gradually reduce the number of hula hoops! Once everyone gets used to the game, try specifying which color hula hoop to enter, or call out items related to a color to decide which hoop to use.

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Forehead Biscuit

Forehead Biscuit, from “The Latest and Most Fun Recreation Games”

Forehead Biscuit

As the name suggests, it’s a game where you place a biscuit on your forehead and move it to your mouth using only your facial expressions.

Because you end up making funny faces, everyone can enjoy it, and since it uses a snack that kids love, they’ll surely want to join in.

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Gesture Game

Gesture Game

Gesture Game

It’s a game where you don’t say the prompt out loud—instead, you use only body movements to act it out so others can guess what it is.

Adults can gesture for kids to guess, or kids can challenge each other.

It’s fun to see the children’s free-spirited ideas at play.

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Fruits Basket

Group game: Fruit Basket! The new Sumire class takes on the challenge together! Everyday life at Hachiman Kodomoen (Fukui City). April 2018.

Fruits Basket

A game that kids and adults alike can enjoy: “Fruit Basket.” Players are divided into groups by fruit names.

When a fruit is called, everyone in that fruit group stands up and moves to a different empty chair.

The person left without a chair becomes the next caller and continues the game.

When “Fruit Basket” is called, everyone must stand up and move.

Instead of grouping by fruits, you can use animal names, or turn it into a question format like “Anyone who ate bread for breakfast,” and have those people move.

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