Moving House Game

[For toddlers, simple, movement play] Moving House Game

Let’s move to a distant base! Here’s an idea for a “Moving House” game.

In this game, the cue word is “Moving House,” and children simply move from one mat to another.

Once they get used to it, teachers or guardians can try to interrupt them along the course.

The fun part is seeing whether they can complete the move while avoiding the teachers or guardians! It’s also a great idea for deepening bonds among the children by giving them a shared goal.

Cup Game

A mission you can’t clear without teaming up! Here’s a cup game idea.

Cooperation is a very important skill for 5-year-olds.

Through everyday interactions with friends and family, they begin to learn what cooperation means and why it matters.

By playing cooperatively with friends, children can develop the ability to understand others’ feelings and take turns.

The key to this game is that you cannot complete it without your teammates’ help.

You’ll need paper or plastic cups, rubber bands, and string.

Achieve the mission together with your friends and strengthen your bonds!

Secret Base Dome

Let’s secretly play in your very own room! Here are some ideas for a secret-base dome.

For children, a secret base is a special place that sparks their sense of adventure and imagination.

It’s an appealing space they can use freely—as their personal hideout or a place to invite trusted friends to play together.

This time, let’s make a secret-base dome using materials you already have at home.

You’ll need newspaper, plastic bags, and duct tape.

After making the walls and roof with the newspaper and plastic bags, blow air in through the entrance using a fan.

It will puff up softly and it’s really fun!

matte lace

Team competition! Here’s an idea for a cooperative mat race.

Start by deciding who will pull the mat and who will ride on it.

On the cue “Ready, set, go!”, the pullers drag the mat while the children on the mat jump.

By synchronizing their timing, they’ll inch closer to the goal! Once everyone gets used to the game, try competing in teams.

The time spent discussing strategies is a valuable opportunity for the children.

It’s a playful idea that deepens learning through play!

Daikon-pulling game

A game that kids and adults can enjoy! Here are some ideas for the Daikon Pulling Game.

It’s a fun game that works well with both small and large groups! The rules are simple and easy to understand, so anyone—from children to adults—can join in.

Divide into the “daikon” role and the “puller” role, and give it a try.

It gets even more exciting with larger groups, but it’s still plenty of fun with fewer people, making it great for any group size.

Once everyone gets the hang of it, trying team matches and competing for time sounds like a lot of fun!

sensory toy play

[Indoor Play] Sensory Toys from the Tummy Time Stage #TexturePlay #0YearOlds

Fun for all ages! Here are some sensory toy play ideas.

You’ll need: food storage bags, colored water, oil, adzuki beans, erasers, toy goldfish, beads, bells, hair gel, and tape.

Put the materials you prepared into the bag along with the hair gel! Changing up the colors and textures makes the feel different and more interesting.

Sensory toys are recommended not only for infants but also for preschoolers—they’re engaging to look at and touch, and kids will be totally absorbed.

Hoop Musical Chairs

[Nursery Teacher | Outdoor Play] Hula Hoop

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.

The ‘It fell, it fell’ game

[Nursery/Kindergarten] The “It Fell, It Fell” Game [How to Play, Target Age, Variations]

Let me introduce a quick-reaction game called “It Fell, It Fell.” The teacher says, “It fell, it fell,” and the children ask, “What fell?” The teacher names what fell.

For example, if the teacher says “an apple,” the children should pose as if they’re catching an apple.

If the teacher says “a fist,” the children should protect their heads with their hands so they don’t get bonked.

If it’s “thunder,” they should hide their belly button with their hands.

It might be more fun if you teach the poses to the children beforehand and then start the game so they can join in easily.

Once they get used to it, it’s also recommended to have fun by changing up what “falls.”

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Ball fishing

Here’s a ball-fishing game that helps build both concentration and body awareness.

Wrap transparent tape around the tip of a pool noodle with the sticky side facing outward.

Use the sticky tip to pick up scattered colored balls one by one.

It can be fun to set a time limit and see who can collect the most balls the fastest.

If the pool noodle is too long, cut it to match the child’s height to make it easier to use.

Give it a try!

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big-game hunting

[You can also see childcare in action] Ms. Rio’s active play [Big Game Hunting]

Get the fun going! Here are some ideas for the game “Mōjūgari” (Wild Beast Hunt).

It’s a great way to explore number concepts while playing, so we highly recommend it! The call-and-response is done by having children repeat the teacher’s or caregiver’s lines, so keeping it simple and easy to understand is key.

Rules: The teacher or caregiver tells the children the name of an animal.

The children then form groups and sit down in numbers that match the number of letters in the animal’s name specified by the teacher or caregiver.

Start with animals that have fewer letters, and once they get used to it, switch to animals with more letters so they won’t get bored.