Recreation for daycare centers and kindergartens: fun activities for children

Crawling tail-chasing game

[Age 3] Crawling Tail Tag & Clothespin Relay

Let’s introduce a crawling tail-tag game that gets kids excited.

Give each child a “tail” made by braiding plastic ribbon (like florist’s raffia).

The teacher is “it” and chases the children.

At the start signal, the children crawl away to avoid being caught.

If a child gets their tail taken by “it,” they can rejoin the game after doing five jumps and putting the tail back on.

Try swapping who’s “it” or increasing the number of chasers to keep the game fun!

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mayumi

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Handkerchief-snatching game

🧡No.2 [Parent-Child Play / Improve Athletic Ability] “Handkerchief Grab Game” Boosts Reflexes‼️ So fun 😄

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!

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hiyori

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Balance game

[For 3-year-olds] Let's build balance skills! 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.

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sasashina

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Pasta Twirling Race

[After-school Day Service] Pasta Wrapping 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.

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mayumi

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Bingo Relay

[Recreation] 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!