Recreation for daycare centers and kindergartens: fun activities for children
Children in daycare and kindergarten are full of curiosity and energy! Still, some teachers might struggle to come up with play ideas.
There are also days when the weather keeps you indoors.
Here, we introduce a variety of activities that children in kindergarten and daycare can enjoy! We’ve gathered fun activities—from dance, exercise, and games to crafts—that are suitable for babies through toddlers.
Active, movement-based play is a big hit, too.
Let children and adults play together and enjoy a wonderful time!
- Indoor games and recreational activities recommended for daycare and kindergarten
- [Childcare] Play Right Now! Recommended No-Prep Games
- [Childcare / Physical Play] Fun Activities to Get Moving
- Popular recreation ranking for toddlers
- [Kindergarten/Daycare] Games and Performances for Fun Events
- Useful for childcare! Today’s recommended recreational activities, including fingerplay and games!
- Fun activities with newspaper! Recreation games kids will love
- Indoor Games for Small Groups: Exciting Recreational Activities
- [Childcare] Full of energy! Indoor activity ideas to get kids moving
- [Parent-Child Rec] Recreational activities and games for parents and children to enjoy together—also great for sports days.
- [Childcare] Recommended for 3-year-olds! Play ideas everyone can enjoy
- [Autumn Activities] Nature Play and Craft Ideas for Fall to Incorporate into Childcare!
- Indoor games for parents and children: fun activities that use the body and the mind
Recreation for nurseries and kindergartens. Fun children's games (161–170)
The Three Little Pigs
It’s a play song called “The Three Little Pigs.” It’s based on the famous Grimm fairy tale, and the story is set to music.
The houses the piglets build out of straw and wood are easily destroyed by the wolf.
But the brick house built by one of the three pigs cannot be destroyed.
The story is charming, and it’s become a play song that also incorporates rhythmic hand motions.
The “Come here, come here” game
The “Come Here” game starts with everyone lined up in a single row.
When the teacher says “Come here” (oide), everyone takes one step forward.
But if the teacher says a word that also starts with “o,” like “obake” (ghost), don’t move forward—run back quickly to your starting position.
Because the “obake” command is scary, no one rushes straight ahead; everyone creeps forward nervously, which makes the game even more fun.
Mix in other ‘o’ words like “okaasan” (mother) or “otousan” (father) to add feints and keep things exciting.
playing store
How about playing “store” at a shop the kids like? They can draw pictures and make props for an ice cream shop, a hamburger place, a sushi restaurant, and more, then act as the clerk or the customer! You’ll need to make some play money, too!
Circuit play
“Circuit asobi” refers to an obstacle course for children.
They enjoy jumping off platforms and crawling through tunnels.
After age two, their motor skills develop quite a bit, so definitely give it a try.
Kids love activities where they can move their bodies freely, so it’s highly recommended!
mixed juice
It’s a hand-play song called “Mixed Juice.” Mixed juice has various fruits mixed together, right? You sing and play while expressing that with your hands.
Apples, grapes, strawberries, and cherries appear, and you mix them all to make mixed juice.
Hand-play songs are always fun no matter how many you have, and many are short, so let’s sing a lot and have a great time.
Crawling under the rope
Have the teacher make something like a finish line tape, and try passing through it! You can run or walk—either is fine.
The act of setting a goal and heading toward it piques children’s curiosity.
It might be even more exciting if you place some obstacles in between!
Night market vendor
It’s a game where you use your body to represent famous stalls you’d find at a night market, and in the end you move your whole body to have fun.
Even though you move your whole body, you only move in place, so it’s enjoyable indoors or in areas without much space.
A yo-yo is the right hand, cotton candy is the left hand, a balloon is the feet, a necklace is the neck, a hula hoop is the waist, hopping means bouncing in place while moving everything, and apricot candy is the mouth, which makes you talk a little funny.
You add these motions one by one, and it turns into really funny movements—everyone doing it will definitely get confused in a good way and have a great time!