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!
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- [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 Nursery Schools and Kindergartens: Fun Activities for Children (171–180)
Read-aloud: “What if the protagonist of ‘Momotaro’ were an ‘oni’…?”
Read-aloud time: when I was a child, my parents and teachers often read my favorite picture books to me.
For very young children who can’t read yet, read-alouds are the main way to enjoy books.
Some kids want to hear the same favorite story over and over, while others keep asking, “Read this one and that one too.” These days there are many kinds of read-aloud videos as well, so why not search for and watch stories from picture books your child doesn’t own?
Evolution Rock-Paper-Scissors
A rock-paper-scissors game where you can enjoy the stages of human evolution.
Just playing regular rock-paper-scissors is boring, right? In this Evolution Rock-Paper-Scissors, you start lying face down.
While staying on your stomach, crawl around to find an opponent and play rock-paper-scissors.
The loser remains face down; the winner “evolves”: first to crawling on all fours, then—after the next win—to a high crawl without knees on the ground, and finally to standing upright on two legs.
The first person to stand on two feet wins.
Train play
Let’s all ride the train and move along the tracks to the signal of departure! The train can be made from hula hoops, strings, or cardboard.
Several people can get into one train and proceed without stepping off the tracks.
Lay paper or mats on the floor to represent the tracks and move along them.
If you have train-themed background music, it will make things even more exciting and the children will be delighted.
Rock-Paper-Scissors Train
This is “Rock-Paper-Scissors Train,” where you advance by playing rock-paper-scissors.
While the music is playing, everyone sings and goes around in circles.
When the music stops, you play rock-paper-scissors with someone nearby.
The loser goes behind the winner, places their hands on the winner’s shoulders, and the train sets off again.
Repeat this, and the person who ends up at the front at the end wins the game.
If you’re good at rock-paper-scissors, you can really show off!
Ton-ton Tunnel
This is an indoor game called “Ton-ton Tunnel.” An adult stands with their feet apart, and the child crawls around on all fours.
In time with the chant “ton-ton ton-ton tunnel,” the child crawls through the adult’s legs—the tunnel.
The chant speeds up and slows down, and if a chant other than “ton-ton tunnel” is called, the child gets caught and performs a gesture assigned to that word.
Examples include being lifted high in the air or a tickle punishment, but it’s also fun to make up your own ideas.