Recreation for daycare centers and kindergartens: fun activities for children

Hula hoop relay

Preschool Observation (5-year-old class)

Prepare one more hula hoop than the number of participants.

Everyone stands in a line, each inside a hula hoop placed on the floor.

Place the extra hula hoop at the back, pass it forward from the back to the front, set it down at the front, and have everyone move forward one hoop.

There will be one extra at the back again, so repeat this process to gradually advance toward the goal.

It gets even more exciting if you make it a team competition.

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It’s summer! Ghosts! Perorincho!

Nursery Magazine Hiroba, July 2019 Issue: “It’s Time for Movement Play!” “It’s Summer! Ghosts! Perorinchō (1)”

Let’s run away from Perorincho the ghost! This is a game where everyone runs to avoid being licked by the big tongue of “Perorincho,” a ghost made from a plastic bag.

There are many ways to play: chase each other, have Perorincho disappear for a moment, or dash through the ghost the instant it’s lifted.

Ghosts are a summertime staple, but a ghost this cute won’t scare the kids—they’ll be happy to play!

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Indoor beanbag toss

Tamaire (using a vinyl umbrella and badminton shuttlecocks) [indoor play]

Speaking of tamaire (ball toss), it’s a classic event at school sports days, right? Let’s try enjoying that ball toss game indoors! Have one person act as the “basket” by holding an umbrella or a cardboard box above their head.

Then use light balls, beanbags, or other soft items that won’t cause any harm if they hit something as the “balls.” Set a time limit and compete to see how many balls you can get in.

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Friendship Activity Card

[Physical Activity Play] Friendly Exercise Cards [Childcare]

This is a recreation activity where you prepare cards that depict different exercises, and the children perform the exercise shown on the card they pick.

They need to remember in advance what each picture represents, but you can also see them cooperating with one another as they try to recall, thinking, “What was this again?” It’s also recommended to rotate the pairs of children as you go.

chimney game

Chimney Game! Ball Play (4- and 5-Year-Olds)

Let’s do our best not to lose to the chimney sweeper! Here’s an idea for a chimney game.

This is a unique game that uses balls and mats.

If your center doesn’t have mats, connected cardboard pieces will also work.

A teacher, transformed into a chimney sweeper, goes inside the chimney.

The children try to toss balls into the chimney so they won’t lose to the sweeper.

They can build skills by making strategies and watching for moments when the teacher lets their guard down.

Give it a try! If you have a large group, a key tip is to prepare more balls than the number of participants.

Copycat Animals

[Have Fun with Music] Try imitating animal movements with “Copycat Animals”

Here’s a copycat animal game that kids of different ages can enjoy while moving their bodies.

Along with a piano melody, the teacher says the name of an animal and imitates it.

The children enjoy moving like the animal in their own way, at a level that suits their age.

You might even see the younger children copying the movements of the older ones.

It could also be fun to ask the children what animals they can think of as you go along.

This copycat animal play is a great way to get kids moving indoors—give it a try!

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Mimic Animal Rock-Paper-Scissors

[Kids’ Exercise You Can Do at Home] Copycat Animal Rock-Paper-Scissors (Preschool to Lower Elementary)

Here’s a game called “Copycat Animal Rock-Paper-Scissors” that helps children of different ages interact and become friends.

At the cue, “Copycat animal, rock-paper-scissors—go!” everyone strikes an animal pose.

If both partners choose the same animal pose, they earn 1 point; if they choose different poses, they spin around once on the spot.

It’s recommended that teachers and children decide the set of animal poses in advance.

You may see older children teaching the animal poses to younger ones.

Come up with lots of pose variations and have fun!

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