Lovely childcare

[Childcare / Physical Play] Fun Activities to Get Moving

10 years as a kindergarten teacher / elementary school teacher / junior and senior high school teacher / childminderkepiko
Graduated from Kunitachi College of Music, Faculty of Music (now: Department of Music Culture and Education, Early Childhood Music Education major). In elementary school, my homeroom teacher was Jun Kusaba, a game researcher. After graduating from university, I worked as a kindergarten teacher for 10 years and as an after-school childcare instructor for 7 years, then took a position as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I engaged in activities that introduced Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational activities, working with many children. Later, through freelance writing, planning, and editing at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and sharing. Drawing on the perspective cultivated in the field of education and my experience as an editor, I provide practical information with an emphasis on both input and output, mainly in areas related to music and children. My hobbies include instruments, singing, handicrafts, toys, drawing, traditional games, the outdoors, and books. My special skill is spinning-top tricks.
Nursery Teacher Mom Writertsukada moe
After working for five years at an after-school childcare club and three years at a nursery school, I began working as a freelance writer. I’m a mother of two children. Inspired by playing the flute in the school wind ensemble in elementary school, I joined a jazz club at university. I’ve also incorporated ukulele and piano performance into childcare. Playing, laughing, feeling sad, feeling frustrated—through all kinds of experiences, I want children to grow.

Physical activity play is essential in early childhood education, isn’t it?

Here, we introduce ideas for outdoor play and activities you can do indoors.

Use these examples to incorporate a variety of movement games and help children grow strong in both mind and body.

Many of the activities don’t require special equipment, so you can feel at ease even without preparation.

When adults join in the fun, everyone can enjoy a great time together.

Create joyful moments filled with laughter.

Let both children and adults move their bodies a lot and play with energy!

[Childcare & Physical Play] Fun Body-Moving Activities (1–10)

Hat-taking game

Hat-snatching game: preschoolers vs. trainee teachers

Hat-taking game

If you’re looking for an active outdoor game, how about the “Hat-Grab Game”? It’s a simple game of tag where you run to avoid having your school hat taken.

It’s also a game where you can enjoy a variety of children’s reactions—feeling frustrated when their hat is taken, or not even noticing it’s gone.

Teachers or guardians playing the tagger should watch over the children so they can run away safely and skillfully.

When playing, be sure to share safety tips to keep it fun, such as tucking away the hat’s elastic strap and avoiding the action of holding the hat down.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

Eurhythmics (immediate response)

Mebae Kindergarten Eurhythmics Class – Violet Group – Immediate Response

Eurhythmics (immediate response)

Here’s an introduction to “Eurhythmics,” an activity that develops bodily responses, listening skills, and reflexes.

Children enjoy movements that match changes in the music, such as running, stopping, dropping down with a thud, clapping on high notes, turning the opposite way, jumping, swinging, hopping on one foot, and skipping.

Make sure there are no obstacles or tripping hazards around, and move your body rhythmically.

Because children must listen closely for musical cues, their concentration is put to the test.

Enjoy the activity while watching how the children respond.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

Sinking Game

[For Childcare Workers] Teacher Rio’s Active Play That Gets Kids Excited [The Sinking Game]

Sinking Game

The “Sinking Game” is a slightly thrilling activity.

First, pretend the room is the sea, set up some islands, and have an adult play the role of a shark.

At the signal “It’s sinking!”, the children run away from the shark.

Divide the game into timed rounds, and if the children manage to escape to another island without being caught by the shark before time is up, they win.

If they can’t get away, they get eaten by the shark.

Since the kids run around freely, you’ll need a space with a reasonable amount of room, but it’s a great way to get lots of physical activity even indoors!

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

Banana Tag

[Play] A Tag Game Variation: “Banana Oni” [Daycare/Kindergarten]

Banana Tag

An arranged version of tag where anyone touched by “it” freezes.

Help your friends who’ve turned into bananas! When someone is tagged, they raise both hands and press their palms together above their head, then freeze in a banana pose.

A person who’s become a banana must wait for friends to peel them.

When two friends each loosen one of the raised hands—peeling from left and right—the banana is freed and can move again! Try fun variations like saying “banana” when you tag someone or chasing while hopping on one foot.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

Daikon Game

[Exercise & Gymnastics Kids Love] The “Daikon Game,” recommended from age 3 / Rule-based movement play and exercise-gymnastics educational video to improve motor skills together with Mom

Daikon Game

This is the “Daikon Game,” where children pretend to be daikon radishes and are pulled out of the “field” like real radishes.

The children lie face down in a circle on the floor and hold hands tightly.

The adult “pulls out the radishes” by tugging on the children’s legs while saying they’re pulling.

If a child lets go of hands, it means they’ve been pulled out and they lose.

To avoid being pulled out, they should hold hands firmly and hang on tight.

A great point of this game is that it’s fun regardless of how many children are playing.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem