[Elementary School] Games and Recreational Activities to Enjoy at a Forest School Camp

Where are you from?

Campfire Activity Part 1: Where Are You From?

This is a variation of the game “Antagata Dokosa” that you can enjoy around a campfire.

Everyone holds hands and stands in a circle around the fire.

To the rhythm of the song “Antagata Dokosa,” you walk clockwise, but whenever the syllable “sa” appears in the lyrics, you squat down on the spot.

It’s important to listen carefully to avoid mistakes.

Another variation is to switch the walking direction from clockwise to counterclockwise every time you hear “sa,” and then switch back the next time it occurs.

As the tempo speeds up, the confusion and laughter grow, making it a recreation that captivates both children and adults.

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kojifumi

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Gorilla Game

[Class Activity] Guaranteed to Succeed, Laugh-Out-Loud! Gorilla Game

Let me introduce a game that will have your class roaring with laughter: the Gorilla Game.

Choose one child in the classroom, and have them answer every question from the questioner with the word “Gorilla.” For example, if the question is, “What did you eat for breakfast today?” the child answers, “Gorilla.” Of course, the questioner should react with a funny comeback to the “Gorilla” answer.

This back-and-forth will make the kids burst into laughter.

Make sure the final question sets up a punchline.

Also, the questioner’s reactions are key—add some facial expressions to make it even more exciting.

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Nakajima Junko

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Bingo Relay

[Recreation] Bingo Relay

Boost communication skills! Here’s an idea for a Bingo Relay.

In this game, two teams compete against each other.

Use tape or hula hoops to create a 3×3 grid, and work together as a team to get bingo by placing one colored marker per player.

After placing your marker on a space, run to the next player and pass the baton.

A key point is to quickly read the positions of the opposing team’s markers and block their bingo!

Card Flipping Game

@mimasakadaigaku

Card-flipping race! Kids especially will go absolutely wild! Mimasaka University Recreation

♬ Intense hard rock for battles, brawls and battles(1293889) – Kuwa

A card-flipping game where you keep turning cards to your team’s color! First, prepare lots of double-sided cards with different colors on each side.

Split into two teams, and at the starting signal, flip cards so the side assigned to your team’s color is facing up.

It’s fine to flip back cards that have been turned! When time’s up, the team with more of their color facing up wins.

It can get more active than you’d expect, making it perfect for times when you can’t go out much and need some exercise.

If everyone starts by making the cards together, it’ll be even more fun.

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SAKI

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Pyramid Rock-Paper-Scissors

Pyramid Rock-Paper-Scissors: Guaranteed to be a hit! A recreational activity

Perfect for class or grade-level activities! Here’s a fun idea for Pyramid Rock-Paper-Scissors.

Rock-Paper-Scissors is a simple, classic game that always gets everyone excited, and with a few tweaks, it becomes even more engaging for kids! After splitting into Defense and Offense teams, the Defense team stands on the lines drawn in a pyramid shape.

The Offense team aims to defeat the King by playing rock-paper-scissors against the Defense team and advancing with each win.

A key rule for the Offense team: if you lose a round, you must return to the starting point!

Hide-and-seek

Hide-and-seek is a classic outdoor game for kids that can be enjoyed regardless of grade level.

While the seeker closes their eyes and counts to 10–30, the other children hide in places where they’re hard to find.

When the counting ends, the seeker looks for the hiders; when one is found, the seeker calls their name and tags them while returning to the starting point.

If the seeker finds everyone, the seeker wins; if someone remains hidden until the end, the hiders win.

The fun lies in clever hiding strategies and the thrill of moving quietly without making noise, and it’s interesting to see how hiding styles differ by age.

It’s a deceptively deep game with simple rules that can be played in schoolyards, parks, or even indoors, and enjoyed by a wide range of ages.

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mutō

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Nostalgic finger guessing game!

@riana_mine

Did you all do this a lot?Elementary school students in 20072007#ElementarySchoolerProblemsHeisei#Heisei Retro#Yubi-SumanumbersReady, set, go!Hand games

♬ Original Song – Riana Mine 👼🏻⛅️ – Riana Mine 👼🏻⛅️

A game whose name changes depending on the region: Yubi-suma (Thumbs Up).

It’s said that there are many region-specific calls besides Yubi-suma, too.

The rules are: make fists with both hands and hold them out in front.

Decide the order, and when it’s your turn, say a call like “Yubi-suma, one!” or “Issē no, two!” All players then raise the thumb(s) from one or both fists.

If the number of thumbs raised matches the number you called, you can pull back one of your hands.

The first person to pull back both hands wins.

In some regions, there’s even a rule that allows choosing not to raise any thumbs.

It might only be a brief moment, but waiting to see how many thumbs go up is a real nail-biter.

It’s a simple game, but kids really get into it.

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Nakajima Junko

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