[Elementary School] Games and Recreational Activities to Enjoy at a Forest School Camp
Forest school is a big event for elementary school children.
Some kids might already be bubbling with excitement and feeling fidgety, even though it’s still quite a while away on the calendar.
In this article, we’ve put together games and recreational activities we’d love for you to enjoy at forest school.
We’ve selected options you can enjoy outdoors and activities you can do gathered around a campfire.
Let’s all make the most of this extraordinary experience that’s different from everyday school life!
- Recommended for upper elementary grades! Exciting indoor recreation and games
- Play ideas kids can enjoy from 1st to 6th grade [indoors & outdoors]
- Recreation Popularity Rankings for Elementary School Students
- Outdoor Recreation Popularity Rankings
- Recommended outdoor recreation for junior high school students: A roundup of fun outdoor activities
- Great for field trips too! Outdoor recreation and games for elementary school kids: hands-on play
- Recommended outdoor games and recreational activities for lower elementary school children
- Get the Fun Going! Easy Classroom Games You Can Play at School: Recreational Activities for the Whole Class
- [For Kids] Exciting Class-vs-Class Games: Team Competition Activities
- [Elementary School] Indoor Games and Recreational Activities Recommended for Upper Primary Grades
- Recreation popularity rankings for junior high school students
- No worries even in the rain! Fun recreational activities you can do in the gym
- [Simple but Fun] Penalties That Hype Up Elementary School Classrooms
[Elementary School] Games and Recreational Activities to Enjoy at Outdoor School (41–50)
Without Katakana
In everyday life, we often use words written in katakana.
Here, we’d like to introduce “Katakana-ashi,” a game where you explain a given topic without using katakana.
For example, you show a ball used in P.E.
and ask, “What is this?” The answer will likely be “ball.” Next, have them describe the ball without using any katakana.
Children will likely search for answers by thinking of various words in their heads.
Try switching the roles of questioner and answerer and give it a go.
A command game popular with both children and adults
It’s a fast-paced game that tests your listening skills and split-second decision-making.
The rules are very clear: if someone says, “Order: do XX,” you perform the action; but if they say only “Do XX” without the word “Order,” you must not move.
If you react by mistake, you’re out, so observation and concentration are essential.
The teacher’s feints will spark laughter across the classroom, creating a fun atmosphere.
Despite the simple rules, there’s a lot of strategy in the rhythm and timing, and it stays exciting no matter how many times you play.
Move or stay still—the instant you decide determines the winner.
Popular with kids! How to play a realistic Werewolf-style game
This is a Werewolf-style game that incorporates real movement, played by setting up multiple rooms such as classrooms and a gym.
The basic rules are similar to standard Werewolf, but a distinctive feature is that during the night phase, the werewolves carry out attacks by secretly tapping citizens or lovers on the back with a finger.
Because players actually move around, the tension and sense of realism increase dramatically.
During the deduction phase, players need keen insight to spot subtle inconsistencies in expressions and behavior, allowing for an intellectual battle of wits that sets it apart from simple tag.
Using multiple rooms creates an authentic atmosphere, transforming the classroom into a game stage.
It’s also recommended as a recreation activity that boosts children’s discussion skills.
Back-carry ball relay
The back-to-back ball relay is a race where you carry a ball in an unusual way.
Two people pair up, stand back to back, and transport a ball held between their backs.
Since there are hardly any sports or events where you carry a ball on your back, it offers a unique experience.
The partners’ height difference and the size of the ball are important factors, so adjust them to make carrying easier.
It’s also important to decide who will lead when moving forward.
Be sure to discuss and plan before you start.
Shiritori Dance Game
This is a game that adds a movement element to the word-linking game shiritori, making the thinking process more complex.
The rule is to express the connected words with movements as well, so words that are hard to express through movement are out—that’s the challenging part.
While traditional shiritori proceeds with names of things, since this version emphasizes movement, it might work well to play using verbs.
It could also be fun to proceed rhythmically to music, or to have everyone present perform the movement whenever a word is called out.
Three fail-safe activities that are guaranteed to get everyone excited
Here are three games that are guaranteed to get everyone hyped.
First is the “Rhythm Game”! Pick a theme, and only clap twice when you hear a word that matches it.
If you clap after a word that doesn’t fit the theme, you’re out.
Be careful not to clap by mistake in the heat of the moment.
The second game is “San-Ken Hoi!!”.
Everyone shows some fingers, and the first person to correctly call out the total number of fingers wins.
The third game is the “Clan Game.” Choose your own name, then make eye contact with someone and play rock-paper-scissors.
If you win, your name is passed to the person who lost.
In the end, the person who has spread their name to the most people is the winner.
Consider the difficulty level and group size, and pick the perfect game for your crowd!
Magical Banana
Let’s all enjoy the fun word-association game “Magical Banana.” Clap your hands to keep the rhythm while the players link words together.
For example, if the first person says, “When you say round, you think of the moon,” the next person might say, “When you say moon, you think of a rabbit,” and so on, answering with a word associated with the previous one.
Anyone who can’t come up with a word or can’t keep the rhythm loses.
Repeating the same word is not allowed.
If it’s too easy, raise the difficulty by setting a theme or category for the words.
