Lovely Play & Recreation

[Parent-Child Rec] Recreational activities and games for parents and children to enjoy together—also great for sports days.

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 for 10 years as a kindergarten teacher and for 7 years as an after-school childcare instructor, then took a post as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I also engaged in activities that shared Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational play, working with many children. Afterwards, through freelance writing, planning, and editing work at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and conveying ideas. Leveraging the perspective cultivated in educational settings and my experience as an editor, I aim to deliver practical information—focusing on fields related to music and children—that values both input and output. Hobbies include instruments, singing, handcrafts, toys, drawing, traditional play, the outdoors, books, DIY, and crafts. Special skill: spinning-top tricks.
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSICsasashina
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSIC. JFC-certified fact-checker. I’m Sasashina, a mom currently raising an elementary schooler and a preschooler. During my student years at Kyoto College of Science and Technology, I studied a wide range of fields including sound, lighting, and video technology, building a foundation in comprehensive stage production and creative expression. After graduation, I joined a music production company, where I still work, consistently building experience in production and engaging in a variety of music-centered tasks. Currently, I mainly handle articles for children, drawing on what I’ve learned about parenting and what I feel and discover through daily interactions with my kids. I hope my work can be of help to you, even in a small way!

We’re introducing recreations, games, and crafts that are perfect for parent–child activities at sports days and for quality time at home!

If you’re a teacher unsure which parent–child events to include in your sports day, or a parent looking for fun activities to enjoy with your child, please feel free to use this as a reference.

If you’re not fond of active movement or don’t have much space, crafts are a great option.

Crafts also leave you with something tangible, making for a wonderful keepsake.

Work together to take on challenges, or create memorable pieces, and strengthen your bond while enjoying parent–child activities!

[Parent-Child Rec] Recreations and games for parents and children to enjoy together. Also great for sports days (61–70)

Ball Carrying UNO

Guaranteed to get everyone hyped! Ball games × UNO. In PE classes or homeroom activities, pass the ball while interacting with classmates and feel a sense of accomplishment. A must-see for elementary and junior high school teachers and PE instructors!

Ball Carrying UNO

Here’s an idea for adapting the well-known board game UNO into a ball-carrying relay.

Form teams in circles, with each person holding a ball.

Choose someone to give commands, and everyone passes or moves the balls according to the commands—like “skip” or “one bounce.” The rules are simple, but you can make it more exciting by increasing the speed of the commands and enjoying the sense of achievement as a team.

For team competitions, you can create original rules, such as declaring the team that doesn’t drop the ball until the end the winner, to make it even more fun.

It’s also a great recommendation for sports day events.

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Ball Carry Tag

Ball Carry Tag

Ball Carry Tag

Here’s an adapted version of “tag” with ball carrying.

The rules are very simple! Wearing a flag, teams start at the starting line and try to carry as many balls as possible to the goal within the time limit.

There are taggers (oni) in between, so be careful not to let them take your flag.

If a tagger takes your flag, reattach the flag placed by the tagger and return to the start to try again.

It’s also a team game where you aim to transport all the balls without getting caught.

It’s fun to come up with strategies, like having someone act as a decoy.

We also recommend switching between the carrying team and the tagger team and using this as an event in a sports day.

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Mario Dance

Mario Dance [Diet] Dance diet with Mario #070

Mario Dance

When it comes to video games, it’s all about Mario.

Even moms and dads who aren’t into games have played it at least once, and Mario is a super popular character.

Kids today love him too.

And the Mario theme song is famous across generations, from parents to children.

How about doing a parent-child dance to that Mario theme song? With choreography that matches the melody—jumping, hopping, and using your whole body—you can dance along.

The moves are simple, but it makes for a great full-body workout!

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Empty Can Stacking Game

@gori.gori.1115
A surreal game where Miu Shimoo stacks cans#akb48 #Miu Shitao Narutao
♬ nhạc nền – Vía.con.cưng – user24022103079

It’s a balance game where you stack empty cans.

It looks like a play activity that can build concentration.

The materials are easy to get, and it’s a game you can play anytime, anywhere.

You can compete in parent–child teams or set a time limit—by raising the difficulty, it’s a game that even upper-grade students can enjoy.

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Balloon Carrying

Balloon Carry is a game where two people face each other and carry a balloon as fast as possible without using their hands, holding it between them.

It could be fun to do at a school sports day! If you’re playing with a friend, try to move in perfect sync.

The balloon tends to float and fall easily, but it’s a game that gets everyone excited when you compete.

All you need is a slightly larger balloon, so why not try it when the kids are getting bored?

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Butt Touching Game

[Fun Home Workout] Improve Motor Skills! Butt Touch Game

Butt Touching Game

It’s a simple game where you just try to touch the other person’s butt.

But it gets surprisingly heated.

Stand facing each other and firmly hold one of each other’s hands, as if shaking hands.

From that position, whoever touches the other’s butt first wins.

The catch is that offense and defense happen at the same time, and since you’re facing each other and holding hands, it’s hard to land a touch—so you end up spinning around in place.

Still, that makes for good exercise, right? Catch your opponent off guard and go on the attack!

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Mochitsuki Hand Game

Mochitsuki hand game – a slightly challenging hand play for two to enjoy – #play #childcare #nurseryTeacher #children #atHomePlay #handPlay #handPlaySong #games #NewYear #January #December #indoors #preschoolers #video

Mochitsuki Hand Game

In time with the chant, “Mochitsuki taikai, saa! Konete” (“Mochi-pounding festival—now, knead it!”), pairs of two play a clapping rhythm game called “Mochitsuki Hand Play.” The key isn’t just clapping: you weave your hands through without touching your partner’s, and clap in the open spaces.

It calls for a good sense of rhythm, dynamic visual acuity, and concentration, and when it goes well, the excitement really builds.

Even beginners can enjoy it right away, and it’s great both for dementia prevention and as a party game for adults.

With simple rules, no equipment needed, and playable anywhere, it’s a highly recommended hand game.

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