[Parent-Child Rec] Recreational activities and games for parents and children to enjoy together—also great for sports days.
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!
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[Parent-Child Rec] Recreations and games for parents and children to enjoy together. Also great for sports days (91–100)
Parent-child relay
One of the showcase events of a sports day is the relay.
How about trying a parent-child relay, not just the kids? Even though you run together, you won’t hold hands; instead, you’ll run side by side for one lap.
To balance the difference between children and adults, have the children run on the inside lane and the adults on the outside lane.
Both children and adults will carry their own batons, passing child to child and adult to adult.
Parents should match their child’s pace and run alongside them.
Parent-child cavalry battle
A parent-child cavalry battle that deepens the bond between guardians and children while getting the audience excited, too.
Parents and children participating in the sports day form pairs, and once the parent carries the child on their back, they’re ready to go.
The rule is to snatch each other’s hats that the children are wearing.
You can make it an individual match that continues until only one remains, or color-code teams and make it a team competition.
Clear communication between parent and child is the key to victory.
Consider adopting this event idea that really showcases the oldest children in action.
Musical chairs
A classic indoor game where you move around the chairs while the music is playing, and when the music stops, everyone competes to sit on a chair.
Many people have probably done this at school.
It helps develop a sense of rhythm and quick reflexes.
You can enjoy it at home with your family, too.
If you adapt it into a game using floor cushions or stuffed animals instead of chairs, even small children can play safely.
Making vegetable stamps
Making vegetable stamps is an easy parent-child activity you can enjoy with vegetables you have at home and a few art supplies.
Try using potatoes, carrots, or celery to create stamps with different shapes and patterns.
It’s simple to make! Cut the vegetable in half, tidy up the cut surface, apply paint or watercolor, and press your original design onto cards or fabric.
By changing colors and arranging the stamps creatively, you can make beautiful art pieces.
You can collaborate to create one piece together, or make separate works on the same theme and enjoy the differences in each other’s style.
[Parent-Child Event] Fishing Game
![[Parent-Child Event] Fishing Game](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/oEiFOeQBWM0/sddefault.jpg)
A parent-child event to build strength at the sports day: the Fishing Game.
In this game, the parent is the angler and the child plays the fish.
First, prepare a long towel and tie a knot at one end.
Have your child lie down, pinch the knot between their feet, and firmly hold the remaining length of the towel with both hands.
Once you’re set, the parent (the angler) pulls on the towel the child is holding and drags them along.
Be careful—if either of you loses your grip on the towel, you’ll come apart! If you’re doing this as a sports day event, we recommend a team relay format.
Carry the ball on a cone
For a cute-feeling event, we recommend a relay where participants carry a ball on a cone.
In this activity, you place a ball on an ice-cream cone made by attaching construction paper to newspaper and carry it.
If you decorate the ball with construction paper or similar materials, it will look even more like ice cream.
The adorable appearance is sure to liven things up.
First, try finding a ball that’s a good size.
If it’s a vinyl ball, you can decorate it simply by applying thin paper.
plastic bottle rocket
The classic summer vacation science project: the PET bottle rocket.
Many parents may have made one when they were kids, too.
Counting down 3, 2, 1 and watching the rocket soar into the sky is such a thrill! PET bottle rockets are also great for parent-child activities.
You can work together during the building process, and if it flies beautifully, you can share the joy.
If you look it up, you’ll find plenty of websites explaining how to make one, and there are also convenient kits for sale!
