[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] Recreational activities and games for parents and children to enjoy together. Also great for sports days (11–20)
the eye of a typhoon
We’d like to introduce how to play “Typhoon’s Eye,” a classic team game for sports days and outdoor play.
It’s a popular recreation that uses the whole body and can be played in a gym or an open outdoor space.
Prepare a long pole, line up several players, and have them all hold the pole.
At the starting signal, run toward the target, such as a cone.
When you reach the turning point, rotate in a circle using one end of the pole as the pivot, then make a U-turn.
Like the eye of a typhoon, the person at the center should firmly support the team, while the person on the far outer end should pick up speed to turn quickly.
Speed and synchronized teamwork are the keys to victory.
Give it a try!
Three-legged ball-carrying relay
With the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic reducing chances for in-person contact, games and activities that let parents and children or friends play together safely while taking infection prevention into account have become especially valuable experiences.
How about getting moving with a three-legged race that you can enjoy in sync with preschoolers or elementary school children? The key to enjoying a three-legged race is to tie together the adjacent legs to fix them, then start moving at the same time while matching your breathing.
It’s a simple setup, but when you actually try it, it’s surprisingly challenging.
Right, left—match your rhythm and stride with your partner and race against other teams in a three-legged game.
Have fun!
Parent-child ball toss
Tamaire, the classic sports day game that parents and kids can enjoy together, doesn’t require difficult rules or techniques.
Let’s liven things up with cooperative play that both children and adults can enjoy.
Have a parent lift the child up high so the child can toss balls into the basket, or have the child carry balls to the parent, who then throws them from a distance into the basket—it’s a cooperative style of tamaire.
In this game where adults and children synchronize and keep tossing balls in, not only the kids but the adults might find themselves totally absorbed.
Finally, turn the cleanup into part of the game by collecting all the balls into a box, so tidying up is fun too.
Inside-out pots!
@hiyoko_sakuranbo Fun for mixed ages, large groups, and parent-child activities! “Nabe-nabe Soko Nuke — All-Participants Version” Next time, I’ll post a reel that returns everyone to the forward-facing circle! **************** “Saito Kimiko’s Sakuranbo Rhythm Play” is a scientifically grounded method that promotes children’s development through play. We share rhythm-play activities that can be applied immediately in educational settings through workshops and at preschools nationwide. If you’re interested, please DM or contact us on LINE↓↓ @hiyoko_sakuranbo ***************** Mayumi Murata | Sakuranbo Rhythm Play ▶ “Complete DVD Book Collection: Saito Kimiko’s Early Childhood Education” — book text composition ▶ “Illustrated Edition: Saito Kimiko’s Sakura Sakuranbo Rhythm Play” — planning and editing Thank you for the likes and follows!#Cherry Rhythm PlaySakura Sakura-nbo Rhythm#Rhythm PlayRhythm PlayHiroko SaitoNursery teacher / Childcare workerKindergarten Teacher#Pot, pot, inside-out
♪ Original Song – hiyoko_sakuranbo – hiyoko_sakuranbo
We’d like to introduce “Nabe Nabe Sokonuke,” a traditional and ever-popular hand-clapping circle game that parents and children can enjoy together.
Whether with two people or a large group, everyone holds hands to make a circle.
When the lyrics say “Let’s go back,” flip yourselves around so you end up back-to-back while keeping your hands joined.
Repeat the same song and movement to return to facing each other again.
By moving your body side to side with the song, you can develop a sense of rhythm, and it’s fun to move while singing together.
It’s a great way to enjoy close interaction, whether with parent and child or among friends—give it a try!
Newspaper Dome
Kids are sure to be thrilled by a newspaper dome that swells up as if it might burst! Prepare two sections made by joining sheets of newspaper; make the center of one side with a vinyl material so you can see inside the dome.
Then connect the two sections, pump in air, and have fun by going inside or taking photos from the outside! While inflatable vinyl domes can be costly, using newspapers lets you easily recreate the fun of a popular attraction at a low cost.
Tug of war
When doing tug-of-war at a parent–child recreation event, be sure to play with mixed teams of adults and children! You can put parents and kids on the same team, or deliberately split them up—both ways are fun.
If you divide the teams starting with the strongest men or larger participants, it becomes hard to predict who will win, making for a thrilling, edge-of-your-seat match.
Cheering is essential for tug-of-war, too.
If you can’t shout loudly, prepare alternatives like waving flags or towels to keep the venue energized!
[Parent-Child Rec] Recreations and games for parents and children to enjoy together. Also great for sports days (21–30)
playing ninja
Kids love the sound of the word “ninja.” Let them pretend to be ninjas and enjoy a variety of movements—walking on tiptoes, creeping along the floor and walls, or stopping suddenly.
If you make origami shuriken, they can even have a thrilling shuriken-throwing experience.
Creating targets for a target-throwing game will make it even more exciting!