[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 (21–30)
Let’s make a newspaper tent
How about a “newspaper tent” for a parent–child activity? Roll newspaper pages tightly into thin sticks and use them as the frame to build a tent.
You’ll need a bit of space, but since the only materials are newspapers and tape, it’s easy to plan.
Parents and children can discuss the shape and create their ideal tent together.
It’s sure to spark lots of conversation as you build.
You can also prepare origami or construction paper to decorate and make it even more fun!
rhythmic exercise
These are rhythm activities that parents and children can enjoy together.
We introduce many simple hand-clap songs that even very young children can join, as well as games that use the whole body.
If the hand-clap songs get everyone excited, some kids might even start dancing without thinking.
Activities that use the body also offer plenty of physical contact with adults, so they’re highly recommended.
[Parent-Child Rec] Recreations and games for parents and children to enjoy. Also great for sports days (31–40)
Borrowed Item Race
Let’s enjoy a “Borrowed Item Race” at the parent-child recreation event.
First, draw a lot with a prompt for what to borrow, such as “something red” or “a banana.” Prepare items that are easy for anyone to recognize.
Borrow something that fits the prompt and carry it to the goal.
For ages three and up, you can also make it a race to “borrow” people—like “someone wearing red clothes” or “someone with long hair”—which is also fun! Will the children be able to find what they need? It’s a recreation activity that will have even the onlookers smiling.
Balloon volleyball
It’s a perfect activity for burning off energy because you can use your whole body to play.
As long as you have a balloon, you can do it anytime, anywhere.
It’s safer than using a ball, so even little kids can join in.
One of the fun parts is that the balloon moves in unexpected ways.
Besides volleyball-style play, you can enjoy different variations like juggling it, or using a fan as a racket to play like badminton.
piggyback race
Let’s liven up the sports day with a piggyback race, where adults carry children on their backs and compete to see who finishes first.
The more participants, the more exciting the piggyback race becomes.
It’s a simple activity in which a parent or guardian plays the “horse,” carrying a child on their back and racing, but it actually takes more stamina than you might expect to make it to the finish.
It’s also a game that’s great fun for spectators to watch.
Be careful not to get so caught up in running that the child you’re carrying falls off.
Wearing helmets and protective gear will make it safer and more reassuring for everyone.
pretending to be animals
It’s a game where you mimic the movements of various animals.
You can jump, crawl, run, or balance on one leg—it’s a great way to use many parts of your body.
You can suggest an animal and try imitating it, or take turns guessing which animal someone is doing—both are lots of fun.
Newspaper flipping game
It’s a game where you tear newspaper into small pieces and scatter them around.
You’ll see kids enjoying it in different ways—some get mesmerized by the mysterious movement of the paper, while others get excited and playful.
The materials are easy to get, so it’s great for starting right away.
If you let the children do the tearing themselves, it becomes fine-motor exercise, and they can enjoy the texture and sound of ripping paper.
At the end, turn cleanup into a game of collecting the pieces in a bag, and it becomes a great bit of exercise too.