[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)
Hula hoop tunnel
“Hoop Passing” is a game using a hula hoop that families and neighbors can enjoy.
Form a circle, hold hands, and keep passing the hula hoop along by stepping through it.
Adults can be at a slight disadvantage because they’re taller, but little kids can slip through quickly, which speeds things up.
You can have fun competing with everyone to see who’s the fastest!
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.
[Parent-Child Rec] Recreations and games for parents and children to enjoy. Also great for sports days (31–40)
Rock-paper-scissors Guriko
A game where only the person who wins rock-paper-scissors gets to move forward.
Scissors moves 6 steps for “chocolate,” paper moves 6 steps for “pineapple,” and rock moves 3 steps for “Glico.” Draw several lines in a wide area and have teams compete to see who can reach the other side first—it really livens things up! You might find that an unexpected child is great at rock-paper-scissors.
It’s a game that even gets parents playing seriously without thinking.
Parent-child cooking
Working on cooking together as a parent and child is a very meaningful time.
The process of making delicious dishes while the guardian and child cooperate provides a wonderful opportunity to deepen their communication.
It is heartwarming to see the guardian carefully teach the tasks and the child engage earnestly.
By enjoying the finished dishes together, they can also share a sense of accomplishment.
Through cooking, children can cultivate independence while strengthening family bonds.
Exercise play you can enjoy at home
Even when you can’t play outside, you still want to move your body! In times like that, let’s enjoy some active play at home.
For infants and toddlers, try baby massage or touch-and-play activities.
For preschoolers through elementary school kids, how about a spy game with a treasure hunt or a round of table tennis on the table? For the spy game, setting up obstacles around the room and preparing a treasure map can really liven things up.
For table tennis, you can substitute household items: a tissue box for the net, a pot lid for the paddle, and a super ball for the ball.
Jump into a rock-paper-scissors game!
The “Rock-Paper-Scissors Jump Game,” which combines rock-paper-scissors with jumping, is a playful activity that helps children learn how to use their bodies while potentially improving their athletic ability.
Create waiting spots on the left and right, and have participants play rock-paper-scissors with the person next to them.
The winner then jumps while moving from their current waiting spot to the one on the opposite side.
It’s a simple game that repeats this process, so any child old enough to play rock-paper-scissors can join.
For the jumping styles, start with a “rock” jump keeping both feet together, then move to a “scissors” jump.
After that, switch to a gallop and finally to a “paper” jump.
Ball-passing race
Among games that involve lots of movement, “Ball-Passing Relay” is always a hit.
Some of you might have played it before! You pass the ball backward using your hands behind your back, sending it farther and farther down the line.
After you pass, you run to the back and rejoin the line.
Set a finish line—the team that reaches it first wins.
It gets even more exciting with a large group split into multiple teams.
Just be careful not to drop the ball in your haste!