Play ideas kids can enjoy from 1st to 6th grade [indoors & outdoors]
Looking for games everyone from first to sixth grade can enjoy together? In response to those requests, here are activities that bring excitement across grade levels.
From escape-room style games where teammates work together to solve puzzles, to chase games where everyone holds hands to flee from the tagger—there are plenty of options you can enjoy in the classroom or the gym! Build teamwork and share lots of smiles.
From active, movement-based games to brain teasers, you’ll find a wide variety of activities that support children’s growth.
- [Play Right Away!] Exciting Recreation Games Recommended for Elementary School Students
- Indoor and outdoor activities that avoid crowding. Enjoyable for students from first to sixth grade.
- [Children’s Club] Easy and fun indoor games. Exciting party games
- Recommended for upper elementary grades! Exciting indoor recreation and games
- No worries even in the rain! Fun recreational activities you can do in the gym
- [Elementary School] Quick and Easy! Indoor Recreational Activities Perfect for Lower Grades
- Elementary School Fun Day a Big Hit! Indoor Game Idea Collection
- [Elementary School Rec] Recommended Games and Performances for a Fun Party
- Liven up your children’s club event! A collection of ideas everyone can enjoy
- Recreation Activities That Excite Kids’ Clubs! Plans and Ideas Children Will Love
- [For Kids] Exciting Class-vs-Class Games: Team Competition Activities
- Recommended outdoor games and recreational activities for lower elementary school children
- [Elementary School] Indoor Games and Recreational Activities Recommended for Upper Primary Grades
Indoor activities that are easy to do (21–30)
Number guessing game
It’s a number-guessing game where you try to predict how many people will crouch.
Everyone stands in a circle and, while jumping, says “Ready, 1!” or “2,” guessing how many people will crouch.
You can crouch yourself, or stay standing and just guess the number—it’s up to you.
It’s simple, but it uses both your body and your brain, and it’s a lot of fun.
It’s hard to guess the number of people who will crouch, so when someone nails it, the group is sure to cheer.
It’s also a great game for chilly or rainy days when kids want to move around—you can play it indoors in a small space.
Fun for elementary school kids! 5 indoor activities
Indoor recreational activities that you can enjoy for short periods of time—such as on rainy days—are perfect for exercising both the mind and body, since the rules and movements vary by game.
Plus, enjoying each game by working together as a team helps energize communication among participants.
Competing with friends and enjoying games also leads to discussing strategies and experiencing the emotions of winning and losing.
Experiencing fun, joy, and even frustration through physical activity is recommended for fostering a positive mindset.
5 super fun activities
We’ll be introducing five activities: “Irregular Play,” “Swirly Tail Chase,” “Receive & Catch,” “Ball Rolling Play,” and “Cross Rubber Jump Tail Chase.” They mainly use a ball—putting it into a basket, catching it, and combining movements like hopscotch and forward rolls to get the body moving.
In “Swirly Tail Chase,” attach a jump rope instead of a string and run away from the tagger, changing directions between clockwise and counterclockwise.
For “Cross Rubber Jump Tail Chase,” stretch elastic bands across the room and escape from the tagger while jumping over the bands.
Recommended for elementary school kids! 5 games that make you work up a sweat
“Touch and Dash,” “Feint Tag,” “Marker Tag,” “Math Relay,” and “Rock-Paper-Scissors Race.” All five of these active games involve running and let kids get plenty of movement even indoors.
They also include elements that exercise the mind: for example, in a relay format, players pick up a pinnie and add the number written on it, and once the total reaches 20 or more, they finish; or they use markers to cleverly lure opponents and dash through gaps.
Even children who get bored with simple movements are sure to get hooked.
School-themed shiritori
Mono Shiritori is an upgraded version of the regular word game shiritori.
Play by using actual objects found at school or things you’re wearing.
For example, if you start with “kokuban-keshi” (blackboard eraser), the next could be “shitajiki” (writing board), and so on—look for real items and answer with those.
If possible, step out of your classroom and use items from other classrooms too; that way you can come up with more answers.
Play within what’s feasible.
It’s recommended to form several small teams and compete—it’s exciting, encourages cooperation, and if the answer happens to be something heavy, you can carry it together.
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.
Ball games you can play with two people!
Balls are very familiar playthings for children, and the ways to enjoy them are limitless! This time, we’re introducing eight ball games for lower-grade students.
In addition to balls, items like hula hoops are used to help kids improve their physical abilities while having fun.
Basically, children pair up in twos and play by throwing or rolling the ball, or dodging a bouncing ball.
There are also games with sport-like elements—such as Copycat Dribble, Hoop Pass Tennis, and Marker Hockey—so we hope even kids who feel uneasy about ball sports will take this opportunity to get interested.
Outdoor activities: fun games everyone can play together!
This is a game called “Catch.” Choose one person to be the leader, and have the other participants form a circle.
Hold out your right hand with the palm facing up toward the person on your right, and place your left index finger on the palm of the person to your left.
When the leader says “Catch,” quickly close your right hand, and with your left hand, try to pull your index finger away so it doesn’t get caught.
The leader should vary the timing by stretching out “Ca, ca, caaaatch…” or throw in feints by saying something like “Cat!” instead.
It’s a simple game that helps break the ice and get everyone excited, even with people you’re meeting for the first time.
Solo play you can really get into!
A handy item for enjoying a quick game at school is the math blocks.
Many schools probably purchase them in bulk for first graders.
Try a stacking game using those math blocks to see how many you can stack within a time limit.
You could also compete to see how many seconds it takes to stack 10 blocks.
Because it requires fine finger movements and focused engagement, it can also serve as practice for staying calm during lessons.
Just be careful not to lose any blocks if the stack collapses while you play.
Fun boredom-buster ideas for kids you can make with 100-yen store items!
Set a writeable, stick-on whiteboard into a file folder you can get at a 100-yen shop.
Next, cut a frame out of cardboard, cover it with OPP tape or similar so it can be adhered, and stick it onto the file.
I also recommend adding a lid made from a clear file to the frame—this prevents whatever you’ve stuck on from falling off or getting in the way.
Attach a pouch that can hold origami paper and washi tape, and finally add a pen.
Now you’ve got a portable boredom-buster file you can take anywhere!