A big hit at after-school childcare! A special feature on group games and activities you can play without any equipment

Sandwich Game

[Group Play] A Thorough Guide to the Sandwich Game!

Here’s an idea for a “Sandwich Game” that’s a guaranteed hit in after-school care.

Adults holding mattresses play the “bread,” while the kids each become their favorite sandwich “fillings” and run around.

The rules are simple: when you sandwich a child with the mattress, you just say, “I’ll eat you!” And somehow, that’s all it takes to get everyone excited.

Both the chasers and the runners go all-in.

The kids dash around to avoid getting sandwiched, warming up both body and mind.

Even without elaborate setups, the thrill of almost getting caught and the fast pace make it a perfect group game for active days.

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kojifumi

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straw airplane

"Straw Airplane" Flies Like Crazy Outdoors! — From a Magazine by Play Experts in After‑School Care

Popular in after-school care, the “straw airplane” is a fun craft that’s easy to make with a straw and construction paper—and it flies really well.

First, cut off the bendy part of the straw with scissors so it’s straight.

Next, cut two long, narrow strips from the construction paper, roll each into a ring, and tape them to the front and back of the straw.

Using a smaller ring in front and a larger ring in back makes it stable and helps it fly surprisingly far.

Kids are amazed at how it flies differently from a regular paper airplane! You can compete to see whose airplane flies the farthest, try different throwing techniques, and enjoy playing over and over.

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Dodgeball tag

Dodgeball Tag: After-school Childcare Recreation Plan

Ball Tag with a Throw is a high-energy indoor game that’s hugely popular in after-school programs.

The rules are simple: the “it” player chases with a ball and tries to tag the others by hitting them with it.

Despite its simplicity, the speed and thrill make it incredibly exciting! Whoever gets hit by the ball becomes the next “it,” so the game keeps changing rapidly and never gets boring.

Using a soft ball makes it safe for indoor play.

In smaller spaces, you can adjust by setting boundaries or requiring shorter strides.

It’s a perfect game to bring out lots of energy and create a lively, fun time.

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kojifumi

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Reflex Game

[Hand Game Fun for Elementary Kids] Quick Reaction Game

We’d like to introduce an idea for a group game called the “Quick-Reaction Game,” perfect for after-school programs because the rules are simple and you can adapt it freely.

The basic rule is: when the leader meows like a cat (“meow”), the children must immediately raise their hands.

That alone is simple, but by mixing in feints—like a dog’s bark or a wolf’s howl—you add just the right amount of thrill and laughter.

You can also use instruments instead of animal sounds.

For example, the bell sound means correct, while castanets or a tambourine indicate a trick.

Using familiar instruments makes it fun while building focus and reaction speed.

It’s a highly adaptable, recommended game that you can play over and over, adjusting for different ages and group sizes.

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kojifumi

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Tag (or Tag, holding hands)

Hand-Holding Tag

Let me introduce a thrilling game of tag where the number of “oni” (taggers) keeps increasing.

First, decide who will be the oni and who will be the runners.

Once the game starts, the children run away from the oni.

Up to this point it’s just regular tag, but the fun really begins after someone gets caught! When a child is tagged by the oni, they join hands with the oni, become oni themselves, and chase the others together.

When a group of oni comes after you, it’s scary but super exciting! You can also add a variation where, once there are four oni, they split into two pairs.

The last child left wins.

Who will be the one to stay in the game until the very end?

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Nakajima Junko

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A Daruma’s Day

[Hilarious] We all tried playing the nostalgic old “Daruma-san’s Day” game, and it turned out absurdly surreal lol

“Darumasan ga Koronda” is a classic recreation game we often played as kids.

There’s a ‘evolved’ version of that game called “A Day in the Life of Darumasan.” As in the original, there is one ‘it’ (the demon/oni), and everyone else starts some distance away.

When the oni says, “Darumasan ga koronda,” the players actually fall down on the spot and show it.

You can also call out other gestures people can do on the spot, like “Darumasan is standing on one leg,” or “Darumasan made a funny face.” It’s a fun game indoors and works well with mixed ages.

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utatane

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Newspaper Rock-Paper-Scissors

At-home activities Part 1: Newspaper (1) — Rock-Paper-Scissors

This is a game called “Newspaper Rock-Paper-Scissors,” which you can play anywhere as long as you have newspaper.

Each person takes a sheet of newspaper, lays it on the floor, and stands on it to play rock-paper-scissors.

The winner stays as they are, while the loser folds their newspaper in half and plays again.

As the loser keeps folding, their newspaper gets smaller and smaller, but as long as they can stand on it, they’re still in.

Even standing on one foot or just your toes is fine as long as nothing goes off the newspaper.

If any part of your foot touches the floor outside the newspaper, you lose.

It’s a game that’s fun with both small and large groups.

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utatane

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