A big hit at after-school childcare! A special feature on group games and activities you can play without any equipment
Many of you may be looking for games that captivate children and are indispensable for the exciting activity time in after-school care.
Group play unique to after-school programs includes plenty of activities—both outdoors and indoors—that get everyone lively and engaged, while naturally nurturing motor skills and communication.
Here, we introduce fun game ideas that spark smiles, such as group shiritori, the telephone game, and DIY archery.
These activities are enjoyable for both small and large groups, so be sure to try them out in your after-school care setting!
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Big hits at after-school care! A special feature on group play and game ideas you can do without any equipment (101–110)
Balloon Trampoline
Only two materials! Here’s an idea for a balloon trampoline.
The bouncy, springy feeling of a trampoline excites both kids and adults, doesn’t it? This time, let’s play with a DIY trampoline.
All you need is a large vacuum/compression storage bag and balloons.
Inflate the balloons and pack them into the storage bag.
Seal the bag, compress it, and you’re done! A balloon-made trampoline is colorful and sure to capture kids’ attention!
Rock-Paper-Scissors Train
Let’s play “Rock-Paper-Scissors Train,” a game where we make a long train! At first, everyone moves around freely while the music is playing.
When the music stops, you play rock-paper-scissors with the person in front of you.
If you lose, you connect by standing behind the winner.
The winner becomes (or stays) the train’s front and moves around with everyone attached behind.
Repeat this until there’s no one left without a partner.
The person who remains at the front until the very end wins.
Since the line will keep getting longer, play in as large a space as possible.
Gesture Game
A gesture game that kids of different grades can all enjoy together.
They often see it on TV shows, so they’re familiar with it.
It’s fun to have everyone guess the gestures, but making it a team competition makes it even more exciting.
Take turns being the person who gestures and see how many prompts your team can guess within the time limit.
The team with the most correct answers wins.
If a gesture is too hard to figure out, you can pass—but decide in advance how many passes are allowed!
Flip-over game
Get the crowd going with a team battle! Here’s an idea for a flip-over game.
Split into two teams to compete.
Like Othello, prepare a board with two colors on opposite sides and start the game! When the time is up, the team with more of their color showing wins.
Kids will be totally absorbed and eager to take on the challenge—no doubt about it! Before you begin, remind everyone to watch out for collisions and falls while they’re focused on the game.
Give it a try!
Poly bag race
This is a two-person game called the “Plastic Bag Carpet Race.” One person stands on a plastic bag placed on the floor, while the other crouches in front and holds both ends of the bag.
At the starting signal, the pair synchronizes their movements with the call, “Ready, go!” The person on top jumps, the person below pulls the bag forward, the jumper lands on the pulled-forward bag, and they repeat this to head for the finish line.
Stepping off the plastic bag is a disqualification.
It’s also fun to make it a team competition and race against others.
A big hit in after-school care! A special collection of group play and game ideas you can do without any equipment (111–120)
True or False Quiz
When you have a large group with a wide range of ages, try playing a True-or-False quiz! With questions that can be answered with either true (O) or false (X), people can still join in even if they don’t know the answer—they can just guess (lol).
Split the play area into two sides: those who think the answer is O go to this side, and those who think it’s X go to that side.
If you’re wrong, you’re out; if you’re right, you move on to the next round.
Turning it into a last-person-standing style game should make it even more exciting.
You can come up with quiz questions about familiar topics, or look for them online or in videos.
Bamboo Shoot Gnocchi
Takenoko Nyokki is a staple of recreation games.
You don’t need any equipment, and it doesn’t depend on place or time, so you can easily play it anywhere.
The great thing about this game is that everyone—from kids to adults—can enjoy it together.
It’s a fun, exciting activity even in mixed-age groups like after-school programs.
It starts with “One nyokki,” and the numbers continue, but if you overlap with someone else or end up being the last one left, you’re out.
Everyone wants to finish early, so people can’t help but overlap, you know? (laughs)