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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A big hit at after-school childcare! A collection of group play and game ideas you can do without any equipment (11–20)
Sports Rokumushi
Rokumushi is a game where players move between two circles while carefully avoiding being hit by a ball held by the tagger.
It tests strategies such as how the runners advance toward the next circle and how the tagger blocks their path.
A team-based format is recommended; the more participants there are, the greater the awareness of movement becomes, and the strategies tend to grow more sophisticated.
Since having fewer remaining players is a disadvantage, it might be best for the team to move as a united group.
Prince Shōtoku game
This game is named after Prince Shōtoku, who was said to be able to distinguish multiple people’s words at once.
Several people surround one person and all start talking at the same time.
The person in the middle has to pick out what each person is saying and state the correct answers one by one.
It sounds simple when put into words, but it’s actually quite difficult—maybe you can manage up to about four people? Of course, the more people there are, the higher the difficulty.
When, where, and who game
A game called “When, Where, Who, and What Did They Do?” It’s very simple but really lively.
Prepare separate boxes and fill them with lots of slips that say “when,” “where,” “who,” and “what they did” in various situations.
Everyone takes turns drawing slips to complete a sentence, and the impossible twists and nonsensical actions lead to big laughs—making it a great party game.
It also sparks imagination and naturally expands the conversation.
Chinese jump rope
Rubber-band jumping is a traditional game that lets children enjoy using their flexibility and sense of rhythm.
A looped rubber band is fixed around the legs of two people, and the jumper hops over the band—above, below, and between it—in various rhythms.
The height and movements vary, starting low and then raising the band to waist or shoulder level to increase the difficulty.
Jumping to a song creates a steady tempo, and everyone around joins in by keeping the rhythm.
There’s no single correct way to jump, which fosters creativity and free thinking.
It’s a smile-filled game whose simple movements and sense of achievement when you succeed appeal to a wide range of ages.
Clap-Clap Game
Let me introduce the Clap-Clap Game that always gets the class excited.
The rules are simple: the leader moves both hands, and the participants watch the leader’s movements and clap their hands exactly when the leader’s hands overlap.
It’s a game where you enjoy clapping in sync with the timing.
Carefully observe the leader’s movements and match your timing.
It’s also important for the leader to be creative with their motions to make the game more exciting.
Even if someone claps at the wrong time, it turns into laughter and makes the game even more fun.
Anything Basket
A classic recreation game, Fruit Basket.
Normally you split into teams named after fruits, but this version is called “Anything Basket,” where you don’t divide into teams.
Just like Fruit Basket, the person standing in the middle makes a call, and the people who fit the call move.
As the name “Anything” suggests, anything goes.
For example: “Anyone who ate bread for breakfast today,” “Anyone who isn’t wearing socks today,” and so on—call out actions or noticeable traits.
Evolution Rock-Paper-Scissors
This rock-paper-scissors game lets you enjoy the stages of human evolution.
Just playing rock-paper-scissors by itself can be boring, right? In Evolution Rock-Paper-Scissors, everyone starts lying face down.
Crawl on your stomach to move around, find an opponent, and play.
The loser stays face down, while the winner “evolves”: first to all fours, then—after the next win—to a high crawl without knees touching the ground, and finally to standing on two feet.
The first person to stand on two feet wins.
Small Number Game
Do you know the Small Number Game? First, ask the children to choose one favorite number between 1 and 20.
I will call out the numbers in descending order, and when I reach the number they chose, they stand up.
If they are the only one who stands up at that moment, they become the champion and remain standing.
If two or more stand up at the same time, that’s a bust, and they have to sit down.
If someone becomes the champion with a smaller number, the previous champion sits down.
It’s fun because strategy and mind games are important.
Long Tail Pulling Game
A high-energy, low-contact long tail-tag game.
Each player attaches a long cloth strip or plastic cord to their waist, letting it hang behind them as a “tail.” Once the game starts, everyone runs around trying to grab others’ tails.
Because the tails are long, players can keep their distance while still creating offense and defense, making it fun to strategize without physical contact.
It demands stamina, quick bursts of speed, and keen observation, so younger and older students can compete together on the same field.
The last person whose tail hasn’t been taken is the winner, and despite its simplicity, games often get quite heated.
It’s a cleverly designed activity that balances safety with excitement.
Three fail-safe activities that are guaranteed to get everyone excited
Here are three games that are guaranteed to get everyone hyped.
First is the “Rhythm Game”! Pick a theme, and only clap twice when you hear a word that matches it.
If you clap after a word that doesn’t fit the theme, you’re out.
Be careful not to clap by mistake in the heat of the moment.
The second game is “San-Ken Hoi!!”.
Everyone shows some fingers, and the first person to correctly call out the total number of fingers wins.
The third game is the “Clan Game.” Choose your own name, then make eye contact with someone and play rock-paper-scissors.
If you win, your name is passed to the person who lost.
In the end, the person who has spread their name to the most people is the winner.
Consider the difficulty level and group size, and pick the perfect game for your crowd!
