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 for after-school childcare! A special collection of group play and game ideas you can do without any equipment (41–50)
Fish, Birds, Trees
Do you know the game called Gyochomoku? It’s pronounced “gyo-cho-moku.” The game starts when the leader calls out, “Gyochomoku, will you say it or not?” and everyone answers together, “We’ll say it, we’ll say it.” The leader then points to someone and says one of “fish,” “bird,” or “tree.” If they say “fish,” you answer with the name of a fish.
If it’s “bird,” give the name of a bird; if it’s “tree,” the name of a tree.
You must not repeat the same category name twice with the same answer, nor give the same specific name twice.
It’s a game that even lower-grade children can play, and if it seems difficult, it’s nice to give hints while playing.
human disentanglement puzzle
The human knot game is a simple, crowd-pleasing activity that kids and adults can enjoy together.
Participants form a circle and hold hands—but you must hold hands with people who are not next to you, and you can only hold the same person with one hand.
Without letting go, twist and maneuver your bodies to untangle the human knot.
As everyone talks and works together to solve it, the excitement naturally builds.
When you succeed, the shared sense of accomplishment brings everyone together and strengthens team unity, making this a highly recommended game.
PET bottle darts
Let’s try playing “Plastic Bottle Darts” using a plastic bottle and disposable chopsticks! Despite the name, it’s not dangerous—it’s a game where you drop chopsticks toward a plastic bottle placed at your feet.
Use a slightly larger bottle so it’s stable.
Decide on a number of chopsticks per person—for example, two each—and take turns.
It looks very simple and easy, but the bottle’s opening is small, so getting them in is tricky.
Taller kids might be at a bit of a disadvantage!
Newspaper 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.
Balloon lifting
When it comes to soccer juggling, it’s one of those games where you compete on the number of touches and everyone gets excited, right? But when you try to play with a group, sometimes there aren’t enough balls, or it’s too dangerous to play indoors.
Plus, differences in body size and age can affect the results.
However, all those issues can be solved at once by swapping the ball for a balloon! And while it can be discouraging if you can’t keep the count going with a ball, with a balloon you can keep going at a slower pace, making it fun to play.
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.
Tail tag
This is a game called “Tail Tag,” where ribbons or strings are used as pretend tails.
Everyone wears a tail and tries to take each other’s tails.
While you’re focused on grabbing someone else’s tail, be careful—you might lose your own.
Keep collecting tails as you go.
If someone loses their tail, they can put on a spare tail and rejoin the game.
Set a time limit, and the player who collects the most tails within that time wins.
It’s also a great indoor activity for rainy days to get kids moving.