[For Elementary School Students] Recommended Recreational Activities to Enjoy at a Farewell Party
Even if children don’t feel a strong sense of farewell at kindergarten or nursery school graduation ceremonies, many of them truly experience saying goodbye for the first time at their elementary school graduation, which can make them feel sad and lonely.
In this article, we introduce fun recreation ideas that will liven up a farewell party held before elementary school graduation.
We’ve gathered ideas for a variety of formats—such as graduates taking the lead in enjoying games, or underclassmen and teachers presenting songs and dances—so everyone can have a good time.
We hope the farewell party becomes a cherished memory that stays in the children’s hearts.
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[For Elementary School Students] Recommended Recreational Activities to Enjoy at Farewell Parties (31–40)
Gorilla Game
Let me introduce a game that will have your class roaring with laughter: the Gorilla Game.
Choose one child in the classroom, and have them answer every question from the questioner with the word “Gorilla.” For example, if the question is, “What did you eat for breakfast today?” the child answers, “Gorilla.” Of course, the questioner should react with a funny comeback to the “Gorilla” answer.
This back-and-forth will make the kids burst into laughter.
Make sure the final question sets up a punchline.
Also, the questioner’s reactions are key—add some facial expressions to make it even more exciting.
tongue twister
The more participants you have, the more exciting the Tongue Twister Challenge becomes—a fun game that can turn the whole venue into uproarious laughter.
Participants line up and take turns saying tongue twisters.
It’s a good idea to write the tongue twisters on a flip chart or cards and display them.
In addition to classics like “Namamugi, namagome, namatamago” and “Aka pajama, ki pajama, ao pajama,” try adding some original tongue twisters too! If you search online, you’ll find lots of funny and difficult tongue twisters for inspiration.
You can also split into teams and compete to see which team can finish faster to make it even more exciting!
School Lunch Quiz
The lunchtime meals we shared with our teachers and friends in a classroom full of memories are truly irreplaceable, aren’t they? This idea brings those cherished school lunches into the thank-you party as a quiz to relive and share them again.
You can project images on a screen or show color-printed copies.
Answer formats can be by raised hands, buzzer-style quick responses, or team competitions—the possibilities are endless.
Favorite dishes, foods you didn’t like, special-day menus—so many fun memories are sure to come flooding back.
A Quiz on Kanji with Difficult Readings
When it comes to classic thank-you party games, quizzes are a must! How about a “difficult-to-read kanji quiz,” which always gets people excited? This video features commonly mistaken kanji questions geared toward elementary school students, so it’s sure to be a hit.
It presents a wide range of challenging kanji one after another—such as 建立, 出納, and 知己, which you don’t often use but learned in class, as well as 常夏, 口調, and 夏至, which you might hear in everyday life.
It’s fun as an individual competition, but turning it into a team match could make it a memorable experience of working together with teachers and friends.
paper tower
Paper Tower is a contest to see how tall a tower you can build using only paper.
Without tools like scissors or tape, you stack paper by folding and layering, which tests your concentration and creativity.
Setting a time limit increases the game-like feel, and comparing the finished shapes is a fun part of the activity.
If you make it a team competition, it’s engaging to plan strategies while cooperating with school friends, and it naturally sparks conversation.
Since you can start with just paper, preparation is easy, making it a perfect recreation for farewell parties.
Whether it stands tall or collapses, it’s exciting—great both for quiet, focused play and for lively group fun.
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!
Team Battle Treasure Hunt
Let’s have fun by exchanging riddles! Here’s an idea for a team-based treasure hunt battle.
It’s a concept that sparks cooperation and creativity! Split into a team that creates riddles and a team that solves them to find the next clue, all aiming for the treasure.
By playing this game, you’ll not only boost your problem-solving and reasoning skills, but also learn the importance of teamwork and communication.
The thrill of solving puzzles together with your friends and the sense of accomplishment you’ll feel are truly appealing.
Let’s create wonderful memories with the friends you’ve spent the past six years with!
NG word game
An NG Word Game where you hold a conversation without using the forbidden word written on your card.
Stick your own NG word on your forehead or another part of your face so you can’t see it, and carry on a normal conversation while watching how others react.
If you accidentally say your NG word, you’re out, which creates both tension and laughter.
Part of the fun is the strategy—friends at school can probe each other or casually try to make someone say their NG word.
It’s a game where people who love talking and those who are good listeners can each make the most of their strengths, helping everyone grow closer through conversation.
It’s a perfect, high-energy activity that makes great memories for farewell parties, too.
Instrumental ensemble
If your whole class wants to put on a presentation together, how about trying an instrumental ensemble? Those of you in the upper grades have probably done it a few times already, but since this is a special opportunity, try picking a slightly more challenging piece from among your favorite songs.
Of course, the practice will be tough, but the thrill when the music comes together beautifully is truly amazing, and working as a group on a single piece will become a wonderful memory.
It won’t succeed without unity, so I think it will also be a great chance to improve communication.
Without Katakana
In everyday life, we often use words written in katakana.
Here, we’d like to introduce “Katakana-ashi,” a game where you explain a given topic without using katakana.
For example, you show a ball used in P.E.
and ask, “What is this?” The answer will likely be “ball.” Next, have them describe the ball without using any katakana.
Children will likely search for answers by thinking of various words in their heads.
Try switching the roles of questioner and answerer and give it a go.