[Play Right Away!] Exciting Recreation Games Recommended for Elementary School Students
Lively, fun recreation games that get elementary school kids excited! Whether in the classroom or the gym, there are plenty of activities that bring smiles to everyone’s faces.
Here, we’ll introduce fun ideas ranging from team-versus-team cooperative games and brain-teasing hiragana quizzes to active ball tag—everything from no-equipment options to games you can enjoy with simple prep.
These games help deepen friendships and reveal new sides of each other, so be sure to enjoy your time with friends through play!
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Team-based Cooperative Recreation Games (1–10)
Hula hoop relay
This is the Hula Hoop Relay, a game you can play anywhere, indoors or outdoors.
All you need is a hula hoop, so it’s easy to get started.
Everyone lines up in a row and holds hands.
Starting from one end, each person passes the hula hoop over their body and through to the next person in turn.
You must not let go of hands or use your hands to help.
Pass the hoop along using only your body movements!
Treasure-Grabbing Game
A game you can enjoy both indoors and outdoors, playable with many or few people: the “Treasure Grab Game.” Split into two teams and move items placed inside the opposing team’s colored ring into your own team’s colored ring.
You can carry only one item at a time, and you can place only one item in the ring at a time.
At the start signal, if you’re on the red team, you take the blue team’s treasures and place them inside the red ring.
When the end signal sounds, the team with more items inside its ring wins.
It’s a game that tests your judgment and quick reflexes.
Hula hoop down
There are times when some children aren’t good at running, or you can’t secure a large space.
Even so, a game I’d like to recommend that still gets bodies moving is “Hula Hoop Down.” All you need is a hula hoop.
About five people form a circle and support it with a single finger.
The challenge is to lower it to the ground without taking your fingers off.
It’s simple, but surprisingly difficult.
By the way, the trick is to support the hula hoop with the pads of your fingers.
If you use the sides of your fingers, there’s less contact area, so it’s harder to support.
Team Competition and Cooperative Recreation Games (11–20)
Line-up Game
Just line up in order—simple, yet surprisingly tricky? Let me introduce the “Line-up Game.” All you do is have the group line up! For example, if the prompt is “Line up in order of earliest birthday,” not many people actually remember everyone’s birthdays, right? By talking and checking with each other while forming the line, it becomes a game that also encourages communication.
The more people there are, the harder it gets.
indoor hockey game
Kids are guaranteed to be hooked! Here’s an indoor hockey game idea.
Hockey, which was a big hit at the Olympics, is played with sticks and a hockey ball.
This time, let’s try an indoor version you can enjoy at home.
All you need are marker cones.
Set up two red and two blue marker cones facing each other as goals, then use another color of marker cone as the “ball.” Slide it along the floor and aim for the goal—game on!
Tag Rugby Game
Recommended for elementary school students too! Here are some ideas for tag rugby games.
Tag rugby is a sport based on rugby where, instead of tackling the opponent, the game progresses by removing tags attached to the players’ waists.
For example, one of the five play ideas shown in the video is a game where you set up three cones and run laps around them while trying to take your opponent’s tag.
Give them a try and see how they work for you!
BlindSquare
Introducing the Blind Square Game, a fun activity that uses visual illusion while participants are blindfolded.
Gather 6 to 8 people, form a circle, hold a single rope, and put on blindfolds.
At the signal “Start,” work together to form a square.
Once you think you’ve made a square, everyone places the rope on the ground and sits down.
Remove your blindfolds and check whether it’s actually a square.
The team that creates the neatest square the fastest wins.
Teamwork is key.
It’s recommended to leave one person without a blindfold to give directions.
You can also switch up the shapes you make to keep things lively.
