[Elementary School Rec] Recommended Games and Performances for a Fun Party

Games you can play while maintaining social distancing

Three games you can play at your desk while maintaining social distance

We still don’t know how long COVID-19’s rampage will continue.

Just when you think, “Has it settled down?” it surges again—what a troublesome disease.

So here are some games you can play while keeping social distance.

The first is the “Variety Bingo Game.” Instead of writing numbers in the bingo squares, you pick a theme—like foods or country names—and write whatever you like.

It’s sure to be more exciting than number bingo.

The second is the “Draw from Imagination Game.” You make illustrations of things you kind of know but not really—like a platypus or star fruit.

Even if you’re not good at drawing, no problem—the weirder your drawings get, the more fun it is!

Plastic Bag Carpet Race

Plastic Bag Carpet Race from “The Latest and Most Fun Recreation Games”

This is a two-person game called the Plastic-Bag Carpet Race.

One person stands on a plastic bag placed on the floor.

The other person squats and holds both front corners of the bag.

At the start signal, the person on top jumps, and while they’re in the air, the person below pulls the bag forward.

The jumper must land back on the bag.

Turn it into a team relay to make it fun for a large group.

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Telephone game

Narita Gospel Church Sunday School Game

How about we all try playing the Telephone Game? It works with any number of people, whether a small group or a large one.

Starting from the first person, you whisper a sentence to the next person so others can’t hear.

Each person then whispers exactly what they heard to the next.

The last person performs what they were told in front of everyone.

Now, did the message make it to the last person correctly?

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Word association game

Episode 1: “Word Association Game” [NHK Red and White Quiz Battle]

A great scene to recommend for deepening bonds with classmates in the classroom is a word association game.

You choose a theme like objects or people’s names, then describe it in other words and have others guess it.

You can enjoy it in many ways—by holding a team competition with the whole class or playing in small groups of friends.

It doesn’t require any materials, so it’s also nice that it doesn’t take time to prepare.

It’s also a good idea to use trending anime or products as themes.

How about trying a game that also gives your brain a workout?

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Where is the epicenter?

Boy Scouts game: Where is the epicenter?

One game that’s often enjoyed in Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts is the “Epicenter Game.” The basic rules are as follows: Everyone sits in a circle and a player chosen as the detective stands in the middle.

One person is the epicenter and decides on an action, such as tapping their shoulder, patting their knees, or touching their head.

Everyone else just imitates the epicenter’s movements.

If the detective manages to identify the epicenter, they win.

If you can use a schoolyard or gym, big movements like running and jumping are also okay! On sunny days, it’s fun to use your whole body.

The trick for the detective is to look around quickly and carefully.

Hiragana Collecting Game

Let’s play with 50-sound (hiragana) cards! Here are some ideas for a hiragana-collecting game.

Once you’ve prepared cards or slips of paper with one hiragana character on each, you’re ready to go! Within a time limit, try to make as many words as you can that fit a given theme.

For example, if the theme is “animals,” you can combine characters to form words like い・ぬ (dog) or き・り・ん (giraffe).

It’s helpful to set aside space to place completed words, so it’s easy for kids to understand.

Finding the good points

Boosting Self-Esteem: Classroom Management Through Finding Students' Strengths

As you play repeatedly, you’ll naturally start to find them! Here are some ideas for discovering good qualities.

When someone tells you your strengths, it feels incredibly uplifting, doesn’t it? Plus, when you share your friends’ good points, it makes them happy and feels great for you too! It’s a wonderful idea that boosts self-esteem, so I highly recommend it.

When writing down good qualities, it can help to specify things like how the person might be in the future or a specific episode that made you happy.

Feel free to adapt and incorporate these ideas in your own way.