Collection of indoor play ideas for September! Autumn recreational activities that will captivate children

Making a Jumping Rabbit

@heknsb2

Detailed materials here [for 1 person]- 2 paper cups- 2 rubber bands (If you hand them out already looped together, the activity will go smoothly!)See other crafts here: @sei_seisakuNursery School PracticumChildcare studentMoon-viewing CraftHarvest Moon Rabbit#September production

♬ 39 Minutes – kiki vivi lily

A jumping rabbit made by drawing a face on a paper cup, attaching ear parts, and adding slits.

By fitting rubber bands onto the slitted paper cup, you create a mechanism that makes it bounce.

Children can feel a sense of accomplishment by launching the rabbits they’ve crafted with their own ideas, naturally improving their dexterity and spatial awareness.

As they experiment with launch angles and force, they also develop observation and concentration skills, and the joy of seeing their finished creation bounce is exceptional.

It’s a hands-on, play-and-learn idea packed with ingenuity, letting kids make and move it themselves.

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Balance stone play with plastic bottles

@popokids_info

“Fun indoor movement!” Balance-stone-style plastic bottle 🌟Shimotabe Nursery School#AtHomePlay

♬ Original song – Popo Kids – Popo Kids

The balance-stone game made with plastic bottles is an activity where children walk across plastic bottles lined up on the floor without falling, training their sense of balance and core strength.

Because they need to adjust their center of gravity with each step, it boosts concentration, and through successful experiences they also learn the fun of taking on challenges.

Taking turns with friends or family fosters cooperation and the habit of waiting one’s turn, and it’s also a plus that kids can improve their motor skills and body awareness while playing.

It’s packed with ways to enjoy it safely indoors—connecting the bottles to make a path, spacing them out to adjust difficulty, and more.

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Indoor pool play

Indoor pool play is an idea that lets kids enjoy water activities regardless of the weather by laying down a blue tarp in a room and setting up a small pool.

Children can not only experience the fun of touching water and its sensations, but also naturally develop fine motor skills and concentration by floating balls and toys in the water and playing with them.

By observing the flow and splashes of water as they play, they can also enjoy a feeling similar to outdoor play.

Even indoors, it’s a lively activity that lets kids experience the fun of water play in summer and autumn.

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Paper cup airplane flying

Paper cup airplane launching is a craft activity where you decorate paper cups with drawings to add personality, connect multiple cups with tape, attach a rubber band, and make them fly.

By launching airplanes they’ve designed freely, children can experience the fun of creativity and develop their ability to experiment through trial and error.

Adjusting the rubber band’s tension and the launching angle nurtures a physical sense of how things move, while play naturally improves focus and powers of observation.

It’s an active craft that simultaneously delivers the joy of hands-on experience and inventive thinking.

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Making grapes with magic powder

@buchiko_hoiku

🐶 @buchiko_hoiku ◂◂◂◂ Check out my other posts too 🌼 Thank you so much for all the likes 🩷 This time it’s a new project! Grapes for toddlers 🍇 Can you guess what the magic powder is, made by shaving this magic stick? 🤭 The answer is… Pastels 🖍 If you shave pastels and rub with your finger, ta-da! You can draw a picture so easily ♪ ☺️ These pastels are from Seria (set of 3 colors!). I think the powder sifter was from Daiso? You can get everything at the 100-yen shop 🙌🏻🤍 Using various pastel colors creates a pretty gradient effect 🥹✨ Please give it a try 🌼 I’d love to hear if you made it too 🌈 ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ Thank you for reading to the end 🐶 I share ideas that are easy to copy—from the intro to the crafting—so anyone can make them ♬︎ Likes ♥, saves 𖤘, and follows 𖤐 would make me cry with joy 😂 lol Comments are also very welcome 🤍🤍 ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰ ⋱⋰Nursery teacher / Childcare workerKindergarten TeacherAutumn Crafts#Wall CreationToddler CraftsPlay that expands from picture booksGrape Crafting

♬ I Like You The Most (Sped Up) – SHAD

The “make grapes with magic powder” activity is an art project where children use their fingers to trace and blend powder shaved from pastels, allowing them to develop a sense of color and creativity.

As they spread the powder with their fingertips, they also build fine motor skills and coordination, while enjoying color mixing and shading that fosters focus.

Creating their own unique bunch of grapes gives them a sense of accomplishment, and the joy of admiring the finished piece offers a great opportunity to nurture imagination and expressive skills.

It’s also recommended to make other autumn-themed fruits alongside the grapes.

A classic activity perfect for autumn that sparks creativity.

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Variety Ball Toss

All Sorts of Ball Toss Games! [Ages 3–5] | Torikai Yuiku-en [Nursery/Kindergarten]

Speaking of autumn, it’s sports day season.

Let’s put a fun spin on the traditional “tama-ire” ball toss and enjoy an “All Kinds of Tama-ire”! Since you’re just throwing small balls, it’s perfect for ages 4–5 and up.

If you can, use slightly smaller baskets to catch the balls.

First up is “Points Tama-ire,” where the farther the basket, the higher the score.

Kids who play baseball might aim for the far basket, while careful kids may go for the closer one to score reliably.

Next is “Backpack Basket Tama-ire,” where players wear baskets on their backs and toss balls into each other’s baskets.

It’s even more exciting in a large space like an auditorium or gym.

Try coming up with your own original versions of tama-ire, too!

Reading Play: The Moon-Viewing Thief

"Otsukimi Thief" Reading Drama

In some rural areas, there is an event called “Otsukimi Dorobō” (Moon-Viewing Thieves).

Children are regarded as messengers of the moon, and on this day only, they are allowed to “steal” the offerings.

It’s considered auspicious.

This is a story inspired by that tradition.

For events where children gather, how about a reading that introduces them to the culture of moon-viewing?