[Childcare] Fun February Indoor Play Ideas That Work for Both Small and Large Groups
As Setsubun approaches, many people at nursery schools and kindergartens may be looking for games and activities to enjoy with the children.
From lively group recreations to simple hand-play activities that even little ones can join, here are some perfect games for Setsubun.
You can adapt classic games into oni (ogre) versions, pretend to do bean throwing using balls as beans, and come up with endless ways to play depending on your ideas.
Teachers, please join the children in creating happy, laughter-filled memories of Setsubun!
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[Childcare] For small or large groups! A collection of indoor play ideas for February that will liven things up (11–20)
Tag
When you think of tag, isn’t it a game you often played as a child? Around Setsubun, if you have someone dress up as a more realistic-looking oni (demon), it makes the usual game of tag even scarier and the kids get even more excited.
If the children seem too scared, be considerate by removing the scary demon mask or shifting it to show the eyes or nose to reassure them.
Let’s all enjoy a game of tag with a different atmosphere than usual.
Setsubun Quiz
Let’s get everyone excited with a true-or-false quiz about Setsubun and bean throwing! The content introduced in this video is recommended for ages 6 and up.
If you’re quizzing younger children, make the questions simpler, like “On Setsubun, we throw beans.
True or false?” It’s also fun to mark the True and False spots in the room and have participants move to the answer they think is correct.
Discussing with friends and figuring out the answers together is great, too.
Enjoy learning about Setsubun through a fun quiz!
Bean-throwing with balls
This is a Setsubun game where you use soft, squishy balls instead of beans.
The rule is “you lose if a ball hits your body,” so it’s fine to catch or dodge the balls.
Setting up a trampoline can make it more fun and easier for small children to jump.
Be sure to throw the squishy balls gently.
Oh, it fell, it fell — Setsubun version
A well-known hand-clapping game that starts with the chant, “It fell, it fell—what fell?” It’s a game where you move your hands depending on what’s falling.
For example, if it’s an “apple,” you hold your hands out in front as if catching it.
If someone says “thunder,” quickly cover your belly button with both hands.
Since it’s for Setsubun, you can make it more fun by adding seasonal elements like “oni (ogre)” or “beans” and mixing in your own original actions.
The children’s hand-play song “The Ogre’s Underpants”
The classic children’s song “Oni no Pants” is perfect for Setsubun.
Since this one is great for hand motions and dancing, you can make it more game-like by speeding up the tempo, stopping suddenly, or singing it slowly.
That way, the kids are likely to have a lot of fun playing along.
Shooting gallery target practice
It’s a game where you make various kinds of demons out of paper and use them for a shooting gallery.
It’s fun to change the points depending on which demon you hit.
Within the time limit, the person who knocks down the most demons and gets the highest score wins.
If a child has lots of toy guns, they can use them; children without guns can throw balls instead.
[Childcare] Great for small or large groups! A collection of indoor play ideas for February (21–30)
Sketchbook Theater
In this sketchbook theater, a transparent clear file is attached over the page, with a white sheet of paper inside.
What you first show the children is a simple illustration drawn in black pen on the clear file.
As the story progresses, remove the white paper from inside the clear file and let them see the picture of the ogre drawn behind it.
Characters like the crying “Waa-waa Ogre” and the “I-don’t-want-to-clean-up Ogre” make an appearance.
It’s wonderful content that not only drives away the ogres with bean-throwing, but also helps with guidance and reminders about good behavior.
