Indoor games and recreational activities recommended for spring
Introducing indoor activities and recreation games perfect for spring!
Spring’s warm, pleasant weather feels great, but there are still days that can be a bit chilly.
As the rainy season approaches and rainy days increase, indoor play naturally becomes more common.
That said, keeping kids who want to play outside entertained indoors can be quite a challenge.
So in this article, we’ve gathered indoor activities and recreation games you can enjoy with children!
From active, movement-based games to sit-down activities that encourage focus, we’ve compiled a variety of ideas.
Use this list whenever you’re unsure what to do for indoor play.
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Indoor springtime activities and recreation games recommended (41–50)
Jumping game “Anta gata dokosa” (Where Are You From?)
“Antagata Dokosa” is a traditional temari (ball) song.
There’s a game where you jump left-right and forward-back in time with the song.
You draw a large square on the floor, divide it into four smaller squares, and two players stand in opposite squares in a staggered position.
As the song plays, you jump left and right across the grid, but on each “sa” in the lyrics, you jump forward or backward.
If you jump correctly, you and the person in front of you move in contrasting patterns without colliding.
But if either of you makes a mistake, you’ll bump into each other within the squares.
Can you jump properly and succeed?
Trump: “pig’s tail.”
This is a card game that uses playing cards called “Pig’s Tail.” Place the deck face down on the table, and everyone takes turns placing one card face up in the center.
If you play a card with the same suit as the previous player’s card, you must take all the cards in the middle.
Continue until the end, and the player with the fewest cards at the end wins.
Mix in just one Joker; drawing the Joker gives you a lucky chance to return all the cards you’re holding to the center.
Birthday chain
The game where you line up in order of birthdays without making a sound is called “Birthday Chain.” It’s perfect for playing with a large group, so it’s great for activities at kindergartens, nurseries, and other big gatherings! Without speaking, everyone lines up from January to December, and basically the exact dates must be in order too, which can be a bit challenging for younger children.
It’s fine to give hints together with the teacher.
At the end, announce your birthdays in order, and if someone has a birthday that month, sing the birthday song! Since you use gestures to communicate your birth date to others, it also helps improve communication skills.
Vinyl umbrella ball toss
First, prepare several crumpled newspapers or balls.
Then use an upside-down plastic umbrella as a basket.
Compete to see how many you can throw in within a time limit.
It’s easy to do indoors.
It’s casual and can be played with two or more people.
shrink plastic
You can easily and casually make plastic accessories and keychains! Shrink plastic—truly the classic indoor activity.
Just draw your favorite letters, patterns, or illustrations on special plastic sheets and bake them in the oven.
The plastic shrinks and hardens, and voilà—your keychains and accessories are ready in no time! The great thing is you can pick up the materials at 100-yen shops or stationery stores.
Since the plastic is transparent, tracing designs is a breeze.
How about trying it as a first step into DIY you can enjoy indoors with your children?
Ball-carrying relay
Split into two teams, and in pairs carry a ball using a towel.
Run quickly without dropping the ball.
You can use various methods, not only a towel—such as using a stick or holding it between your backs to carry it.
You can also set up obstacles with cones, and so on.
Pose Matching Game
This is a “pose matching game” where everyone tries to strike the same pose based on a given prompt.
For example, if the prompt is “baseball,” what pose would you make? A pitcher winding up? A batter at the plate? Or maybe a pitcher’s throwing pose? The idea is for everyone to come together and take the same pose; anyone who doesn’t match is out.
It could be even more exciting if the person with the most outs gets a penalty.
marbling
Are you familiar with marbling? It’s a technique where you float paint on the surface of water, draw lines with a bamboo skewer to create a marble pattern, and then transfer it onto paper.
In Japan, there’s a traditional technique called suminagashi that uses black ink, and this is like a colorful, easygoing version of that.
The method is very simple: put equal parts liquid laundry starch and water into a bowl, mix thoroughly without creating bubbles, then drip in acrylic paint thinned with water.
Use a toothpick or bamboo skewer to create patterns, lay a sheet of drawing paper on top, and transfer the design.
You can create something very magical and beautiful—it’s a lot of fun.
Making patches
This is a patch-making project using a stitching needle that we’d love anyone interested in embroidery to try! Embroidered patches might seem difficult, but that’s not the case at all.
With a stitching needle, you simply thread it and poke the fabric—before you know it, you’re done! There are a few supplies to prepare, but they’re all easy to find online.
In addition to embroidery floss, there are tools for yarn that let you make larger pieces.
If you get into it, it’s a deep and enjoyable indoor hobby!
one-person rock-paper-scissors
This is a game where you play rock-paper-scissors by yourself.
You add conditions, such as making only your right hand win.
It’s a simple yet very challenging game that really makes you think.
Once you get used to it, try increasing the speed.
It’s nice that you can easily play it alone.