Indoor games and recreational activities recommended for summer

Do-Re-Mi Song Game

[Viral] We tried the Do-Re-Mi Song Game that gets super hyped with friends #SuzuKokoKosuke

Guaranteed to get everyone excited! Let’s play the Do-Re-Mi Song Game.

It’s a game where you sing the well-known Do-Re-Mi song but change the order of the notes.

And while singing in a different order, you’re not allowed to change the pitch.

Since we’ve listened to and sung it so much in places like school, even just disrupting the Do-Re-Mi scale makes it hard.

You get confused because the pitch that usually follows “Do” might suddenly be “La,” for example.

You won’t realize how tricky it is until you try—but it’s super fun! Give it a go as an indoor activity!

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Yuuko.S

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Back text guessing game

I tried playing a game where my little sister writes letters on my back and I guess them. #SuzuKokoko-suke

The nerves in the back are much less sensitive than those in the palms or face, so they develop through playful training.

This is an activity you can start around age four.

For four-year-olds, pair them up and prepare cards with illustrations in advance to determine what to draw on the back.

Give the respondent the set of cards and ask, “Which card’s illustration is being drawn on your back?” For children aged six and up, have three kids line up one behind another and play like a telephone game: each child draws on the back of the person in front what was drawn on their own back.

Swirling Balloon

Is there any indoor play this fun? Spinning with a hair dryer!? Trying the whirling balloon. Reference: Denjiro Yonemura Science Production “Whirling Balloon Experiment” #short

For a moment, you might think it’s magic—but it’s actually very simple: you’re just keeping balloons afloat with a hair dryer’s airflow.

Inflate some balloons, stick them together with double-sided tape to form a ring, and blow air from a hair dryer up from below… the balloons will spin around! If you make a large ring, you can play by jumping through it.

You can also make a small ring of balloons and see how long you can keep it aloft without letting it fall by directing the air at it.

A cool-air setting is recommended over warm air on the hair dryer.

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utatane

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Vanilla ice cream tasting

Vanilla ice cream taste test! Can elementary school kids tell which one is Häagen-Dazs?

This is the classic taste-testing game.

You can choose whatever food you like, but let’s try using vanilla ice cream, which is easy to get in several varieties at convenience stores.

It looks simple but is actually tricky, so it’s a great game for the whole family to try, including Mom and Dad.

You could also change the difficulty by using potato chips or other snacks instead of vanilla ice cream.

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Murakami Shinpei

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6 Easy Indoor Activities You Can Enjoy

[Make the Most of Spare Moments] 6 Easy Indoor Games Kids Can Enjoy [For Elementary Schoolers]

When rainy weather continues or the heat keeps you indoors, kids can’t move their bodies as much and may start to feel stressed.

Here are some recommended indoor activities that get them moving.

Try simple seated games like “Tonton Surisuri” or finger-play exercises to combine light gymnastics with brain training.

For example, with Tonton Surisuri, sit down and lightly pat one thigh with one hand while you make a fist with the other hand and rub the other thigh.

Doing two different actions at the same time is said to help build attention and provide brain-training benefits.

Give these easy exercises a try and have fun staying active indoors.

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Nakajima Junko

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Indoor water play

[Water Play] Super Fun! 3 Indoor Water Activity Ideas [Nursery/Kindergarten] [Experiment Play]

Let’s play a color-water game using baking parchment and colored water.

As preparation, draw several cups in different colors on the baking parchment.

Use a waterproof marker.

Next, make a few kinds of colored water and drop them onto the parchment with a dropper.

Touch the dropped colored water with a chopstick and move it gently—like magic! The colored water moves.

The goal is to keep moving the colored water and gather it into the cups.

Because this involves fine motor work, it isn’t suitable for large groups in childcare.

Why not try it as a special treat when there are fewer children, such as in the late afternoon or during extended care?

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tsukada moe

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Home festival

A perfect idea for kids interested in summer festivals: an at-home fair.

Going to a real festival is fun, but the great thing about an at-home fair is the freedom—you can play your favorite games as much as you want, pour on as much shaved ice syrup as you like, and enjoy it your way.

There are lots of handy items available these days, so you might be surprised how easily you can set one up at home.

Try planning it with ideas kids love, like shooting games, yo-yo fishing, and lucky string pulls.

Put on some festival background music and transform your room into a festival venue!

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sasashina

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Water mat play

You can play with water indoors! Here are some ideas for water mat play.

On hot summer days, you might want to enjoy water play but find it difficult for various reasons.

That’s when a water mat comes in handy.

Just fill a vacuum storage bag (like the kind used for bedding) with colored water and toys, and you’re done! Kids will be captivated by the cool feel of the water and the toys gently floating and moving inside the mat—no doubt about it! It’s also lovely to spend time relaxing while watching the soothing movement of the water.

pretend nagashi-somen (playing at flowing somen noodles)

@mammybear_

We played pretend nagashi-somen. It looks just like the real thing!#FunNurserySchoolSummer activities#Nagashi SomenRole play

♬ Fun comical busy busy – SOUND BANK

Try this before the nagashi-somen event! Here are some ideas for playing “pretend nagashi-somen.” Speaking of nagashi-somen, you catch the flowing noodles with your chopsticks at just the right timing and eat them, right? This time, let’s enjoy a pretend version using milk cartons and yarn.

You’ll need items like milk cartons, tape, clothespins, rubber bands, a bucket, and yarn.

It’s recommended as an introduction to teach first-time kids the rules and guidelines before they try real nagashi-somen!

Making crispy slime

KOHAKUTO GUMMY SLIME DIY — Looks real!? I tried making slime like crispy Gummytzel.

Irresistible to look at and touch! Here are some ideas for making crackly slime.

When you think of slime, many people probably imagine something soft that stretches and droops.

This time, let’s transform slime into a crisp, crackly version and have some fun.

You’ll need molds, a melamine sponge, candle wax, parchment paper, and toothpicks.

Be sure to work together with a parent or teacher when making it.

The finished crackly slime looks almost like a tasty treat, but be sure to play with it—don’t put it in your mouth.