Lovely Play & Recreation

[For Kids] Indoor Games and Activities Recommended for Winter Break

20 years of experience as a nursery teacher / kindergarten teacherhiyoko sensei
I’m Hiyoko-sensei, a former nursery school teacher from Hyogo Prefecture. Ever since I was five, my dream was to become a childcare worker, and before I knew it, 20 years had passed since I achieved that dream. Through singing and playing with the children, I kept working with the spirit of someone in their twenties, even as I increasingly felt my physical limits year by year (haha). From here on, I’d like to share helpful information carefully and thoughtfully, drawing on my on-site experience.
Keyboard playerSAKI
I’ve been playing the Electone since I was six, mainly performing Disney music, anime songs, and music from dramas and films. I post performance videos on YouTube and social media, and I also give concerts. Building on my Electone experience, I took up synthesizer and piano during my student years and performed at school-sponsored events. As a writer, I’ve covered not only music-related topics but a wide range of genres, so I hope to draw on my experience to deliver articles that make readers think, “I want to try that!” or “I want to listen to that!”

We’re introducing indoor activities for kids that are perfect for spending winter break with family and friends!

It’s important for kids to play actively outdoors even in winter, but when it’s too cold, that’s not always possible.

Plus, winter is the season when colds and other illnesses tend to spread, so to avoid getting chilled, indoor play naturally becomes more common.

So in this article, we’ve put together a list of recommended indoor activities for winter to help you when you’re wondering, “What should we do for fun during winter break?”

We’ve picked out a variety of activities, from brain games to those that get kids moving, so be sure to have fun trying them with your child!

[For Kids] Indoor Activities and Recreations Recommended for Winter Break (41–50)

Paper dragonfly

[Independent Research] Rubber-Band-Powered Paper Dragonfly! How to make a paper copter powered by a rubber band

Paper dragonfly

If you’re making a bamboo-copter, you need to prepare bamboo, but a paper copter can be made with just a straw and a milk carton.

The trick is to fold the blades at alternating angles.

If you spin it fast, it flies well.

You can also enjoy the fun of crafting.

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[For Kids] Indoor Games and Recreational Activities Recommended for Winter Break (51–60)

Kendama

How to Play Kendama [Open Lecture] Important Things When Starting Kendama | Kendama Play Laboratory+

Kendama

Many of you may have tried it when you were in elementary school, right? Kendama, which is strongly associated with traditional Japanese play, is now so popular as a sport that competitions are held.

Give some cool tricks a try!

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Daikon Game

[Exercise & Gymnastics Kids Love] The “Daikon Game,” recommended from age 3 / Rule-based movement play and exercise-gymnastics educational video to improve motor skills together with Mom

Daikon Game

The “Daikon Game” is an indoor game that turns the action of pulling up a daikon radish into play.

Children lie on their stomachs in a circle and hold hands.

An adult says, “I’m going to pull up the daikon now!” and starts pulling on the children’s legs.

The children must hold on tightly and not let go of each other’s hands.

If their hands come completely apart, that means they’ve been pulled out.

Kids love games like this.

The adult doing the pulling can add to the excitement with feints and tricks.

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Mikan Art

Top 3 ways to peel mandarin oranges that delighted kids across the U.S.!

Mikan Art

When you think of winter, you think of mandarins, right? I bet many of you end up absentmindedly eating them when they’re sitting on the kotatsu.

The usual way to peel them is to start from the stem or the bottom and peel in a radial pattern, but how about having some fun with the way you peel them? If I say that, I might get scolded with, “Don’t play with your food!”—but since we’re peeling and eating them anyway, let’s allow ourselves a little leeway.

Try peeling from the middle, or peel them in a way that makes them easy for everyone to share.

Let’s enjoy eating while showing off our own unique peeling styles.

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menko (a traditional Japanese card-and-coin-flipping game)

menko (a traditional Japanese card-and-coin-flipping game)

menko (a traditional Japanese card-and-coin-flipping game)

It’s a game where you throw your own menko at your opponent’s menko, and if you flip it over, you win! The key to victory is throwing in a way that forces air under your opponent’s menko.

There are rectangular and round types, ones with characters drawn on them, and more—it’s fun to enjoy the different designs.

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dance

[65 min] Winter Songs Medley – 29 Tracks | BonBon Academy

dance

A great recommendation for a recreation activity that kids can enjoy not only with each other but also with their grandparents is dance.

Especially if you dance together to children’s songs with a winter theme, it can help create a warm, friendly atmosphere.

If you can’t think of any songs, why not try the classics Yuki ya Konkon (Snow, Snow) or Ichigatsu Tsuitachi (January 1st)? Neither has fixed choreography, so feel free to use YouTube for reference.

Of course, coming up with your own original moves is also a great idea.

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Trump ‘Speed’

Let's play cards♪ How to play Speed

Trump 'Speed'

How about trying “Speed,” one of the classic card games? You play by placing cards from your hand that are one number higher or lower than the cards on the table, and the first player to run out of cards wins.

Since there’s no set turn order, your quick reflexes and decision-making skills are put to the test.

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