Lovely childcare

[Childcare] Recommended for April activities! A collection of helpful ideas for events and festivities

10 years as a kindergarten teacher / elementary school teacher / junior and senior high school teacher / childminderkepiko
Graduated from Kunitachi College of Music, Faculty of Music (now: Department of Music Culture and Education, Early Childhood Music Education major). In elementary school, my homeroom teacher was Jun Kusaba, a game researcher. After graduating from university, I worked as a kindergarten teacher for 10 years and as an after-school childcare instructor for 7 years, then took a position as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I engaged in activities that introduced Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational activities, working with many children. Later, through freelance writing, planning, and editing at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and sharing. Drawing on the perspective cultivated in the field of education and my experience as an editor, I provide practical information with an emphasis on both input and output, mainly in areas related to music and children. My hobbies include instruments, singing, handicrafts, toys, drawing, traditional games, the outdoors, and books. My special skill is spinning-top tricks.
9 years of experience as a nursery school teacherShibata Risa
I am an active nursery school teacher with 9 years of experience. After graduating from university, I worked at a daycare center. The time I spent happily with children—playing piano, singing songs, and doing finger-play—are priceless memories to me. Currently, while raising three children of my own, I work at an after-school day service, engaging with children and providing individualized developmental support. Drawing on my diverse experiences as a childcare worker and as a mother, I hope to express and convey my thoughts through writing.

April marks the start of the new school year!

Preschools and kindergartens are full of exciting events.

There are opportunities to meet new friends, as well as entrance ceremonies and nature walks to help children get used to school life.

It’s cherry blossom season, so going on a “hanami” walk to observe spring nature is also lots of fun.

As Golden Week approaches, try incorporating carp streamers and spring crafts to spark the children’s creativity.

Enjoy those moments when the children’s hearts come together through fun activities!

[Childcare] Recommended for April Activities! A Collection of Helpful Ideas for Events and Occasions (1–10)

Let’s try growing vegetables

[Age 4] Start here! Let’s try growing vegetables! | Certified Kodomoen Sendan Kindergarten

Let's try growing vegetables

Nurture life and learn the importance of food! Here are some ideas for trying your hand at growing vegetables.

It’s a wonderful way to show children how fascinating nature is and why food matters.

By growing vegetables like eggplant, cucumbers, tomatoes, and bell peppers, they can watch the thrilling process as seeds sprout and leaves grow larger.

Harvesting and eating the vegetables they raised themselves brings joy and fosters gratitude for food.

With their hands in the soil, it becomes a lovely learning time that helps them feel connected to nature.

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kindergarten entrance ceremony

Entrance ceremony scenes

kindergarten entrance ceremony

April marks the start of a new season—and the season for starting nursery and school.

Entrance ceremonies are filled with children whose hearts are pounding as they nervously step into a new environment, and of course, it’s a tense yet unforgettable day for parents as well.

While nerves are natural, we also want children to feel excited about the fun ahead and about life in their new nursery or kindergarten.

With that in mind, the school welcomes this day and makes preparations.

It’s a special, celebratory event—one you’ll likely look back on often through photos and videos in the years to come.

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Easter

[1-year-olds] Exploring the nursery! Let’s hunt for Easter eggs!

Easter

Easter, celebrated in Christian regions as the festival of Christ’s resurrection, has recently become a major event in Japan as well.

Many kindergartens and preschools make Easter crafts or decorate their walls with Easter themes.

We also recommend enjoying Easter’s traditional game, the egg hunt—also known as the egg-search game.

You hide eggs around the facility or stick them on windows, and the children explore and search for them.

It lets them experience the exciting thrill of a treasure hunt!

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[Childcare] Recommended for April activities! A collection of useful ideas for events and occasions (11–20)

Walk Card

[2-year-olds] Let's take our walk cards and head out!

Walk Card

Spring brings lovely weather and is perfect for going on walks, isn’t it? Try taking a fun stroll around the preschool with a “walk card.” It’s a great idea to draw pictures of spring flowers and insects that bloom or appear around the school on the card.

Before setting out, hand out the cards and check what kinds of plants and insects are drawn—this will make the walk even more enjoyable.

When children find a flower or insect, they can put a sticker on it and talk about what they discovered.

When walking with the card, it’s easy for their gaze to tilt downward, so please be extra careful about cars and other hazards as you enjoy your walk.

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Making curry and rice

In April, making curry rice with spring vegetables is highly recommended.

Use new-season onions and potatoes to enjoy the flavors of the season.

Let’s cook together with the kids using vegetables unique to spring, full of natural sweetness.

Since knives and other tools are involved, it’s best to have the children take the lead in the cooking process.

For 1–2-year-olds, it’s a great idea to have them help by tearing spring cabbage or red leaf lettuce for a salad.

Be sure to try cooking with spring vegetables!

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Flower bed making

Creating a flowerbed is a great opportunity to get your hands in the soil and discover insects and other creatures.

In spring, try replanting the flowers in the bed together with the children! Choose a sunny spot with good air circulation and start planting.

Flowers like marigolds and sunflowers are especially hardy, making them easy and recommended for kids to grow.

When the children are planting, be sure to carefully check that there are no glass shards in the soil.

Assigning roles such as a watering duty might help nurture a sense of responsibility through caring for the plants.

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Experience the natural cycle through rapeseed blossoms

In spring, the yellow rapeseed flowers (nanohana) bloom beautifully, don’t they? In April, we recommend a hands-on experience with the natural cycle using rapeseed flowers.

First, dry the plants thoroughly until their color changes, then collect the seeds—you’ll find lots of small black seeds inside.

In the end, they’re transformed into rapeseed oil! It could become an event that inspires people to think about global environmental issues and the SDGs.

Using picture books to share stories about environmental topics is also recommended.

Be sure to try it with the children!

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