[Childcare] August Events: A roundup of activities to experience seasonal atmosphere, culture, and customs
At nursery schools and kindergartens, there are activities and events almost every month that let children experience the seasons.
Teachers who plan these may be thinking, “What kind of event should we hold next month?”
In this article, we’ll introduce a range of activities and events that are perfect for this time of year—ones that let children have fun while also exposing them to culture and traditions.
This time, we’re focusing on August, the height of summer.
We’ll cover everything from classic summer activities to some lesser-known customs, so please use this as a reference.
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- [Childcare] July Events and Activities
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- [Crafts] A special feature on ideas to try with three-year-olds in August! Choose from a variety of motifs
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- [Childcare] Fun craft ideas and craft activities perfect for summer
Day of XX (1–10)
Yakiniku Day
The 29th of every month is known as “Meat Day,” and you’ll often find sales at supermarkets and butcher shops.
In particular, August 29th is affectionately called “Yakiniku Day” because of the wordplay! If your kindergarten or nursery serves school lunches, consider incorporating meat into the menu.
Also, if you’re doing an overnight childcare event around this time, it’s a great idea for the teachers to grill meat and vegetables barbecue-style for dinner and serve them to the children! Experiencing cooking and eating outdoors—something different from the usual routine—might make both the meat and vegetables taste even better to them.
If an actual barbecue isn’t feasible due to safety concerns, pretend play is also recommended, using paper-folded grills and grates made from origami.
Anniversary of the End of the War
August 15 is the anniversary of the end of the war.
How about taking this opportunity to learn about the historical background? One good approach is reading picture books about war and peace aloud.
And if your interest grows, try watching an animated film such as Grave of the Fireflies.
Related picture books include Peace Is a Wonderful Thing and What Every Adult Prays For.
Choose based on age and preferred art style.
Any of these works is sure to move your heart.
Summer customs and culture (1–10)
Obon (the Japanese Buddhist Festival of the Dead)
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Obon is also a chance to visit grandparents’ homes or distant cities—something many children look forward to.
However, there are likely many children who don’t actually understand what Obon is.
Why not create an opportunity to learn about it? It could also be nice to hold Obon-related activities, such as making spirit horses (shōryō-uma) or trying bon odori dancing.
Even children who have experienced these before should find it refreshing when they understand the background.
Doyo drying
Doyoboshi is known as an event held during the midsummer Doyo period.
Its meaning varies depending on what is dried, and there is still a custom of drying plums that were harvested in June and pickled in salt for three days.
Why not plan this Doyoboshi event at your nursery school or kindergarten? An event that children don’t usually get to experience is sure to become a wonderful summer memory! Watching the plums gradually dry and tasting them once they become umeboshi—these exceptionally rare experiences will surely help the children grow even more.
Jizō Bon (Jizo Festival)
Have you heard of Jizō-bon? Perhaps many of you haven’t.
Jizō-bon is a tradition rooted mainly in Kyoto, where children clean and decorate Jizō statues and offer sweets to them.
In some areas, festival stalls are set up and people enjoy a fair-like celebration.
If you live nearby, please consider taking part.
It’s also recommended to learn together about the historical background of Jizō-bon.
Different regions have preserved various stories about it.
Bon Odori (Bon dance)
Bon Odori is known as a summer festival event.
Some children may have seen adults dancing around a raised platform called a yagura.
Since many schools and preschools hold summer festivals in August, consider including Bon Odori as an August event.
There are plenty of Bon Odori songs for children, and some even feature popular characters singing and dancing.
While building a yagura and learning the choreography can be challenging, it will surely become a wonderful summer memory.
In conclusion
We’ve introduced a comprehensive list of August events we’d love to see adopted at nurseries and kindergartens.
Did you find ideas for activities and games to try in August? There were not only classic ideas but also some slightly unique ones, right? We hope this article helps children experience the seasons and traditional customs while having a wonderful time.