A popular hiragana toy. Learn while you play!
By around the middle of kindergarten, more children start to take an interest in hiragana.
You may find your child asking, “What does this say?” more often, and if you’re wondering, “I want to teach hiragana, but how can I help them remember it?”, this is a must-read.
This time, we’re introducing popular hiragana toys for kids.
From building blocks and puzzles to karuta, these toys make it fun and natural to learn hiragana.
Whether your child is already interested or hasn’t shown much interest yet, they can get to know hiragana through play.
Let’s create a fun atmosphere and play together while nurturing children’s curiosity!
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A popular hiragana toy. Learn while you play! (1–10)
Hiragana cards
Hiragana cards are a hot topic among parents as a fun way to learn hiragana together.
These toys feature an illustration and the word written in hiragana on the front, and on the back, the initial hiragana character along with the stroke order.
To play, first show the front, say the word together, then show the back to help them learn the character.
Finally, show the front again and have them answer what the illustration is.
By the way, some hiragana cards come with a hole, so they can be used like a word ring.
Hiragana Puzzle
Hiragana puzzles are also helpful for developing the ability to assemble things.
This toy features a total of 50 pieces, each printed with a hiragana character.
There are many different products available, including ones with character designs or sound effects.
By the way, some manufacturers even offer a service to replace lost pieces for free.
That’s a pretty great service, isn’t it? If you’re interested, be sure to look into it.
train tablet
The Densha Tablet is a toy sold by Gakken.
It’s a tablet-shaped device that plays audio corresponding to the spot you touch with a stylus, and it has three features.
First, it includes audio that incorporates wordplay.
Incidentally, the voice is provided by Reiji Nakagawa of the comedy duo Nakagawake.
Second, it also supports English learning.
Third, you can enjoy train-related quizzes.
For these reasons, it’s sure to delight children who love vehicles.
Popular hiragana toys. Learn while you play! (11–20)
Aiueo Domino
Many kids love knocking things down or toppling them, right? That’s why I’d like to introduce Aiueo Dominoes.
This toy has each block labeled with a character from the Japanese syllabary.
For example, you can line up the dominoes to form words and then knock them down.
There are also wooden versions, and some sets come with a ball for knocking over the dominoes so you can enjoy a bowling-like game.
Be sure to look for a set you like!
bath poster
Bath posters are also a classic item for learning hiragana.
These products show the Japanese syllabary in a chart that you stick on the bathroom wall, so kids can look at it or read it aloud while in the bath.
When choosing the best one, focus on two points: how easy it is to stick on and remove after, and what the design looks like.
One caution: bath posters tend to get moldy, so be careful.
Drying them regularly will help reduce mold growth.
Hiragana Blocks
Hiragana and number blocks are also recommended as toys that encourage free-form play.
These blocks have hiragana characters and numbers printed on them, and kids can stack or connect them to play.
They’re more like LEGO than traditional wooden blocks.
How to play is up to the child’s imagination—for example, they could even build a house using blocks that spell their own name.
If you let them assemble freely at first, you might discover unexpected ways to play.
There are also products that include blocks for equations, like the “×” sign, depending on the target age range.
Hiragana Shiritori Puzzle
Hiragana Shiritori Puzzle combines the features of two games: shiritori and puzzles.
Each puzzle piece has a hiragana character on it, and you combine them to make words and play shiritori.
It also supports solo play, where you can enjoy answering prepared quizzes.
Either way, you can learn hiragana while having fun and using your brain.
By the way, spare pieces are included, so you can play with peace of mind even if some get lost.