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[Childcare] July Events and Activities

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.
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSICsasashina
Deputy Editor of RAG MUSIC. JFC-certified fact-checker. I’m Sasashina, a mom currently raising an elementary schooler and a preschooler. During my student years at Kyoto College of Science and Technology, I studied a wide range of fields including sound, lighting, and video technology, building a foundation in comprehensive stage production and creative expression. After graduation, I joined a music production company, where I still work, consistently building experience in production and engaging in a variety of music-centered tasks. Currently, I mainly handle articles for children, drawing on what I’ve learned about parenting and what I feel and discover through daily interactions with my kids. I hope my work can be of help to you, even in a small way!

July is when summer really begins.

Around this time, many nursery schools and kindergartens hold Tanabata festivals and open their pools.

There are also many other ways to enjoy the unique delights of summer.

Here, in addition to classic events, we’ll share fun event ideas you can enjoy in July.

They’re all perfect for summer, so feel free to use them as inspiration.

Add a fresh twist to familiar events, and you’ll have even more fun! Create plenty of summer-only, joy-filled moments together with the children.

[Childcare] July Events and Activities (11–20)

Evening Cool-Off Gathering and Bon Odori

[Bon Odori] Pokémon Ondo - FY Reiwa 5 Evening Cool-off Party - Chidori Nursery School: Chiba City Licensed Nursery School #BonOdori #PokemonOndo #NurserySchool #dance

Evening Cool-Off Gathering and Bon Odori

Speaking of summer, it’s got to be Bon Odori! You often see it at summer festivals, right? So how about hosting an evening cool-off event in hot July and trying Bon Odori with the kids? Put on cute yukata, hold fans in your hands, and dance like it’s a fun routine.

There are surprisingly many Bon Odori songs for children, including ones themed around popular characters.

If you prepare cold drinks and snacks, it’ll become one of your wonderful summer memories.

And starting the event in the evening might feel fresh and exciting for the kids, too.

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Playing aquarium

[Ages 0–2] “Let’s Play Aquarium”

Playing aquarium

Here’s a fun pretend-aquarium activity that lets you feel cool during the hot and humid days of July.

Use blue plastic bags as a stand-in for the ocean and make your fish swim through it.

Create your favorite sea creatures—like whales, fish, starfish, and jellyfish—and you’ll encounter all kinds of ocean life.

If you also hang plastic bags from the ceiling and stick the sea creatures on them, the whole space will feel like an aquarium.

The best part is that people of any age can enjoy it!

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test of courage

FY2022 Minami Nursery School Challenge Day: Scenes from the Test of Courage

test of courage

Kimodameshi, a test of courage long familiar as a summer tradition.

Many versions involve hanging black cloth indoors to block out as much light as possible, then walking through a dim space with eerie background music playing, getting a stamp at the end, and returning.

It’s recommended to go in a group rather than alone.

Of course, some children will be scared and reluctant to join, but how about preparing rewards or events they can enjoy afterwards? Try adding creative touches so it becomes a fun summer memory.

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Curry party

Tomobe Kindergarten Curry Party (Senior Class)

Curry party

Curry and rice is a perennial favorite among children, as popular now as it was in the past.

Though curry came from India, Japan has developed its own unique style, and it’s even called a national dish—loved by everyone from kids to adults.

So let’s throw a party with curry! If the children are older preschoolers, try having everyone make it together and then eat together.

Curry you make yourself is bound to taste far better than your usual curry.

Let’s enjoy curry while chatting and having fun together!

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Harvest Festival

[2-year-olds] Try harvesting vegetables indoors at the nursery!

Harvest Festival

In summer, lots of delicious summer vegetables come into season.

These days many are available year-round, but tasting vegetables at their seasonal peak is on a different level of deliciousness.

Let’s enjoy a harvest festival using those vegetables! Growing and harvesting them ourselves can be difficult, so we’ll use store-bought vegetables.

For produce that grows hanging from trees or vines, suspend them with string; for those that grow underground, bury them in soil and dig them up to harvest.

Make sure to wash the vegetables thoroughly before eating, peel them if needed, and try observing their cross-sections.

Even vegetables you don’t like might start to feel more familiar and be easier to enjoy.

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fireworks festival

Fireworks Festival (Hasuda Kindergarten) July 31, 2020

fireworks festival

Fireworks are a hallmark of summer.

Kids, of course, love them, and even adults can’t help but feel like children again and have fun! Enjoying handheld fireworks together is great, but how about hosting a large-scale fireworks show—the kind you can only do in a spacious area like a playground, not at home? These days, even consumer fireworks come in many varieties, with plenty of aerial and set-piece options available.

Have the children sit at a safe distance to watch.

It’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser, with applause and loud cheers ringing out!

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[Childcare] July Events and Activities (21–30)

summer festival

Kiyose Shiraume Kindergarten, July 2021, Shiraume Summer Festival

summer festival

A fun event that’s sure to delight the kids: the Summer Festival! Just like the stalls at a real festival, enjoy activities such as yo-yo fishing, lucky draws, and super ball scooping.

Not only the children—teachers, too, can boost the festive mood by wearing yukata or jinbei! Set up well-stocked game booths like shooting galleries and ring toss, and try making a stamp card so everyone can visit each station.

At the end, let’s all form a circle and dance at the Bon Odori! We also recommend holding it in the evening when the heat eases.

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