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[Childcare] Quiz collection to enjoy in December!
December is when the real cold sets in, but it’s also full of fun events like Christmas and rice-cake pounding! Christmas is great, of course, but we also want children to learn about traditional Japanese customs like the winter solstice, year-end cleaning, and mochitsuki.
So this time, we’re introducing a quiz related to December.
It covers Christmas as well as seasonal foods, so feel free to use it as an introduction to events at your preschool or to fill small pockets of free time!
[Childcare] Quiz Collection to Enjoy in December! (1–10)
Which of the following are winter vegetables?
- cucumber
- daikon (Japanese white radish)
- okra
See the answer
daikon (Japanese white radish)
One of the vegetables that tastes great in winter is daikon radish. Since it’s harvested during the cold season, it becomes juicy and very delicious because it increases sweet sugars to protect itself from the cold. It also shines in warming dishes for chilly days, like hot pots and oden!
Mikan (mandarins) are in season in December, and their peels are very useful for cleaning. What kinds of stains can they help with?
- Places where scratches have appeared, such as on the floor
- Stains left from eating ketchup or curry
- Doodles drawn with a permanent marker or crayon
See the answer
Doodles drawn with a permanent marker or crayon
If you rub doodles with the outside of a mandarin orange peel—like magic—they gradually disappear! That’s because orange peel contains a compound called limonene, which dissolves oily stains. Give it a try on stubborn marks from oil-based pens or crayons!
Which fruit is floated in the bath on the winter solstice?
- mandarin orange
- persimmon
- yuzu
See the answer
yuzu
It’s said that if you take a bath with yuzu floating in it on the winter solstice, you’ll stay healthy for the whole year. These days, many nursery schools and kindergartens also let children enjoy a yuzu foot bath on the winter solstice. If you poke holes in the yuzu peel with a bamboo skewer or a fork before putting it in the hot water, it releases a lovely fragrance and warms you right up.
How many times does the New Year’s Eve bell ring?
- 108 times
- 1,008 times
- 10,008 times
See the answer
108 times
During the temple bell-ringing that takes place from New Year’s Eve night into New Year’s Day, the bell is struck 108 times. It is said that with each toll, suffering and sorrow fade away. If you look closely at the New Year’s Eve bell, you’ll notice protrusions on its surface—there are said to be 108 of those as well!
What is the white, cold thing that softly falls from the sky on a cold day?
- rain
- snow
- cloud
See the answer
snow
On cold days, sometimes snow falls from the sky. When ice crystals become heavy, they start to fall toward the ground; if they melt on the way down, they turn into rain, and if it’s cold enough for them to stay frozen, they become snow. Snowy days are very cold, but children get really excited, don’t they?
Which parts of shishamo, which are in season in December, are not edible?
- head
- bone
- Edible in its entirety
See the answer
Edible in its entirety
Believe it or not, shishamo can be eaten whole—head, bones, tail, everything! It’s not that they don’t have bones, but they’re very small and soft, so they’re easy to eat. By eating the bones too, you can also get calcium. Be sure to try shishamo when it’s in season in December!
Mandarins are in season in December, but what happens to your body if you eat a lot of them at once?
- Hands and feet turn yellow
- The eyes turn yellow.
- My head smells like tangerines.
See the answer
Hands and feet turn yellow
Many children love mandarins because you can easily peel and eat them. But if you end up eating too many just because they’re so convenient, you may consume an excess of the natural pigments in mandarins, which can make your skin turn yellow. Winter mandarins are delicious, but be careful not to overeat them!