Lovely childcare

[Childcare] Fun with kids in July! Quizzes about events and food education

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.
Nursery Teacher Mom Writertsukada moe
After working for five years at an after-school childcare club and three years at a nursery school, I began working as a freelance writer. I’m a mother of two children. Inspired by playing the flute in the school wind ensemble in elementary school, I joined a jazz club at university. I’ve also incorporated ukulele and piano performance into childcare. Playing, laughing, feeling sad, feeling frustrated—through all kinds of experiences, I want children to grow.

July, when you can feel the start of summer.

Seeing children playing energetically really makes you happy, doesn’t it?

But as it gets hotter, let’s also be mindful of our bodies and how we spend our time.

On days when it’s hard to play outside during childcare, how about trying a quiz with the children indoors?

It’s a great chance to nurture their thinking skills and creativity.

Both kids and adults will have a great time together!

Here, we’ll introduce quizzes related to July.

Teachers, please think them through together with the children and enjoy summer together!

[Childcare] Fun with kids in July! Quizzes on events and food education (21–30)

Morning glories are often seen in July. When do these flowers bloom?

morning
noon
evening

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There are different kinds of morning glories. The Japanese morning glory, which originally grew in Japan, blooms from before dawn into the morning. In contrast, the Western morning glory keeps its flowers open until the evening, so you can use this as a tip to tell them apart.

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What day is July 25th?

sherbet
ice cream
shaved ice

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shaved ice

July 25 is considered Shaved Ice Day. The reason is that a nickname for shaved ice, “natsu-gōri” (summer ice), can be read as a wordplay on the numbers 7-2-5. Additionally, July 25, 1933, was the day when the highest temperature on record at the time in Japan was observed, so the day also carries the idea of cooling off by enjoying this classic summer treat.

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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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What is the round vegetable that is entirely red and wears a green jagged hat on its head?

tomato
cabbage
green pepper

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tomato

When you think of quintessential summer vegetables, tomatoes come to mind. They’re juicy and perfect for the hot summer! Planting seedlings together with children in planters and caring for them daily—like watering—helps nurture the plants with love and boosts kids’ interest in vegetables, so it’s highly recommended.

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What is the food, resembling the Milky Way, that is eaten on Tanabata (July 7)?

soba
somen (thin Japanese wheat noodles)
spaghetti

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somen (thin Japanese wheat noodles)

The idea that somen noodles represent the Milky Way is easy for children to understand, but it seems the real origin is the Chinese dish called sakubei. It’s interesting how there are various reasons behind it.

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What is shaved ice finely made from?

big ice
snow
soil

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big ice

Shaved ice is enjoyed in many countries. Large blocks of ice are shaved into a fluffy texture using a shaved-ice machine. Shaved ice made with natural ice has even become a trend, making it a treat loved by adults as well.

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Which of the following is the summer insect with impressive horns?

praying mantis
stag beetle
beetle (specifically, a rhinoceros beetle)

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beetle (specifically, a rhinoceros beetle)

A lot of kids probably admire big, impressive horns, don’t they? It’s also a good idea to look up the differences between males and females in a field guide.

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