Lovely childcare

Let’s enjoy summer-only fun! Cool and refreshing play ideas

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.
9 years of experience as a nursery school teacherShibata Risa
I am an active nursery school teacher with 9 years of experience. After graduating from university, I worked at a daycare center. The time I spent happily with children—playing piano, singing songs, and doing finger-play—are priceless memories to me. Currently, while raising three children of my own, I work at an after-school day service, engaging with children and providing individualized developmental support. Drawing on my diverse experiences as a childcare worker and as a mother, I hope to express and convey my thoughts through writing.

In the hot summer, many teachers are surely thinking, “I want to have fun with the children through cool activities!” So here are some ideas to enjoy summer-specific play.

There are classics like water gun games to enjoy with friends, as well as sensory play using mud, foam, and ice.

Hands-on experiences nurture children’s curiosity, so these are highly recommended.

There are also activities children love—like bath bombs and slime—that can be done both outdoors and indoors, so be sure to incorporate them into your childcare.

Stimulate the children’s five senses and enjoy the summer to the fullest!

Let’s enjoy summer-only fun! Cool and refreshing play ideas (41–50)

Bubble Art

[Super Easy] How to Make Fun Bubble Art! [Nursery/Kindergarten]

Bubble Art

Bubble art is like an extension of soap-bubble play—when you’re done playing, you end up with a finished artwork.

As the name suggests, it’s a technique for creating art with bubbles.

Cut a plastic bottle and attach a piece of fabric or nylon mesh to the cut end.

Dip it into colored bubble solution, then blow through the bottle’s mouth to produce lots of fluffy bubbles.

Place those bubbles onto paper; when the bubbles pop and dry, a colorful, puffy design appears.

Try using different colors and varying the bubble sizes to create your piece.

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Summer vegetable stamps

[Paint] Play with paints using vegetable cross-sections! Introducing vegetable stamping [Nursery School/Kindergarten]

Summer vegetable stamps

This is a playful activity where you turn familiar, everyday vegetables into stamps.

Instead of only seeing vegetables at the supermarket or once they’re cooked, pick them up, touch them, and enjoy playing with them.

Summer vegetables in season—like okra—have star-shaped cross sections that look adorable when stamped.

Exploring the cross sections of different vegetables will spark conversation: Which shapes? Which colors to stamp with? Try stamping not only on drawing paper but also on plain cotton cloth to make your own tenugui hand towel.

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water gun

Water gun play

water gun

Water-based play is a summertime classic, and among them, water gun games are especially exciting! Even kids who aren’t fond of pools are often fine getting splashed with a water gun—many will even find it refreshing in the summer heat.

Instead of just shooting water guns randomly, why not incorporate game elements like target practice? For example, aim at hanging balls, or shoot at newspaper sheets to tear and drop them.

With a bit of creativity, it turns into a thrilling activity.

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Playing with ice and glass noodles in spring rain

[1-year-olds] Sensory play with ice and glass noodles!

Playing with ice and glass noodles in spring rain

It’s so refreshing to play with cool ice in the summer, isn’t it? Especially on very hot days, here’s an idea: try playing with lots of ice.

It might melt quickly in the heat, but that’s part of the fun—you can observe it or watch it melt from the warmth of your hands.

You can use cube-shaped ice from an ice maker, long ice sticks for bottles, or even make ice using empty containers like tofu packs.

These days, 100-yen shops also sell silicone molds in shapes like stars, hearts, and characters, so using those could make it even more fun.

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ice paint

[Nursery & Kindergarten] Drawing with ice!? Perfect summer-colored water play ❄️

ice paint

Just hearing the name “ice paint,” where ice becomes the paint itself, feels so refreshing, doesn’t it? To make it, first prepare an ice tray and place a little of your favorite paints into each compartment.

After adding the paint, pour in water and stir until the paint is well dissolved.

Then cover the tray with aluminum foil, poke a hole above each color, and insert a straw into each hole.

Freeze thoroughly until solid.

Once it’s fully frozen, try painting with your ice paints! They produce softer, more delicate colors than using paint straight from the tube, giving your artwork a cool, breezy look.

And using ice instead of a brush is sure to be a fun twist for kids!

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