フィンガーペイティング Finger Painting

フィンガーペイティングをしました。指絵の具を使って好きな色で絵を描きました。最初は人差し指でとんとんと色をつけましたが次第に手の平全体に絵の具をつけて描きました。お花やハートや木やひまわりそしててんとう虫も描きました。にぎやかな作品が沢山できました。筆で書く絵とはまた違った味わいがあります。お母さんも一緒に楽しみました。絵の具は水で洗えば落ちるので気楽にできます。またやりましょう。来週はゲームです。そして27日の水曜日は保育園202号でジャズダンスで遊びます。来てください。

Finger painting today. For today, we used paints and the kids painted pictures using paint brushes and their fingers. Initially the kids used one finger and then as they got more involved, they used their whole hand to paint. As usual, we have story telling in Japanese and English and dancing to English songs. Next week, we will be playing games. What type of games? Come and find out.

風船遊び Balloons

Mother's Day is just around the corner. We prepared a folding card for the kids to decorate and to give as a present. Apart from that we also played with balloons. Using an air pump, we pumped air into the balloons and made some shapes with the balloons. Then using markers and stickers, we decorated the balloons. One of the mothers made various shapes with the balloons. As usual, we read some English books and sang and danced to some English songs. We have a new Japanese volunteer today. She helped to read some Japanese story books to the kid and helped to enquire about how to get free books from the library for the kid. Next week, we will be making fingerprint art. Do come and join us.

今日は初めてのPOTATOお手伝いでしたが1人だけでした。
一緒に風船遊びと歌を歌いました。
小さい子と遊ぶと自分の子どもの赤ちゃんのころを思い出して
懐かしく楽しいですね。
次回は沢山のお友達と遊びたいと思います。
待ってます＾＾

Carp Streamers

5th of May is Children's Day in Japan. During April to early May, you will see Japanese flagging carp streamers, in honor of sons and in the hope that they will grow up healthy and strong. Today, we made carp streamers using colored papers and stickers for the eyes. The scales of the carp comprise of the finger prints of the kids and mothers. After completing their carp streamers, the kids ran around the room with it. One of the kid that has been attending POTATO playgroup since the first day it started turned 2 today. Everyone sang a birthday song to him and gave him a birthday card. As usual we read 2 English story books and danced and sang to some English songs. There will be no gathering next week but do come and join us on May 7th. Let's play with ballons and make a Mother's Day Card.

Cherry Blossom Collage

For today, we prepared cherry blossom collage and a flipping butterfly. However, sad to say, no participants came. For next week, we will be making carp streamers. Japanese have a custom of hanging out carp streamers for family who has boys when it nearing Boy's Day which is on May 5th. Do come and join us.

POTATO Schedule

Schedule for April and May is up.

Schedule

花見 Cherry Blossom Party

Cherry Blossom is in season. If you are in Japan, you would have heard of the word "Hanami" during the cherry blossom season. Literally translated "Hanami" means "flower viewing" but it usually refers to cherry blossom viewing. Hanami can be just a stroll in the park, but it traditionally also involves a picnic party under the blooming trees. POTATO play group joined the "Tabunka Tomodachi Center Japanese Class" cherry blossom party today. We are blessed with nice sunny weather. The kids had a nice time and played by the river bank after their lunch. Throwing rocks in the river, picking flowers, contemplating to build a bridge across the river are some of the fun that they had.

You may wonder about the Japanese class mentioned here. Well the place that Potato gathers is actually the venue for a voluntary Japanese class. Class fee is 2000 yen per month. Classes are held on Wednesday and Friday morning (10 a.m. to 12 p.m.) and afternoon (1 p.m. and 3 p.m.). Child care assistance is also available. For more information, you can refer to the link below.
Voluntary Japanese Class

Clay

One of the kid that joins the POTATO play group will be starting kindergarten from next week. We took a group photo together and made a photo frame for her as a farewell gift. We will miss her and her mum greatly but I am sure they will join us during holiday seasons. For today, the kids played with clay. They made snowman, cars, frogs, cookies, roll cake, Mickey Mouse, strawberries, grapes, etc. It is fun to see how imaginative the kids can be. As usual, we read 2 English story books and sang to some English songs. Do come and join us next week for some more fun activities.