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The months pass by so quickly here. Term 1 at MEK is coming to an end and it has been busy,the days filled with the usual kindy rountine and adorable children behaviour.
I have had the opportunity to see a few new Japanese Traditions that take place within a Kindy.
1. We had a morning of potato picking at Mrs Nagata's house. The children got their gloves on, small pick in hand and dug up as many potatoes as they could found. It was fun to watch an something I have never seen take place in in Australian schools. The children all got to take home a bag of potatoes for their families.
2. Each class had running races at the local park, it was quick but fun for the children. I was made aware that children across Japan of all ages participate in running races at their school or kindy. I didn't see the importance of it but tradition is tradition, it may be just another thing they do in Japan for no great reason, I have found Japan is filled with things just like this.
3. During an art lesson they children had to decide
on a wish to display on the bamboo tree in the classroom for Tanabata. The wishes in my class were mainly the girls wishing to be a princess and the boys spiderman. I was happy that a few children wanted for other things such as to be a lion, to travel in a rocket and to be an elephant. what is Tanabata you ask.....
Tanabata
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Tanabata (?? tanabata?), meaning "Seven Evenings") is a Japanese star festival, derived from Obon traditions and the Chinese star festival, Qi Xi. The festival is usually held on July 7, and celebrates the meeting of Orihime (Vega) and Hikoboshi (Altair). The Milky Way, a river made from stars that crosses the sky, separates these lovers, and they are allowed to meet only once a year. This special day is the seventh day of the seventh lunar month of the lunisolar calendar.
Customs of Tanabata
In present-day Japan, people generally celebrate this day by writing wishes, sometimes in the form of poetry, on tanzaku (?? tanzaku?), small pieces of paper, and hanging them on bamboo, sometimes with other decorations. The bamboo and decorations are often set afloat on a
river or burned after the festival, around midnight or on the next day. This resembles the custom of floating paper ships and candles on rivers during Obon. Many areas in Japan have their own Tanabata customs, which are mostly related to local Obon traditions. There is also a traditional Tanabata song.
I think it is a lovely, special traditon and I was thankful to have the opportunity to be a part of it....My wish you may was ask "was for all members of my family to be happy".
Yesterday I had my Parents day. We have a parents day every few months, the parents, mainly the mothers come to watch a lesson and participate in an activity with their child. The children adore it and they get so excited when their mum walks in the door. It is a loud lesson with the mothers chatting and the children yelling and waving to their mums. I love it, there are always camaras flashing and video camaras filming . The mothers are so proud it is touching. A treasured time and yesterday I had a father attend and Shunya, the child was so extatic to see his dad, the smile
didn't leave his face for the whole day.
I am looking forward to the next month and a half at Kindy. Water play begins this week and soon it will be Summer Session where the children im attend for only 3 hours in the morning and the day is filled with water play and fun filled activities. It is optional and not all children will attend. I can't wait..........
Enjoy the photos........
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Kez and Eli,
non-member comment
So cute.........!
Your class is so adorable! Potato picking is an interesting curricular activity! Enjoy the water play............Kez and the two "E's" xxxx