Junior high students experience the joy and importance of childcare through interaction with young children

On Friday, November 7, our school hosted the “Let’s Play with Toddlers WOW” event.

The Junior High WOW Program is our school’s original inquiry-based learning initiative aimed at “encountering the real world and expanding the joy of learning.” As an extracurricular program, it is offered to interested junior high school students and invites experts from universities, research institutions, and companies to explore themes not typically covered in regular classes. Through a broad range of fields—science, culture, society, arts, and more—students are encouraged to ask questions, think critically, and take action.

This program was designed in response to changes in modern society, such as the rise of nuclear families, fewer siblings, and declining interaction with extended family. Its aim is to provide students with opportunities to play with young children and to experience firsthand the challenges, joys, and charm of raising a child.

Learning Begins by Having Fun Together

On the day of the event, three toddlers joined the participating junior high students in various activities such as dancing, fingerplay songs, crawling races, and walks. Through these experiences, the students deepened their interactions with the children.

At the beginning of the program, both the students and toddlers appeared a bit nervous and it took some time for them to open up to one another. However, over the course of the 90-minute session, they gradually bonded through play. The students learned the importance of enjoying activities together from the child’s perspective.

Broadened Perspectives Through Hands-On Experience

In the reflection session after the program, students shared feedback such as “It was healing to interact with small children for the first time in a while,” “I’m now a bit more interested in jobs related to children,” and “I wish I had played more with my little sister when she was born.”

We hope this event served as a valuable opportunity for students to engage with toddlers and sparked interest in childcare and nurturing relationships with young children. Through hands-on experiences like this, students gain insight into the significance of working within society and reflect more deeply on their own futures.