To The Playground and Back – Transporting Kids
How do you take ten kids from an inner city kindergarten to a play ground safely, with only two teachers? The Japanese have a way that I haven’t seen in any other country so far, the push cart! Here’s two teachers in Kyoto in front of the Heian Jingu taking their little students to enjoy a bit of play time. Most kindergartens in bigger Japanese cities are very small compared to western ones so most of the smaller kindergartens take the kids to local parks. It’s supposed to be autumn but this morning in Kyoto was hot like summer.
I used to love seeing these carts around Tokyo, thanks for sharing
Thank you for the kind comment Angela! (^-^)
I wish I was smaller so I could try it
Oh and a question: is the male kindergarten teachers common there? I haven’t really seen a lot of them around here, mostly women take on this job.
I am pretty sure that male teachers (in general) are more common at all levels of education in countries where teaching is a well-respected profession.
I seem to remember that Godai Yusaku from the Maison Ikkoku manga became a pre-school teacher, and it was not considered to be a bad job–he worked hard to get it. (The manga ending was a very happy one.)
Absolutely! Also, Japanese teacher groups are bigger, which means more teachers per childgroup and more groups working together! Not like the European kindergartens I remember which was all about cutting costs. I call them Kid-storage.
I think that there are quite a few males in kindergartens here. It is a much more respected profession that in the west… for some reason. Just another reason to love Japan!
Excellent method. – do you know if any child ever ‘rocks the boat’?
I have never seen it but I would probably try it if I was in their shoes! haha…. (^-^:)
Of course this is incredibly cute and adorable as well as entirely practical!
(I’m thinking back to my days as one of the parent workers at E’s cooperative preschool.)
Co-op preschools is the way of the future! Go parents! (^-^)
So much cuteness in a little cart! Happy to read all your Kyoto posts
Thanks Slouching! (^-^)
Haha, such a practical, industrious, and cost-effectively safe way! (How Japanese.) I’m glad the babies look like they’re enjoying the ride, and the teacher is enjoying your photo shoot!
Haha… he must be used to being photographed! (^-^;)