青虫制作 Caterpillar Craft

今日はまた暑い日になりましたね。私も久しぶりのポテトでワクワクしながら部屋に行くとたくさんのお友達がいました＾＾みんなで今日は粘土を使って青虫さんをつくりました。絵本に出てくる青虫みたいにビーズを飾ってキラキラにしたり、今日はついでに紙も使って葉っぱの絵を描きました。その上にできた青虫をおいたら、なんだか本物の虫にも見えてきてちょっとびっくりしました＾＾；
みんな小さくても子どもそれぞれの個性があって作るあおむしもセンスが光ります。今日はお友だちがたくさんいたのでダンスも盛り上がりました、絵本の読み聞かせも今日は保育園から先生が来て読んでくれたのですがすてきな優しい声でみんな聞き入ってました。楽しい一日がすごせたと思います。今のポテトの子どもの平均は多分２歳前後ですね、丁度少しずつ親以外の同世代の子ともかかわりを持つ年頃だと思います。まだまだ交流が上手くいかないこともたくさんありますが、お母さん達も心配せず遊びに来てくださいね。みんなの笑顔に会えるのをお待ちしてます＾＾来週はおりがみをしたいと思います。何を折ろうかな～＾＾

Spring is here and with spring comes butterflies and caterpillars. Today’s craft, the kids used colored clay and made beautiful caterpillars. First they are given a hard cardboard and they are to color out their leaves. They used crayons and water color to do that. For some kids it is their first time to use water colors. Next, the kids used color clay and made their caterpillars. Toothpicks are used to join the caterpillars together. The sample caterpillars are round but the kids imagination are without boundaries and the end results we have long caterpillars, multicolored caterpillars, thick caterpillars and caterpillars of various shapes and sizes. Wonderful! Using beads, the kids decorated their caterpillars. As usual, we have story telling in Japanese and English and singing and dancing in English. Next week, we will be doing origami. We have a new friend joining us today. Hope that you enjoyed yourself and do continue to join us. See you all next week.

Services for Foreign Residents of Kanagawa Prefecture

The services provided by Kanagawa Prefecture International Division can be viewed on the prefecture　website. There are explanations about consultation services, the multi-lingual Hello Kanagawa newsletter, general interpretation services, and medical interpretation services.
Please have a look at the English-language site:
http://m.r.cbz.jp/xquu6977/apdh

Stroll

Spring is here. Nice sunny weather today. Flowers are blooming everywhere. As we strolled to the park nearby, we could see different types of flowers blooming everywhere. It is a nice feeling. Once we reached the park, we were greeted with kids from the ViVi Day Care. Coincidentally, they went to the same park to play. POTATO playgroup friends joined them in the sand box. All kids like the sand box and they could just spend all their time there. The kids also played with bubbles. Bubbles always look so pretty. On on stroll back, the kids held hands and walked together. Such a cute sight. Next week, we will be making a caterpillar. Do come and join us.

「花束」制作（母の日のプレゼント）Mothers Day Present

今日は新しいおともだちが３組来てくれました。ウェルカム！
中国の方、日本の方２組です。
久しぶりにたくさんのお友だちでわいわい花を作りました。

作り方はかんたん。
お花紙やきれいな色のビニール袋(お店でくれるもの）を正方形に切って、中央をつまんで緑のストローにテープで付ければ、お花の出来上がり。緑の画用紙で作った葉っぱもつけましょう。たくさん作って花束にしました。
子どもたちはきれいな色と、テープで貼るのが楽しかったようです。

絵本・紙芝居とわらべうた・英語の歌とダンスの後には、子どもたちはおもちゃで遊びながら、お母さん同士のお喋りで盛り上がりました。

来週はお散歩です。
１０：１５頃には出発しますので、それまでにいらしてくださいね。

I had high fever for a week and was unable to come to POTATO playgroup for 2 weeks. It is nice to be able to come today and to see everyone again. What is nicer is that we have 3 new friends joining us today. 2 from Japan and 1 from China. A very warm welcome. For today, using crepe paper, color plastic bags, straws and cellophane tape, the kids and mothers made a bouquet of flowers as Mothers Day Presents. The flowers are easy to make and the kids enjoyed taping the flowers to the straw. As usual, we have story telling in Japanese and English and singing and dancing in English. An enjoyable morning. Next week, we will be going for a stroll if weather permits. Do come and join us.

Website with information for non-Japanese residents of Kanagawa

When a disaster such as an earthquake occurs, a website provides information in multiple languages for foreign residents. Please have a look at the material in 11 languages: Easy Japanese, English, Chinese, Portuguese, Spanish, Korean, Tagalog, Thai, Vietnamese,
Cambodian, and Laotian.

Before an earthquake, typhoon, or other disaster, talking with your family and friends
helps to share knowledge about what arrangements should be made and what items should be prepared.
Kanagawa prefecture disaster support for foreign residents
http://www.pref.kanagawa.jp/cnt/f417431/

English
http://m.r.cbz.jp/xquu6977/decs
Tagalog
http://m.r.cbz.jp/xquu6977/n3nv

お散歩

清水公園まで散歩へ行きました。砂場遊びが好きなので、公園についてすぐに砂場に行き、ずっと砂遊びをし手過ごしました。カップやお弁当箱に砂を入れてほいくしゃには「はい」と渡してくれました。最後に皆で大きな山作って帰ってきました。楽しい時間でした。

さくら制作

今日はとても暖かい日になりましたね、桜の花が満開でお花見がしたい気分ですが、ポテトではかわいい子供たちに桜を作ってもらうことにしました。まず、画用紙に茶色の長方形の紙を貼ります。これが木の幹の部分です、そして枝は子供たちのちいさな手に絵の具を塗ってぎゅーっと押せば木の枝ができました。そこにピンク色のガーゼで作ったスタンプをポンポンと押していくと・・・・花満開の素敵な桜の木ができました。今日は手も汚れたついで？にみんなの手形をとりました。うちの娘もこちらの親子教室で毎年やっていましたが、今見ると本当にちっちゃい！！とても素敵な記念になります。今日はこの間まで来ていたお友達が幼稚園に入園したのでちょっと人数少ないポテトでしたがその分ゆっくりとママ談義もできて楽しかったです。あるお母さんが言ってくれました『ポテトの制作は部屋に飾れるのでいいですね』って。嬉しかったです、制作が好きな子もダンスが好きな子も読み聞かせが好きな子もみんなが（ママも）楽しめるポテトでありがたいなぁと思いました。来週はお散歩です、お天気が良ければいいですね、お待ちしてます＾＾

Easter Egg Hunt

Easter Sunday falls on 8th of April this year and as such, POTATO playgroup had fun doing Easter Egg Hunt today. We got small colored plastic eggs compliments from one of the POTATO playgroup mother and using stickers and markers, the kids decorated their eggs. After they are done, the elementary school kids hid the eggs and the younger kids had fun hunting for the eggs. Next the elementary school kids also wanted to join in the fun of hunting for the eggs so mothers hid the eggs. You can just see the smiles beaming on the kids when they found the eggs. As usual we have story telling in English and Japanese and singing and dancing in English. While the kids are engrossed in story telling, their eggs are being filled up with candy and jelly as a treat. Lastly, they are surprised by the treats that they found in their eggs. A totally enjoyable morning.

Next week, we will be making cherry blossom crafts. Do come and join us. Cherry blossom is still not in full bloom due to the cold weather. Maybe next week, it will be in full bloom. Looking forward to the full bloom of cherry blossoms.

Be prepared for the storm

The stormy weather over Japan is caused by low atmospheric pressure and supposed to continue until the end of the day.
To a similar force winds of a typhoon, some regions have recorded heavy rainfall.
Avoid going outside and don’t go near the ocean. Heavy rainfall or strong winds can cause delays or cancellations ofpublic transportation.
Pay attention to news and weather forecast on TV or internet.

http://www.jma.go.jp/jma/indexe.html (english)

Stroll to Azuma Housing

Nice spring weather today. Maybe cherry blossoms will start to bloom soon if the warm weather persists. As it is spring holiday in Japan, the elementary kids joined the POTATO playgroup. We have 11 kids altogether joining us today. We strolled to the Azuma Housing area just nearby and played at the park there. The kids played on the slide, swing, tag, etc. It sure is difficult to gather everyone to come back when time is up. Next week, we will be making Easter crafts. Do come and join us.