Introducing “Let’s Play Together♪”

Hello, travelers! I’m “Kurubushi,” a writer for [SaruKuma]🦶

Today, I’m excited to introduce you to a wonderful sensory play program led by Rika-sensei, held at various locations across Kumamoto:
“Let’s Play Together♪” (Issho ni Asobo♪)

Rika-sensei is a certified kindergarten teacher and licensed childcare provider. She started these sensory play sessions with one heartfelt mission in mind:
“In the busy rush of daily life, I want parents to lose themselves in play with their children, right here, right now.”

This time, the session was held as part of SaruKuma’s special event “Minna de Hapi Hapi HAPPY SARUKUMA” (held on November 8)♪ It’s a fantastic experience for international families visiting Kumamoto with young children!

Blue skies above and large sheets of paper spread out on the grass below.
What’s about to happen? You can already feel the excitement building♪

Sessions usually kick off with songs and finger play tied to the day’s theme.
This time, however, there was no specific theme — the goal was simply to have as much fun as possible! So we started with a beloved picture book reading that everyone could enjoy.

Why “Let’s Play Together♪” Is a Must-Try

The biggest selling point? It’s simple:

“Your kids will absolutely LOVE it — but at home, the prep and cleanup are so overwhelming that you’d never let them do it. Here, you can finally let them go all out!!!”

That’s really the heart of it.

“Expression is free! There’s no right or wrong, so just do whatever feels right!”

These reassuring words from Rika-sensei set the tone perfectly!

The activities vary from event to event, but this time the two main attractions were:

・Flour Paint (Komugiko Enogu)

・Agar Jelly Play (Kanten Asobi)

✨

The flour paint is made by mixing wheat flour with food-safe coloring.
Since it’s made from edible ingredients, even babies who still put everything in their mouths can join in safely — perfect for families with toddlers!

My daughter is 4 and past the everything-goes-in-the-mouth stage, so she also got regular watercolor paints♫

Here we go!

Right out of the gate — handprints!

Yes! Bold and dynamic is always good. Go for it, sweetie. Do more!!

…But then she settled into one spot and just kept mixing paints endlessly.
She stayed there blending colors until the paper itself tore through!

Can you see it?
She has the face of a true craftsman.

Then came footprints — paint on the soles, stamping away.
She loved how cool and refreshing the paint felt under her feet♫

My son, deep in his “terrible twos” phase, was saying “no” to everything else — but the moment he got the flour paint, he was completely absorbed in mixing it with a brush!
Kids this age really love stirring and mixing things, don’t they~!

At home, you’d constantly be saying “don’t spill it!” — but here, you don’t have to. As a parent, that’s such a relief.
No parent enjoys nagging, after all.

Next up: Agar Jelly Play (Kanten Asobi).

The agar (kanten) is food-grade, colored with edible food coloring♪
Of course, this one is also completely safe if it ends up in little mouths!

According to Rika-sensei: “Some kids do try to eat it, but since it has no flavor and isn’t tasty, they naturally stop on their own.”

It’s the perfect way to satisfy that childhood urge to “put everything in my mouth!”
The colorful, translucent jellies are so beautiful, you almost don’t want to break them.

Beyond touching and squishing with hands, kids can mash it with whisks, use cookie cutters, and explore with all kinds of tools.

By the way, my son is currently in his “scoop with a spoon and transfer to another dish” phase (whatever that is) — and he was OBSESSED!!
He was furrowing his brow, but that’s his happy concentration face.

Look at that chin!
He was so focused that the drool just came pouring out.

As a mom, seeing this just fills my heart with joy.

Meanwhile, my daughter went FULL POWER!!!

Instant demolition.

She had the same furrowed brow and pursed lips — laser-focused.

“Agar bracelet~!” she announced, slipping it onto her wrist♫

Even the babies still sitting up or crawling were squishing the agar and getting their clothes wonderfully messy — diving into the experience with their whole bodies♪
They were so adorable I couldn’t help but ask the parents, “May I please take a photo and share it?!”♡

When kids play hard enough to get even their bare skin messy, you know bringing them was totally worth it!

On the other hand, some children kept their clothes spotless but still wore the biggest smiles, soaking in every moment♫
Kids who dive in fearlessly, kids who don’t like getting dirty — every reaction reflects their unique personality and developmental stage.

The fact that each child can play at their own pace, in their own way, is one of the most wonderful aspects of this experience♪

Honestly, my own kids surprised me — my older one kept wiping her hands with a towel every time they got dirty, and my younger one barely got any paint on his clothes at all.

And that’s totally fine🎵

My daughter wrapped up by stomping on the agar.

Oh my, it feels SO good!!!
I didn’t take photos of myself, but yes — I went barefoot and joined right in too.

This experience isn’t just for the kids. When parents bring a change of clothes and dive in alongside them, it deepens the parent-child bond in a really beautiful way♫

“As children grow older, you stop seeing them play freely with messy paints like this.

Here, getting dirty is part of the fun — kids can fully immerse themselves without a worry. I want moms and dads to truly savor this ‘right now’ moment of their little ones lost in pure play,” Rika-sensei shared with us.

You can really feel her passion for sensory play~!!

Event announcements are made on Instagram!
Let’s Play Together♪ Instagram

Participation fees and content vary each session, so be sure to follow along on Instagram for the latest updates♪

Why not challenge yourself and your child to a hands-on sensory play adventure and enjoy a little escape from the everyday during your visit to Kumamoto?

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SaruKuma shares information about lunch spots, parks, indoor play areas, and more for families in Kumamoto.
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