Our Planet

Text : Takuto Kashiwagi

This year, we held an “Akebi Camp” with older children. For these two days, I would like to look back on what we thought and the path we had taken with the children.

The “Akebi Camp” was held between summer and graduation, as it was last year, with the realization that older children are undergoing rapid changes. Last year, I had many opportunities to think about how to handle water and life in Yamano’s daily life, so I planned an experience of spending time in the sea and rivers and collecting food. In fact, I feel that children now have more languages ​​in how they interact with life.

This year, we had a hard time deciding on a theme. With the same idea as last year, we felt that we were not able to capture the essence of older children this year. Through repeated dialogues between the staff, it became clear that this year’s older children have a keen sense of sound and color, and that they take on many physical challenges. Therefore, I thought about the development based on the idea of ​​”taking on challenges using the body in the rich nature that stimulates the five senses.” Last year, the theme was decided by focusing on “what the children are doing”, but this year, the theme was decided by focusing on “what kind of abilities the children have”.
However, when it came time to search for a field, various considerations emerged. Due to the fact that the event is held in the summer, problems with snakes, bees, leeches, mites, mosquitoes, problems with access to water such as showers, problems with cooking locations, and avoiding contact with the general public to avoid COVID-19, it became necessary to consider the environment. As a result of checking the site many times and conducting repeated examinations, we decided to spend the night in a tent after taking a walk on the mountain path near Atsumi’s Tateyamaso this year.
The children who came to Yamanoko with a large baggage in the morning of the day seemed to be the same as usual. However, when we got on the bus, they couldn’t hide their excitement. After crossing a number of tunnels, we arrived at Tateyamaso. We climbed the mountain, played in the river, and returned by train to Tsuruoka Station. After soaking in the private bath at Suiden Terrace, we all prepared a tent and dinner and surrounded the bonfire at night.

The children who came to Yamanoko with a large baggage in the morning of the day seemed to be the same as usual. However, when we got on the bus, they couldn’t hide their excitement. After crossing a number of tunnels, we arrived at Tateyamaso. We climbed the mountain, played in the river, and returned by train to Tsuruoka Station. After soaking in the private bath at Suiden Terrace, we all prepared a tent and dinner and surrounded the bonfire at night.
When we woke up from sleep, we went for a walk. We spent some time until the pick up time, using what we encountered there and the materials we saw on the first day. What kind of color will the plant produce when you hit it on a white cloth? What kind of color will the flower make? Will the color on the cloth be the same?, and what kind of shape will the color transfer? When you crush the stones you meet, what comes out of them, how small they can be crushed, and what color they will be. What kind of world can you encounter when you look at the moss you meet with a magnifying glass, where you want to cut it if you cut it with a photo, what kind of world you are attracted to. I was happy that we, the Yamanoko

The first day was spent fully using our body,
and the second day was spent fully using our five senses and head.
staff, could feel the world that each child was looking at by arranging what they were attracted to and looking at each box they created.

I personally felt the strength of “just having a happy time” most deeply. It’s funny that you have a vague impression when you’re done, while carefully preparing the details. However, I can’t forget that the scenery where the sky gradually became madder red. It was beautiful as my body suddenly relaxed in a short time after returning from the bath and preparing dinner. .. They faced difficulties with their friends, and they were happy to be able to play around, laugh out loud, get hurt by fighting, and have a good time with the fighting partner again. In the meantime, I feel that the satisfaction of “just having a happy time” has exuded from the children’s bodies.

We staff thought it would be enough if the children could use their bodies to the fullest in the last two days and find even one of their favorite things. However, in reality, beyond our imagination, older children have come to see their own bodies, face and express their own sensibilities. I would like to keep an eye on how the seeds and sprouts that have been sown and grown in these two days will grow in their future lives, and what kind of environment we can prepare.

8/22

8/23