Before video games and the Internet, playing outdoors — making mud pies, swinging on rope bridges, looking at nature and splashing around in your wellies — was often the best fun to be had.
This weekend, if you're trying to encourage your kids to get some fresh air and play the old-fashioned way, take them to Kiba Park, where on Saturday the Tokyo-based nonprofit organization Yumeshokunin is organizing a kids' outdoor games event.
Yumeshokunin, which promotes social educational activities for children and teenagers, is setting up the South Athletic Field in Kiba Park — the second-largest municipal park in Tokyo's Koto Ward — with wooden planks, ropes, baskets, boxes and other equipment to turn the area into a games park. All the activities are designed to be both educational and fun, with a focus on enhancing children's imaginations as well as their observation, social and motor skills. Staff will be on hand to make sure kids are safe at all times.
This is a great opportunity to spend time with the kids while they exercise, play and learn at the same time. Best of of all, it's absolutely free to join in. The Kiba Playpark is also monthly event, so if your kids end up preferring the great outdoors, there'll be opportunities to visit again.
Kiba Playpark at Kiba Park takes place on Feb. 8, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; parents and kids can join in at any time. The park is a 5-min. walk from Kiba Station on the Tokyo Metro Tozai Line. For more information, visit yumeshokunin.org/activity/playpark.html, or call 03-5935-7302.
