Category: Uncategorized
保護者の方からいただいた声を 紹介します
園再開後の保護者の方の声How dangerous is Covid-19 for my child at Himawari?
This is a difficult question that many parents are facing right now. Is it safe to send my preschool child to Himawari Preschool?
As of today (August 11) I think the best answer is to compare Covid-19 to something similar we have had in past school years: the Flu (Influenza).
Here is a link to the CDC website for Covid-19 For everyone tested in the US and having Covid, 1.6% were ages 0-4 and 5.9% were ages 5-17 (as of Aug 10). Only 0.025% of infected children ages 0-4 (30 kids) and 0.037% of infected children ages 5-17 (43 kids) have died from Covid so far. If we use March 10 as the beginning of the pandemic, then we’ve had 155 days, or 42.5% of a year: so yearly deaths could be estimated at 71 deaths ages 0-4, and 101 deaths ages 5-17.
Here is a link to the CDC website for Influenza The CDC thinks that there were 35.5 million cases of the Flu in the US in 2018-19. Of these, 10.2% were ages 0-4 and 21.6% were ages 5-17. 0.8% of infected children ages 0-4 (266 kids) and 0.6% of infected children ages 5-17 (211 kids) died from the Flu.
Comparing the US rates of these 2 diseases, kids ages 0-4 are much more likely to get the Flu and have serious complications, as well as kids age 5-17.
Also, the general population positive rates for Covid-19 tests in over a 7-day average in Wayne (4.7% as of 8/9/20) and Oakland (4.6% as of 8/9/20) are both below 5%. The statewide positivity rate is currently at 2.3%, and you can see an updated number at this link. This is a good (low) rate and acceptable for opening school.
So preschool age kids 3-5 years old have more personal risk from the Flu than from Covid. This should help us understand the risk of sending our kids to Himawari Preschool this year.
2020-21募集要項

お子さんの言葉の発達で、お悩みではないですか?
英語を優先して、日本語の大切さを忘れてはいませんか?Read more: 2020-21募集要項
ひまわり幼稚園2020-21年 申し込み状況 – Himawari 2020-21 Enrollment Status
The current enrollment status (as of 8/11/2020)
Sora class 4, 5 day (ages 4-5): full (waiting list)
4-5才児 そら組4-5日クラス 定員を満たしております。
Hana class 3 day (ages 4-5): still openings available
4-5才児 はな組3日クラス 募集中
Niji class 4-5 day (ages 3-4): full (waiting list)
3-4才児 にじ組4-5日クラス 定員を満たしております。
Kotori class 3 day (ages 3-4): still openings available
3-4才児 ことり組3日クラス 募集中。
Himawari 2020-2021 School Year Accepting Applications

Himawari Preschool is now accepting applications for new preschoolers at our unique Japanese childhood immersion preschool for the 2020-21 school year!
Read more: Himawari 2020-2021 School Year Accepting Applications
おうちであ・そ・ぼ3月~6月!(Let’s play at home (March-June)
幼稚園の遊びや生活をもとに、お家でできる、遊びのヒントを紹介しています。少しでもお役に立てればうれしいです。
Here’s a listing of our Himawari Preschool ideas for things to do while we all stay at home. Keep watching for new updates until we come back to school in June!
- おうちであ・そ・ぼ No. 1 日本語
- Let’s play at home No. 1 English
- おうちであ・そ・ぼ No. 2 日本語
- Let’s play at home No. 2 English
- おうちであ・そ・ぼ No. 3 日本語
- Let’s play at home No. 3 English
- おうちであ・そ・ぼ No. 4 日本語
- Let’s play at home No. 4 English
- おうちであ・そ・ぼ No. 5 日本語
- Let’s play at home No. 5 English
- おうちであ・そ・ぼ No. 6 日本語
- Let’s play at home No. 6 English
- おうちであ・そ・ぼ No. 7 日本語
- Let’s play at home No. 7 English
- Let’s play at home No. 8 日本語
- Let’s play at home No. 8 English
- Let’s play at home No. 9日本語
- Let’s play at home No. 9 English
- Let’s play at home No. 10日本語
- Let’s play at home No. 10 English
春探しカード:可能であれば印刷して、外でいろいろな”春”をお子さんと一緒に見つけてみてくださいね。
Signs of Spring Search Cards: you can print these out and discover Spring around you together with your child!
- 春探しカード3月(日本語)
- Signs of Spring in March (English)
- 春探しカード4月上(日本語)
- Signs of Spring early April (English)
- 春探しカード4月下(日本語)
- Signs of Spring mid April (English)
- 春探しカード(5月)2020-5(日本語)
- Signs of Spring in May (English)
なわとびカード:お子様の様子に合わせて無理のないよう、できることから挑戦してみてください。園では、4-5才児クラスでなわとびを行っています。
Skipping Rope Challenge: something we do this time of year at Himawari Preschool with our 4-5 year olds… feel free to try them together
あちらこちらでたんぽぽが咲き乱れ、緑の芝生に黄色が映えていますね!たんぽぽでの遊び方を紹介します。ぜひたくさん、試してみて下さいね!
Dandelions! Some people think of them as weeds, but together with kids you can enjoy a sign of Spring together!
20 Seconds Handwashing Song
Here at Himawari Preschool, handwashing is an important part of daily routine. We teach 9 “stages” to handwashing, and use a Japanese song to time it so we can wash our hands longer than 20 seconds.
日本語で
せっけんさんは いいにおい
[soap, you smell so nice]おかしの におい
[smell like candy]おはなの におい
[smell like flowers]かあさんの かあさんの におい
[smell like, smell like Mama]せっけんさんは かあさんよ
Hey soap… here’s Mama!]ぶくぶく あぶく
[sudsy, sudsy bubbles]かわいい あぶく
[pretty, pretty bubbles]あぶくの あぶくの かあさん
[sudsy, foamy bubbles with Mama]