“It was SO much fun!”
An Early Halloween
Ohisama Club / Let’s Play in Japanese on Sundays
Our school holds Sunday workshops that are open to families in the local community. In October, we held Halloween parent-and-child events at the Ohisama Club (ages 1 to 2.5) on Sunday, October 18, and at Let’s Play in Japanese on Sundays (ages 2.5 to 6) on Sunday, October 25.
The children arrived in all kinds of costumes. Each child had a turn to show off their costume in front of everyone, and the room was filled with the Halloween spirit. When the long-awaited “Trick or Treat” time came, the children called out cheerfully and collected lots of candy.
At the Ohisama Club, parents and children made jack-o’-lantern bags to use for Trick or Treat. The children placed eye and mouth stickers wherever they liked, creating one-of-a-kind bags of their own. With their finished bags in hand, everyone set off to collect candy.
At Let’s Play in Japanese on Sundays, the children made witches out of large sheets of origami paper. Following the teacher’s example, they folded the paper themselves, then drew faces and added stickers, completely absorbed in their crafts.
After the craft, we held a black-light theater. Together with ghosts floating up out of the darkness, the children enjoyed the song “Obake nante nai sa” (“There’s No Such Thing as Ghosts”), taking in the world of the song with both their eyes and their ears.
After the activities, both classes went out to the playground to run around and enjoy the clear autumn weather before the real cold arrives. When we asked the children, “Did you have fun?” they answered, “It was SO much fun!”—a sure sign that they thoroughly enjoyed an early Halloween.
Our parent-and-child classes are led by the teachers of our preschool division. Families can get a feel for our school building and playground, and children can enjoy time with our teachers and play in Japanese in a way that closely resembles everyday preschool activities. For families considering enrollment, these classes also serve as a helpful way to prepare for school.
Our next event will be a mochi-pounding event on Sunday, December 20. We will pound real mochi using a traditional mortar and mallet, and children will enjoy the freshly made mochi right there with their parents. We hope you will join us!
EVENT
Year-End Gathering (Mochi-Pounding Event)
This is a joint event of Let’s Play in Japanese on Sundays and the Ohisama Club. Come enjoy a traditional Japanese year-end and New Year custom with your child!
From the 2024 year-end party (Let’s Play in Japanese on Sundays)
| Date | Sunday, December 20, 2026, 10:00–11:30 a.m. |
|---|---|
| Place | NY Ikuei Gakuen NJ Campus 8 West Bayview Avenue, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey 07632 |
| Fee | $40 per child (+$10 for each additional sibling) |
| For | Parents with children from age 1 (walking) to age 6 (preschool age) |
| Capacity | 20 * Minimum of 10 participants |
| Notes | Please wear comfortable clothes that can get dirty. Please let us know about any food allergies in advance. |
Please apply using the form that matches your child’s age.
Our Sunday workshops connect our school with the local community, with events ranging from parent-and-child activities to programs for adults. You do not need to be a current student’s family—everyone is welcome. We will continue to plan a variety of events, so please stay tuned!