a.school Launches 'Asobi Tsukurul®' Inquiry-Based Learning Materials for Preschools, Aligning with Tokyo's 'Sukuwaku Program'

a.school Inc. (Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Takuma Iwata), a company promoting inquiry-based learning, has begun offering 'Asobi Tsukurul®,' an inquiry-based play material for young children, as part of its support for preschools and kindergartens under the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's 'Tokyo Sukuwaku Program.'

'Asobi Tsukurul®' is a program primarily for children from mid-year kindergarten to first grade, designed to build a foundation for thinking, expression, and inquiry through familiar play activities involving numbers, shapes, words, stories, crafts, nature, the community, and physical expression.

With the growing adoption of the 'Tokyo Sukuwaku Program' in Tokyo's preschools and kindergartens, a.school has launched 'Asobi Tsukurul®' as a packaged solution to help these facilities implement high-quality inquiry activities without undue burden.

In recent years, the importance of inquiry-based activities centered on children's own questions and motivations has gained recognition in early childhood education. National policies also emphasize a shift away from rote knowledge to valuing children's own discoveries and thoughts. The 'Tokyo Sukuwaku Program' supports this trend, offering subsidies of up to ¥1.5 million per facility annually.

However, many childcare centers find it difficult to plan and prepare for inquiry activities from scratch amidst their busy schedules. 'Asobi Tsukurul®' helps create an environment where centers can implement inquiry activities tailored to their unique characteristics and children's interests without increasing the burden on staff.

'Asobi Tsukurul®' is based on the concept, 'Turn fascination in play into the best learning.' It is offered as a package of 24 themes, each with six activities, complete with presentation slides and facilitation guides, making it easy to integrate into daily childcare.

Examples of play themes include: ① Play that builds mathematical skills, ② Play that builds language skills, ③ Play for artistic expression and creation, ④ Play for discovery outside the classroom, and ⑤ Play involving physical expression.

Benefits for preschools include: 1. Use in planning 'Sukuwaku Program' activities: a.school provides support from theme selection to structuring activities. 2. Easy integration into daily routines: The materials can be flexibly used during morning activities, free play, and other existing schedules. 3. Reduced preparation burden on teachers: Using a pre-developed curriculum base allows for high-quality activities with less effort. 4. Allows teachers to expand activities using their professional expertise.