酷暑の毎日ですが、水分いっぱいで暑さを飛ばす「すいか」が届きました☆
On a hot summer afternoon, the preschool was filled with excitement
for a special watermelon smashing activity.
朝の登園時に「おはよう！今日すいかわりだよね？」と
楽しみにしていたことが伝わってきただけあって、ワクワクの様子です。
Exploring the watermelon with their senses.
果物の中って何色？とクイズをいくつか楽しんで
「早速すいかの中の色を確認してみう！」とスタートです♪
Guessing the colors inside different fruits.
未満児クラスは柔らかい棒で参戦！
先生と一緒に体験したり、
Toddlers try smashing with soft swords.
恐る恐る…でも自分で挑戦してみたりと、
Hesitant but eager to take a swing.
その子なりの参加の仕方でOK◎
終わった後のどこか安心したような様子が可愛いらしいです。
Happy and relieved after giving it a try.
途中、園長先生も参戦。
目隠しすると短い距離でも「あれ？！どっち？？」と迷子さんです。
「みぎ！みぎだよ！「ちょっとさがって！！」など声でのサポートを受けながらも…
Blindfolded principal gets a little lost.
「えーいっ！」とまさかの失敗‼
Swing and miss! Better luck next time!
気を取り直して次の子。
目隠しをしているのを見たからか、自ら目を閉じました♡
Inspired by teachers, this child closes his eyes too.
でも棒を振り下ろす前に、しっかりと最終確認！
Double-checking before the big hit!
「当てたぞー」とすいかとにらめっこ☆
Here comes the swing!
さぁ！待ってましたの出番です。
目隠しの隙間からチラッチラっと確認して…
「右だよ！「まっすぐー」などなど沢山の助けをもらって、いざっ！！
They didn’t stop until it finally broke!
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大分すいかにひびが入り、いよいよ最後です。
It’s splitting! Final hit coming up!
僕に任せておいてと言わんばかりに出発です。
やっぱり途中での確認は必要のようです。…チラッ。
Takes a quick peek, just to be sure.
えいっっ！！
Hyaaah!
お見事！！
Crushed it!! Great job!
みんなで大きな声で応援して、棒がスイカに当たったり外れたりに
一喜一憂する雰囲気がとっても楽しかったですよ。
～おまけ～
スイカは中国・インド・トルコが生産量の多い国で、日本だけでなく様々な国で親しまれており、
ヨーロッパやアメリカでもメジャーのようです。
ギリシャでは、特産のフェタチーズを添えて食べるのが定番で、羊の乳から作った真っ白なフェタチーズは、そのまま添える以外にミントや赤タマネギと和え、スイカのサラダを作ることもあるんだとか。
辛い物が大好きなチリでは、スイカなどのフルーツにトウガラシやチリソースをかけるそう。甘い果物のはずなのに、完全に野菜感覚ですね。
一方で日本のように塩を掛ける国もあるようです。
日本全体でも半数に分かれるようですが、
スイカの水分糖分にプラスして、塩で塩分補給も出来るのは
夏の暑さ対策としては体が喜びそうですよね♪
体に暑さによる疲れがたまってきた頃です。体が喜ぶことを取り入れたいですね！
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A Fun and Refreshing Watermelon Smashing Day at Preschool
On a hot summer afternoon, our preschool was filled with excitement and laughter for a special watermelon smashing event. The room was decorated with cheerful watermelon-themed decorations, creating a bright and playful atmosphere that got all the children eagerly looking forward to the activity.
The fun began when the teacher introduced a whole watermelon to the children. They gathered around, curious to smell and touch the large, green-striped fruit. To spark their imagination, the teacher held a quiz showing pictures of different fruits and vegetables, asking the children to guess what color was inside each one. While most colors matched their expectations, the watermelon stood out. The children guessed it would be red inside, but the teacher invited them to check it out for themselves.
The watermelon smashing kicked off with another teacher and the school principal taking turns trying to break the watermelon. It was quite a sight when the principal missed and accidentally hit the floor instead, which made everyone laugh and cheer. Then, the youngest children’s class bravely took their turn, using a soft, child-friendly sword to gently tap the watermelon under their teachers’ guidance.
As the event continued, the older children stepped up, wielding a sturdier sword to try and crack the watermelon. Some even playfully sneaked peeks to see exactly where the watermelon was before swinging. Finally, with a satisfying crack and smash, the watermelon broke open, revealing its bright red interior just as the children had guessed.
The excitement and joy were contagious as the children celebrated their success. After the smashing, the kitchen staff quickly cut the watermelon into slices, and everyone enjoyed its juicy, refreshing sweetness. It was a perfect treat to cool down on such a warm day!
This lively watermelon smashing activity wasn’t just a lot of fun, it was also a great way to stay hydrated and beat the summer heat. Seeing the children so happy and engaged made it a truly memorable day for everyone involved.
Fun Facts About Watermelons:
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Watermelon is full of water, making it great for staying hydrated in summer.
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It’s popular in many countries, including China, India, Turkey, and Japan.
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In Greece, watermelon is often eaten with feta cheese.
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In Chile, people add chili or chili sauce to watermelon for a spicy kick.
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Many Japanese people enjoy watermelon with a sprinkle of salt to boost flavor and salt intake.
This summer stay cool, stay refreshed, and enjoy watermelon!
