In light of the temporary school closures, news reports about free online education are coming in one after another. That’s wonderful!!
! On the other hand, it seems the gap is likely to widen between regions and schools that already have digital infrastructure in place and those that do not. Installing air conditioners only after heatstroke cases have occurred due to the scorching heat
. Setting up digital infrastructure only after “learning refugees” have emerged due to COVID-19.
　I can’t help but wonder if both heatstroke and “learning refugees” are man-made disasters—and whether those responsible for failing to implement these measures will be held accountable. Regardless, it’s heartening to see this situation spur rapid progress in improving infrastructure and the widespread availability of diverse, high-quality educational content. I look forward to even more proactive efforts and the next steps in this initiative.

　Well, while children cheer at the news of school closures, parents are anxiously wondering how they’ll get through this past month… With so much useful information now available for
both parents and children, I’d like to share some recommendations. Although many summary

sites have popped up, I’d first recommend the comprehensive resources provided by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI).

■Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) Website
Supporting Children's Learning https://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/ikusei/gakusyushien/index_00001.htm
■Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) “Classrooms of the Future: Keeping Learning Going” Website
https://www.learning-innovation.go.jp/covid_19/
*It is interesting to note that the differences in the content presented by MEXT and METI clearly illustrate the distinct areas of responsibility of each ministry. However, the good news is that MEXT and METI have established a strong collaborative framework, so users can feel confident in utilizing and selecting resources from both sites.

Also, here are some things I plan to check out later—just for your reference (^^)

*I haven’t checked or selected all of them.
These are things I’ve jotted down because they caught my interest—whether through
information sent to me or things I happened to come across—based on the perspectives I value in my daily life: “feeling, thinking, creating, and communicating.”I’ll keep updating this page as I have
time, so I’ll post my notes here.
https://creativekids.jp/?p=19897

■Let's Get Creative!
・50 Indoor Play Ideas　
　https://hoiclue.jp/800010942.html
・Play Recipe Collection
https://www.blog.crn.or.jp/lab/asobilist.html
・After-School Fun
Sheet https://houkago.asahi.com/info/2020011400001.html
・Board Game"Toporo Memory"
https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000006.000039582.html
・Palmy
: Learn Illustration and Manga 　https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000023.000015875.html

■ Museum Visit!
・Art museums
you can explore on Street View 　https://bijutsutecho.com/magazine/insight/21425
・Ise
Sea Paradise Special Class Live https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000102.000027217.html

■Give Programming a Try!
・Since many programming resources are free to use, why not give it a try?
　https://www.coporii.com/?tid=2&mode=f94
・Code Academy: Free online programming
for elementary and middle school students 　https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000053.000008167.html
・AI Programming
　https://www.groovenauts.jp/2020/03/02/information-60/

■Read books and manga for free!
・Children's Science https://www.kodomonokagaku.com/20200305/

・Kadokawa Tsubasa Bunko & Kadokawa Manga Learning Series
　https://yomeruba.com/news/entry-9838.html
・Space Brothers
　https://koyamachuya.com/news/attention/100028/
・Weekly Shonen Jump Issues 1–13 Now Available
for Free https://zebrack-comic.com/magazine/1/backnumber
・Corocoro Comic
https://corocoro.jp/99255/

■Free Broadcast!
・NHK for School: Let's Learn at Home https://www.nhk.or.jp/school/ouchi/

・
Kids Station https://www.kids-station.com/program/freewatch

・Animex https://www.animax.co.jp/howto/202003free

■Take on Inquiry-Based Learning!
・Fun digital content
on science and technology 　https://sites.google.com/view/jacst-for-kids/home
・Tankyu Gakusha
https://tanqgakusha.jp
・Z-kai Comprehensive Inquiry
https://www.zkai.co.jp/post-11915/
・Tankyu
Quest https://www.tanqfamily.com/tanqschool

■For educational resources, check out the summary site mentioned earlier! It’s quite comprehensive!