7/14,21 Police and Fire Departments

A big THANK YOU to you all for joining us in July. We really enjoy spending this time with your children. We are looking forward to getting together again after the Summer Holidays for some River Adventures. Happy Holidays!

During our last 2 events we had in total 4 scouts with us, Ayami, Sachi, Ikuto, and Yuna.

We started the day after we all met up at Tachikawa Station. As usual, we spent the first few minutes starting our finance accounting and Event journals for the day and making sure that all the Scouts were ready to go. When we all had packed up and bought our tickets, we embarked on the first leg of our journey.

On the train to our first activity, the kids took time to write ticket fares and other information before playing. Because they finished their work first, moving to and from trains became a little easier.

Our first museum of the day was the Fire Museum. There were several floors and exhibits to visit, so there was something for everyone. After the Scouts collected stamps, we explored the first floor, which was a display for old fire trucks and other vehicles. We discussed the differences and changes between the older and newer vehicles.

Then we headed up to the fifth floor to try and play inside a real old fire helicopter! The kids pretended to fly it and learnt some of the controls, while getting a great view of the city from the roof. Luckily, we made it just in time, because it was closed after we left due to rain. When we finished at the helicopter, Mr. Mark took the Scouts on a tour of the exhibits.

We got to see the evolution of firefighters, Tokyo, disasters, cities, and the fire department. Besides Mr. Mark’s explanations, there was also lots of information written directly in English, and the kids would help to read it out loud. We learnt about the Edo Period fire department and control first, and then worked our way to the modern times. When we finished the more serious part of the tour, we arrived at the kids center. There, the exhibits and displays were more interactive and fun. The Scouts especially enjoyed watching a series of videos about natural disasters and how they are created. But the crowning moment was the group firefighter video-game! Sachi, Yuna, and Mr. Mark wanted to play, and Ayami stayed on the side line offering advice and direction. We decided Ayami was acting as our mission control back at the Fire Station. and they worked together to get the highest score! It was a lot of fun to drive the firetruck around town, and spray big water hoses to save the apartment.

After all that work, a lunch break was due. At the 10th floor, we enjoyed homemade lunches in the provided lounge. But before leaving, we had a little rest time, where the Scouts could write, draw, and color in their diaries, chat with their friends, and otherwise relax.

It helped us all de-stress from the eventful morning. A while later, we were packed up and on our way to the next museum. It was a short train ride to the Police Museum, and an even quicker walk.

Once we arrived, we only had a limited time before we had to leave, so we needed to use our time wisely. First, all the Scouts went to dress up as police officers. They chose their uniforms and then got to pose on real motorcycles and other police vehicles! After a quick picture time, we went upstairs to play some games. The kids tried lots of detective themed memory and comprehension games, like shoe print matching and license plate recognition. Although we only had time for a quick stop at the Police Museum, the Scouts still got to experience plenty of fun new activities there.

Finally, we got on the long train home. The kids finished their diary entries and added up their expenses in their journals. Because everyone had worked hard earlier to finish their work, we had time for a nap or chat while we waited to arrive. It was a bit of a challenge to get everyone up and moving after that nice rest, but the Scouts got off the train and met up with their families.

All the Scouts had a great day of discovery and exploration at The Museums of the Police and Fire Department, and we hope we’ll see you all again soon!