Innovation in Disaster Education for Kindergarten: The Bousai Terakoya Experience

Climate change has intensified issues that undermine children’s health, compromise their well-being, and hinder their ability to develop disaster resilience. Disaster education is essential for building disaster resilience among children. As a disaster-prone country, Japan has been developing new approaches to improve disaster education programs, including those in early childhood education, to equip children with the knowledge and skills needed to mitigate risks and respond effectively to disasters. Basic disaster concepts are introduced through hands-on learning, helping children understand key ideas. This paper examines innovations in disaster education, particularly at the kindergarten level, using Bousai Terakoya as a case study. The study reveals that Bousai Terakoya fosters collaboration among schools, communities, and industries to educate kindergarten students about disasters. It emphasizes that protecting oneself and one’s family is a focus of the program, which aims to strengthen future disaster education efforts. This research adds to the discussion on disaster education for children. Active involvement from schools, communities, and industries can help develop strategies to improve the retention of essential disaster concepts in children’s memories.