[Fuji City, Shizuoka] Creating Children's Playgrounds with the Mobile Outdoor Play Kit 'Wakuwaku Kit'

Fuji City, Shizuoka Prefecture, launched a free rental service for its mobile outdoor play kit, the 'Wakuwaku Kit,' for citizens and local organizations on April 1, 2026, to further enhance child-rearing support. The kit consists mainly of physical play equipment such as 'balance stones,' creating opportunities for outdoor play that lead to children's healthy growth and nurturing their 'physical strength,' 'mental strength,' and 'ability to interact with others.' By being used at local events, it also serves as a venue for interaction between local residents and children. Rentals to local organizations have already begun, and the city plans to share actual usage examples in the future. Fuji City is promoting community development where children can grow up with peace of mind and parents can feel the ease of raising children. The city is implementing initiatives toward realizing a 'child-centered society,' such as free medical expenses for children and the renewal of parks and experience facilities. As part of these efforts, the city started the 'Wakuwaku Kit' rental service in April 2026. In recent years, the number of children playing outdoors has decreased, but playing outside plays an important role in fostering children's sociality and creativity and is considered essential for healthy growth. While Fuji City operates facilities such as child-rearing support centers and children's centers where children can use them with peace of mind, activities are mainly indoors. Opportunities for outdoor play where children can move their bodies with free ideas are important for healthy growth. In addition, creating an environment where child-rearing generations and diverse generations in the community interact leads to a mechanism for raising children as a whole community. Against this background, the city started the rental business of the 'Wakuwaku Kit,' an outdoor play kit that allows anyone to easily create a playground. By bringing it to familiar parks, plazas, and local events, it is expected to create places for children and promote local interaction. The 'Wakuwaku Kit' is an outdoor play kit packed in two containers, with a set of 11 types of play tools. It includes 'physical play equipment' such as balance stones and long ropes, and 'expression-enjoying equipment' such as soft blocks and drawing boards. Applications can be made on a first-come, first-served basis from 6 months before the rental start date, and the rental period is up to one week. Anyone who meets the usage requirements, such as being a resident or organization in the city, can use it for free. You can check availability on the city's website and apply via the electronic application form. The name was solicited from children, and it contains three meanings: 'curiosity arises,' 'creativity arises,' and 'energy arises.' In the future, the city aims to sequentially deploy the 'Wakuwaku Kit' to each district and have it widely used in parks, local facilities, and events. In addition, the city has selected 'promotion districts' that work on creating mobile outdoor play spaces led by the community, and a joint training session for four districts is scheduled for late June for use at local events. Furthermore, in fiscal year 2026, the city plans to open an indoor playground equipped with large play equipment for a limited time during summer and winter vacations.