[Report] Middle and High School Students Serve as "Tutors" to Convey the Charm of Space at KidZania Tokyo Workshop on "World Cosmonautics Day," April 12
On April 12, 2026, KCJ GROUP held a special space workshop at KidZania Tokyo. Middle and high school students who completed the 'Cosmopolitan Campus' program acted as tutors, using their own artwork to teach younger children about the wonders of space and fostering a 'chain of inquiry'.
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- 📰 Published: April 28, 2026 at 19:00
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KCJ GROUP Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; President: Michinari Tsumuraya), the operator of the vocational and social experience facility 'KidZania,' conducted a one-day special workshop titled 'Let's Draw Space!' at KidZania Tokyo (Koto-ku, Tokyo) on Sunday, April 12, 2026, to coincide with 'World Cosmonautics Day.'
This workshop was planned as an opportunity for participants of the 'Cosmopolitan Campus 2026 Spring'—an inquiry-based program for middle school students co-hosted with the Institute of Science Tokyo (formerly Tokyo Institute of Technology) in March—to present their findings. On the day of the event, a 'Space Map' was exhibited, combining planetary posters of the solar system created using authentic art techniques and professional space knowledge with three-dimensional models. The 'Cosmopolitan Campus' students served as 'tutors,' explaining the charms of space in their own words to visiting children and parents.
### Middle and High School Students Excel in the "Conveying Role"
A massive 'Space Map' created by the students was displayed at the venue. This map consisted of planetary posters using techniques such as sputtering and marbling, as well as 3D models created with free imagination under the theme, 'What if there were life forms on this planet?'
The middle and high school tutors, while finding it challenging to convey the depth of space to preschoolers and elementary students from their unique perspectives, carefully chose their words to provide detailed explanations. They also spoke with parents, and the venue remained bustling and successful with many visitors listening intently.
Inspired by the tutors' guidance, the participating children expanded their imaginations and drew pictures freely on the theme of 'Things I want to do in a future where space travel is common.' Through interaction with the tutors who had deepened their inquiries, the children developed a stronger interest in science, creating a creative day where a 'chain of inquiry' emerged, with children drawing their own futures.
KCJ GROUP aims to continue leveraging its network with companies, organizations, and universities to provide children with learning opportunities focused on both input and output. The goal is to cultivate 4C skills (Collaboration, Communication, Creativity, Critical Thinking) and empower them with the strength to survive in an era of drastic change.
### Participant Feedback
**Tutors:**
- "It was a valuable experience to host an event as a staff member at KidZania. Making things was also fun and an important experience."
- "At first, I was very worried if I could explain things properly to small children, but when I actually tried it, it was very fun and I was glad I could explain it well. I was also very happy that parents asked questions actively."
- "The audience was different from when I presented at the university. At first, I felt frustrated because I couldn't explain well. However, during the break, I changed my way of speaking to use simpler Japanese, and in the afternoon, the children started nodding while listening to me, which gave me confidence."
**Visitors (Children):**
- "I learned many things about space, and they explained it well, making me want to know more about space."
- "I understood many things about different stars, it was fun."
- "My imagination was trained. The middle school student's explanation was easy to understand, and I learned things I didn't know."
**Visitors (Parents):**
- "I was surprised at first to hear that middle school students were serving as tutors, but I thought their confident explanations were truly wonderful. I want my child to be able to explain things in their own words like them in the future."
- "I think it was a good experience because thinking, imagining, and drawing by yourself is a very good thing."
- "I think it was very good because an older brother close in age, like a middle school student, made the talk easy to listen to."
### Event Overview
- **Event Name:** 'Let's Draw Space!' Workshop
- **Date and Time:** Sunday, April 12, 2026, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
- **Location:** KidZania Tokyo (Toyosu, Koto-ku, Tokyo)
- **Content:** Students of Cosmopolitan Campus serve as tutors and use the 'Space Map' they created to convey the charm of space to visiting children. Participating children freely express 'what they want to do in a future where they can go to space' through drawings.
- **Cooperation:** GOTO INC
This workshop was planned as an opportunity for participants of the 'Cosmopolitan Campus 2026 Spring'—an inquiry-based program for middle school students co-hosted with the Institute of Science Tokyo (formerly Tokyo Institute of Technology) in March—to present their findings. On the day of the event, a 'Space Map' was exhibited, combining planetary posters of the solar system created using authentic art techniques and professional space knowledge with three-dimensional models. The 'Cosmopolitan Campus' students served as 'tutors,' explaining the charms of space in their own words to visiting children and parents.
### Middle and High School Students Excel in the "Conveying Role"
A massive 'Space Map' created by the students was displayed at the venue. This map consisted of planetary posters using techniques such as sputtering and marbling, as well as 3D models created with free imagination under the theme, 'What if there were life forms on this planet?'
The middle and high school tutors, while finding it challenging to convey the depth of space to preschoolers and elementary students from their unique perspectives, carefully chose their words to provide detailed explanations. They also spoke with parents, and the venue remained bustling and successful with many visitors listening intently.
Inspired by the tutors' guidance, the participating children expanded their imaginations and drew pictures freely on the theme of 'Things I want to do in a future where space travel is common.' Through interaction with the tutors who had deepened their inquiries, the children developed a stronger interest in science, creating a creative day where a 'chain of inquiry' emerged, with children drawing their own futures.
KCJ GROUP aims to continue leveraging its network with companies, organizations, and universities to provide children with learning opportunities focused on both input and output. The goal is to cultivate 4C skills (Collaboration, Communication, Creativity, Critical Thinking) and empower them with the strength to survive in an era of drastic change.
### Participant Feedback
**Tutors:**
- "It was a valuable experience to host an event as a staff member at KidZania. Making things was also fun and an important experience."
- "At first, I was very worried if I could explain things properly to small children, but when I actually tried it, it was very fun and I was glad I could explain it well. I was also very happy that parents asked questions actively."
- "The audience was different from when I presented at the university. At first, I felt frustrated because I couldn't explain well. However, during the break, I changed my way of speaking to use simpler Japanese, and in the afternoon, the children started nodding while listening to me, which gave me confidence."
**Visitors (Children):**
- "I learned many things about space, and they explained it well, making me want to know more about space."
- "I understood many things about different stars, it was fun."
- "My imagination was trained. The middle school student's explanation was easy to understand, and I learned things I didn't know."
**Visitors (Parents):**
- "I was surprised at first to hear that middle school students were serving as tutors, but I thought their confident explanations were truly wonderful. I want my child to be able to explain things in their own words like them in the future."
- "I think it was a good experience because thinking, imagining, and drawing by yourself is a very good thing."
- "I think it was very good because an older brother close in age, like a middle school student, made the talk easy to listen to."
### Event Overview
- **Event Name:** 'Let's Draw Space!' Workshop
- **Date and Time:** Sunday, April 12, 2026, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
- **Location:** KidZania Tokyo (Toyosu, Koto-ku, Tokyo)
- **Content:** Students of Cosmopolitan Campus serve as tutors and use the 'Space Map' they created to convey the charm of space to visiting children. Participating children freely express 'what they want to do in a future where they can go to space' through drawings.
- **Cooperation:** GOTO INC