"Don't Change the Child Even 1mm" — Playing Leads to Development! The Strongest Support. New Book by Satomi Fujiwara of Childhood Lab: 'Cognitive Play for Children with Developmental Concerns' Released on June 10

Nihon Bungeisha Co., Ltd. (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo) will release 'Cognitive Play for Children with Developmental Concerns' (written by Satomi Fujiwara) at bookstores and online retailers nationwide from Wednesday, June 10, 2026. This book, authored by Ms. Satomi Fujiwara, a childcare worker and clinical developmental psychologist, addresses real-world challenges in the field and has received strong support from childcare and therapeutic education professionals across Japan. This is the long-awaited third volume in the series, following the well-received 'Social Skills Play for Children with Developmental Concerns' and 'Sensory Integration Play for Children with Developmental Concerns.'

Full of play activities that nurture cognitive development while children have fun!

Play together with children who have developmental concerns!
This popular series aims to help children solve their own difficulties through enjoyable play.

Deciphering the 'Cognitive' Mystery Behind 'Problematic Behaviors'

The book introduces 150 types of play, including variations, that target stumbling blocks in children's cognitive development! Behaviors of children with developmental concerns, such as 'not being able to continue playing,' 'difficulty joining group play,' 'not following instructions,' 'difficulty switching tasks,' and 'struggling with rule-based games,' are often misunderstood by those around them as 'selfishness' or 'lack of effort.'

However, the mystery behind these behaviors can be understood from the perspective of 'cognitive underdevelopment,' such as how information is received and organized.

This book categorizes children's cognitive development into the following seven areas (approaches) and proposes play activities to nurture each ability:

- Perception: Understanding the world through seeing, hearing, and touching
- Attention & Processing: Selecting and focusing on what to see and hear
- Memory: Building the foundation for remembering and recalling
- Verbal Thinking: Nurturing language in a safe environment
- Executive Function: Moving the body freely and acting planfully
- Social Cognition: Understanding interactions with others and others' feelings
- Metacognition: The budding ability to sense one's own feelings and actions

Chapter 1, the theory section, explains the relationship between 'concerning behaviors' and 'cognitive development' with easy-to-understand illustrations.

Immediately Usable in the Field! Easy to Understand with Full-Color Illustrations on Every Page

No special skills, difficult theories, or special tools are required.

The book is packed with play activities that can be easily implemented on the spot, right now, and that children will willingly and enjoyably engage in. All activities are illustrated in full color, allowing for intuitive understanding and immediate application in childcare, therapeutic education, or at home from the very next day.

Chapter 2, the play section, introduces numerous specific play recipes and their variations, such as the 'errand game' that strengthens working memory and sequential processing skills, categorized by cognitive domain.

In addition to step-by-step instructions, the book carefully explains key points for adult interaction that nurture a child's heart, such as 'saying thank you to foster a sense of security.'

'Playing Led to Development is the Strongest!' Support That Doesn't Change the Child Even 1mm

What this book values most is the perspective of 'not changing the child even 1mm.'

Ms. Fujiwara states that true support is not about trying to make the child conform to a standard, but about choosing play activities and environments that match the child's unique cognitive pathways.

The child was just having fun playing, but as the cognitive abilities underlying their behavior develop, the problems they faced are resolved, and life becomes easier without them even realizing it. This book aims to create many moments of 'it developed while they were playing,' envisioning such a transformation.

■ Table of Contents and How to Use This Book

Chapter 1: Theory Section - Key Points for Nurturing the Cognitive Foundation

01 The Relationship Between Cognitive Development and 'Play'
02 What is Important to Focus on in Infancy, Early Childhood, and School Age
03 How to Understand the 'Stumbling Blocks' of Children with Developmental Concerns
04 Support Points for Play and Case Studies
05 The Purpose of Cognitive Play
06 The Gaze Towards Children - Adjusting the Adult's Mindset

Chapter 2: Play Section - Play Recipes for 7 Cognitive Domains

01 From Developmental Assessment to Play Selection

● Perception
● Attention & Processing
● Memory
● Verbal Thinking
● Executive Function
● Social Cognition
● Metacognition

■ Author Profile

Satomi Fujiwara

Representative Director of the General Incorporated Association Childhood Lab / Clinical Developmental Psychologist / Childcare Worker

After working at a public nursery school, Tokyo Metropolitan Umegaoka Hospital, Tokyo Metropolitan Children's Medical Center, and as a part-time lecturer at Meisei University, she assumed her current position.

She provides therapeutic education and family support for children with developmental disabilities, and also focuses on developing supporters through nursery school visits and developmental support training. She disseminates practical methods achievable in the field and at home, based on the support method of 'changing the world around the child, not the child.'

● Website: https://childhood-labo.link/
● YouTube: Search for 'Satomi Fujiwara's Developmental Support Room'
● Instagram: satomi.f.official2026

■ Bibliographic Information

Title: Cognitive Play for Children with Developmental Concerns
Author: Satomi Fujiwara

Price: 2420 yen (tax included)
Format/Pages: B5 format, 160 pages
ISBN: 978-4-537-22385-9
Release Date: June 10, 2026
https://www.nihonbungeisha.co.jp/book/b10166542.html

■ How to Purchase the Book

Available at bookstores and online bookstores nationwide
Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/4537223855/
Rakuten Books: https://books.rakuten.co.jp/rb/18606672/

■ Popular Childcare Books from Nihon Bungeisha

'Sensory Integration Play for Children with Developmental Concerns' by Satomi Fujiwara
https://www.nihonbungeisha.co.jp/book/b643413.html

'Social Skills Play for Children with Developmental Concerns' by Satomi Fujiwara
https://www.nihonbungeisha.co.jp/book/b656198.html

'Support BOOK for Children with Concerns Useful in Childcare, Taught by Developmental Psychology Experts' by Eishi Yukumi
https://www.nihonbungeisha.co.jp/book/b637174.html

'The Basics of Effective Writing and Speaking, Immediately Usable in Childcare Settings' by Takuya Asai
https://www.nihonbungeisha.co.jp/book/b619788.html

■ About Nihon Bungeisha

[Company Overview]

Representative: Representative Director and President, Hibiki Takemura
Location: 8F Palace Side Building, 1-1-1 Hitotsubashi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0003
Established: January 1959
Capital: 100 million yen
Number of Employees: 79 (as of April 1, 2026)
Corporate Website: https://www.nihonbungeisha.co.jp