Are there enough summer learning opportunities for Japanese children?

By this time of the year, parents in the United States have planned out what their children could do for three months of summer break, with their jaws clenched over how much it will cost.

Summer camps in the US are almost cultural phenomena: the industry entails more than 12,000 camps (inclusive of day and sleepover camps), making over $15 million a year. There are science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) camps, foreign language camps and sports camps to brush up skills, outdoor camps with physical activities ranging from canoeing to horseback riding and niche camps, such as theater and music. Universities and museums also offer summer programs.

In urban areas, popular camps fill up quickly, and price tags can be hefty. In New York, the average family with two children spend more than $6,000 on summer learning programs, equal to 35% of the total income during those months. These costs, as expensive as they are, cover only half of the summer (5 out of 10 weeks), and parents fill the rest with family visits, vacations, etc.

Public spaces vs private camps

In Japan, public schools close for about a month in late July. Although shorter, the summer break is nevertheless a dilemma for working parents. Camps in Japan are limited in numbers and run privately for the most part, which means that week-long (5 days) camps cost approximately $1,000.

Surveys indicate that the majority of young children with working parents spend most of their days at public afterschool centers (gakudo), instead. These are different from their US counterparts in that they do not offer organized learning activities. Kids may play on their own or do homework in gakudo, but there are no skills-development elements. In New York City, in comparison, my son took afterschool programs in architecture, chess, debate, language, tennis, tae kwon do and fencing, among others, some more expensive than others, from age 5 to 7. My personal favorite was the afterschool programs at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The agony of homework

Instead of enjoying wide-ranging summer options, Japanese children are expected to study, even during school breaks. Typically, summer homework for elementary school children includes math and Chinese character workbooks, journals with drawings, a research project or a craft and book reports.

Instead of relaxing and having fun, they are reminded of their school obligations all summer long. Parents are frustrated, too, as they have to nudge their children to comply, although the majority of them seem to think it is worthwhile.

Options needed for high-quality summer programs

Children spend so much time at school during semesters, as is, and we know that learning is not confined to the classroom. Summer breaks present invaluable opportunities for them to experiment, grow, make new friends and discover the world in different ways. Parents should not have to force homework on their children, feel guilty of not being able to afford fun summer activities, or sacrifice work hours and outputs to make it work. Alternative, affordable and high-quality summer programs are possible, with some help from public and philanthropic funding. After all, Japan’s tax revenues have reached $500 billion in 2022. It is a matter of resource allocation.

In the meantime, citizen groups have begun to put together independent camps on their own to fill the void. Many of these camps are run by volunteers or non-profit groups. Some teach English through play. Others take kids to forests. My son is going to a camp in Nagasaki with the nonprofit group that hosts afterschool programs at a community farm/rice field in western Tokyo (which he loves). He will try snorkeling, paddleboarding, and above all, experience the sea, all of which will make memories he’ll cherish for the rest of his life.