I made a raft and tried riding it

Recently, water-related disasters have been increasing. We see localized heavy rainfall and consecutive rainy days. If you were to encounter a flood, having a "raft" might be useful.

A "raft" is like a simple boat, made by utilizing materials that float on water, such as wood. It is used as a small boat for people to ride on or to carry items. Since anything that floats on water will work, things like tires or oil drums might also be usable.

When roads or the area in front of your house become flooded, you can use it to ride on or to pull items that you absolutely do not want to get wet.

This time, we made a "mini-raft." First, to make a raft, we all think about what kinds of things float on water. Since we cannot prepare things that must be bought in an emergency, we think about items that are easy to find in everyone's homes.

"I have plastic bottles at my house," "I have some too!" Opinions fly back and forth. "If we close the opening of milk or juice cartons, maybe the air inside will make them float?" "Maybe the styrofoam trays from when we bought fish will float too."
First, we think of things that float on water and gather them together.

Cultivating cooperation and creativity through raft building

When everyone works together to build a raft, conversation naturally flows. By cooperating and striving to create one thing together, a sense of cooperation is fostered.

By sharing opinions on how to make the raft float on water, each person's creativity can also be cultivated. They get to experience the joy of trying things out with free-thinking ideas.

Let's head to the sea

Now that it's finished, let's all take our raft and head to the sea! Will our handmade raft actually float on the water?

Today, we are blessed with good weather and very little wind, making it a perfect day for an outing. We change into the swimsuits we brought from home and head to the sea with our prized handmade raft.

Before entering the sea, everyone learned how to put on a life jacket. You should choose a life jacket that fits your body type. It shouldn't be too big or too small. You must wear it securely so that it doesn't come off while you are in the water.

Since it's a raft they made themselves, everyone is deeply attached to it, doubling the fun! They ride the raft while having a blast.

Who knew that plastic bottles and styrofoam from home could float on water like this? It was a meaningful experience. We were able to spend a fun time while being kept safe by kind volunteers.