Discovering Ourselves Through Art and Nature
Building a Kinder Relationship with Body and Mind
The heart of this camp is not about making perfect artwork or achieving a goal. It is about slowing down, noticing what is happening inside and around us, and expressing that experience through art, nature, and shared activities. Feelings such as worry, nervousness, and frustration are not treated as “bad” or something to get rid of. Instead, children gently learn to see them as important signals within themselves and to relate to them with care.
This camp may be a good fit for children who:
- enjoy drawing, making things, or expressing themselves creatively
- love spending time in nature
- are curious about connecting with children in Japan
- would like to notice their body, mind, and changing feelings more gently
- are ready to spend a few days away from home in a safe and supportive environment
What Is Mindful Awareness?
Mindful awareness means gently noticing what is here in this moment: the body, breath, feelings, thoughts, and the nature around us. In this camp, children explore awareness not only through quiet sitting, but also through walking, seeing, listening, making, talking, and eating. The camp also creates space for children visiting Japan and children living in Japan to spend time together, not by comparing differences, but by respecting each person’s way of feeling, seeing, and expressing.
Meet the Camp Leader
Kunugi InoueCamp Leader / Guide
The children will be guided by camp leader Kunugi Inoue. Having studied and lived across Japan, Australia, and Thailand, Kunugi brings a cross-cultural perspective to the camp. Through her experience with programs at International Mindfulness Center JAPAN and her work in summer school settings, she gently supports each child’s discoveries. She helps children feel safe in the forest environment, find their own words and forms of expression, and explore mindful awareness through art, nature, and everyday experiences.
www.mindfulness-japan.org
Support Members for the Camp
In addition to the camp leader, adult staff members support the children throughout the camp. They help with meals, daily life, facility care, health and wellbeing, and the gentle atmosphere of the retreat. The animals who live here also bring warmth and calm to the days in the forest.
We create an environment where children can speak with staff at any time if they feel unsure, unwell, or need help. As children spend a few days away from home, we support them warmly—not too close, not too far—so they can open to new experiences at their own pace.
A Small 4-Day Journey
The camp schedule unfolds like a walk through the forest. Each day gently expands what children notice and what capacities they cultivate.
- Check-in
- Icebreakers— getting-to-know-you games
- Identity Flag— children write and draw about themselves and what they like on a white cloth
- Dinner
- Worry Stonemaking
- Reflection Time
- Free Time / Bath
- Lights Out
- Breakfast
- Nature Awareness Hunt— exploring nature while taking photos
- Sharing Time— sharing what we found together, with small surprises for special discoveries
- Lunch
- Sensory Bottle Making— making a calming bottle like a small snow globe
- Snack Break
- Free Time
- Dinner
- Night Awareness Game
- Free Time / Bath
- Lights Out
- Breakfast
- Inner Garden
- Lunch
- Team Art Project— Theme: What do people need in order to grow freely?
- Gallery Preparation
- Dinner
- Gallery Night— each child shares for one minute in English or Japanese
- Closing Ceremony
- Free Time / Bath
- Lights Out
- Breakfast
- Letter to My Future Self— writing a letter to ourselves one year from now. In the gratitude circle, children also write and exchange thank-you letters.
- Group Reflection
- Group Photo
- Departure
Three Activities for Body-and-Mind Awareness
Through nature, hands-on making, and creative expression, children gently notice feelings such as safety, worry, nervousness, and frustration. The aim is not to make feelings disappear, but to see them, express them, and learn how to relate to them with care.
Worry Stone
Children paint a clay stone and make it their own. It may become a courage stone, a calm stone, a joyful stone, or something else. After naming the stone, they write down “something I feel a little worried about right now” on a small piece of paper and place it in a special box. Rather than trying to force worry or tension away, this activity helps children create an inner safe base they can return to.
Sensory Bottle
Children place water, glitter, beads, and color into a bottle to create their own calming bottle. After shaking it, they simply watch everything slowly settle. It is a small embodied practice for noticing that unsettled feelings such as irritation and worry also move in waves—and that, over time, they can begin to settle.
Inner Garden
On a large sheet of paper, children draw their inner world as a garden. Through flowers, seeds, water, weeds, the sun, and other images, they notice their strengths, hopes, sources of support, worries, and what feels important to them—and express these through art.
- 🌸Flowers → my strengths
- 🌱Seeds → dreams
- 🌧Water → people who support me
- 🌿Weeds → worries
- ☀Sun → what is important to me
Letting Go of Words, Discovering Something New
In retreats for adults, periods of silence can be an important practice. In this camp, children gently experience just the first step of that practice in a way that fits their pace.
For example, the Night Awareness Game includes aSilent Challengewhere children line up by birthday or height without using words. Through this, they naturally discover that there are many ways to communicate without speaking.
The forest hall where everyone gathers each morning
In a forest unlike everyday life,
something begins to emerge.
Four days in the forest to feel, create, and gently explore mindful awareness.
The Camp Environment
A green forest campus will be the setting for these four days. Children eat together in the dining space, reflect on the day in the hall, and meet nature along the forest paths. Everyday moments become opportunities for awareness.
Dining and kitchen building / campus image
For a Safe and Supported Experience
Language & Cultural Support
The camp will be conducted mainly in English. Children will also encounter the Japanese environment, culture, and daily life of the retreat in a gentle way. Staff will support children so they can feel comfortable, ask questions, and participate at their own pace.
Daily Life Is Supported
Adult staff support the children not only during activities, but also during meals, free time, bathing routines, and bedtime preparation.
Please Let Us Know in Advance
Please let us know at the time of application if your child has food allergies, health concerns, or any daily-life needs we should consider. Details about rooms, what to bring, emergency contacts, and other practical matters will be shared after application.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my child need to speak Japanese?
No. The camp will be conducted mainly in English. Children may hear and encounter some Japanese during daily life and activities, but Japanese language ability is not required.
Is this camp suitable for children visiting Japan for the first time?
Yes. The camp is designed to be small, supportive, and gently paced. Staff will help children settle in, understand daily routines, and feel comfortable in the retreat environment.
Is it okay if my child is new to mindfulness?
Yes. The camp is not centered on long periods of seated meditation. Instead, children explore mindfulness in age-appropriate ways: sensing nature, expressing through art, noticing the breath, and listening to the body.
Can my child join alone?
Yes. On the first day, we place importance on icebreakers and group-building so that children joining alone can feel at ease. Staff also support children in daily life throughout the camp.
Can parents and children join together?
Yes, parent-child participation is possible. For parents, we will offer some time to participate together with children as well as activities designed for adults. The main camp activities will be centered on the children, while parents support from an appropriate distance so children can connect with peers and experience the camp at their own pace. Please contact us when applying for details.
There is a wide age range from 10 to 15. Is that okay?
Yes. Depending on the activity, we may divide children into smaller groups based on age and experience so each child can participate comfortably.
Can a child with strong anxiety participate?
Please consult with us in advance if you have any concerns. In this camp, we do not try to force worry or nervousness away. We value gently noticing the body and mind and learning, step by step, how to relate to difficult feelings.
What if my child has food allergies or other needs?
Please let us know when applying. We will consider support within the range that is possible for our staff and facilities.
What support is available during the stay?
The camp leader and adult staff support children not only during activities, but also during meals and daily routines. If a child feels unwell or anxious, they can speak with staff at any time.
Can children use smartphones?
During the camp, smartphone use will be kept to a minimum so children can value time with nature, friends, and themselves. Detailed guidelines will be shared in advance.