Collaboration with Carrier: Creating a Safe Playground in Nature

On May 16, at the children’s home “Kodomo no Sono” in Chigasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture, 23 volunteers from Carrier participated in a volunteer session at the “Forest Terrace,” the hillside forest area of Kodomo no Sono children’s home, as part of the “Facility Improvement Project.”

Carrier has been a long‑time supporter of this project, and many volunteers shared how much they were looking forward to seeing the steady progress of the “Forest Terrace.” With that sense of anticipation, the site was filled with lively energy, and the day’s work began with a strong and positive momentum.

During this volunteer session, participants painted playground equipment, spread wood chips in the playground area, and planted trees.

Painting of “Doki-doki Bridge” Playground Equipment

Volunteers painted the newly installed “Doki-doki Bridge,” introduced in Phase 3 of the Project. First, the team discussed which areas would be painted in which colors and carefully covered the sections that were not to be painted with protective plastic sheets. They then applied four nature-inspired colors while preserving the original wood texture. Although the work involved many delicate steps, participants remained highly focused throughout, resulting in a warm finish that blends naturally with the forest environment.

Wood Chips Spreading

To ensure children’s safety, at the start of Phase 3 a total of 23 truckloads (2-ton trucks) of wood chips were brought to the hillside area behind the children’s home. While volunteers had already carried out several rounds of spreading wood chips in previous sessions, a large amount still remained in piles on site. Despite working under the strong sun, participants worked together to move and spread the wood chips further.

Planting of 10 Fruit Trees and the Symbol Tree

During the site preparation for the Phase 3 playground installation, some trees had to be removed or uprooted to secure a safe open space where children can run and play. As part of this process, new trees were planted along the fence bordering the adjacent property, also serving as a natural screen.

The fruit trees were selected based on Kodomo no Sono’s wish to enjoy the blessings of nature with the children, and include mandarin oranges, yuzu, kinkan, and Shonan Gold.

On the day, 10 fruit trees were carefully planted, with volunteers measuring spacing between trees and ensuring proper planting depth before watering thoroughly.

In addition, Carrier volunteers who have been involved since Phase 1 participated in the planting of the “Forest Terrace” symbol tree - a Japanese Stone Oak tree. This symbolic tree represents the shared hope of all volunteers involved in the project for children to grow up healthy and thrive in harmony with nature.

The “Facility Improvement Project,” implemented over approximately three years, will conclude with a completion ceremony on June 27. We sincerely thank Carrier Japan for their continuous support throughout this project.

Collaboration with Carrier: Creating a Safe Playground in Nature

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