For my CIP, I volunteered in the Mitsuba Youchien every Tuesday for three hours. I would help the kids with drawings, puzzles, and other games as well as talk with them in Japanese. It was an extremely enjoyable experience and I was able to improve my Japanese through talking with the children. Although it was a bit intimidating at first, I thought they were much more patient and understanding than I had initially thought and it became second nature to talk about what they were doing and their hobbies and interests. I would recommend for people looking to do this to start asking specific questions and not being afraid to put yourself out there: that’s often the only way you will be able to start making deeper connections with the children.