"Parent and Child Thinking Together! Differences Make the World Interesting!" An Inclusion Awareness Class Held for Crew Members and Their Kids

On July 27, 2025, we held the "Inclusion Awareness Class for Parents and Kids" aimed at USJ crew members who have elementary school-age children. This class was held in two sessions, one for lower-grade and one for upper-grade elementary students, with a total of 19 parent-child pairs participating.

【Article Summary】
・    An inclusion awareness class for parents and children, organized by USJ LLC's Human Resources Department, was held on July 27, 2025.
・    Parents and children participated in hands-on experiences to learn together about how differences are a natural part of life and how fun it can be to make the most of our differences. 
・    The organizer shared her motivations behind the inclusion awareness class.

Organized by USJ LLC's Human Resources Department, this class offered a valuable opportunity for crew members who are parents to deepen their understanding of inclusion through shared learning experiences with their children. 

USJ is engaged in various efforts aimed at creating a future full of children's smiles in line with its CSR slogan, "LOVE HAS NO LIMIT." The class held this time focused on inclusion, one of the three pillars of USJ's social contribution activities, with the aim of fostering a society where both adults and children can be themselves and thrive.

The theme of the class was "differences and similarities are both positive." Each participant took part in three activities, including those tailored to the lower-grade and upper-grade students, respectively. Through shared learning, conversation, and laughter, parents and children enjoyed heartwarming experiences filled with uplifting insights and smiles.

Activity 1: Find the similarities and differences!  

In the first activity, participants looked for similarities and differences between the things they enjoy and the things that their family members and friends enjoy. On the worksheet, they listed each person's favorite things and identified the similarities and differences among them while reflecting on what was good about each one.

Activity 2: 
Lower-Grade Group — Building a tower as a family!
Upper-Grade Group — Do everyday scenes look different when seen from different perspectives? 

The next activity for the lower-grade group involved parents and children taking on the challenge of building a tower together. 
The goal was to use paper cups and ornaments to build a tower that everyone would consider the tallest, coolest, and most beautiful. While some children focused on stacking pieces as high as they could, others decorated theirs with colorful stickers and yarn. There were participants who incorporated their family's favorite colors, and others who modeled their tower after the Tokyo Skytree. Each group completed a one-of-a-kind tower full of unique charm that distinguished it from the rest.

In the second activity for the upper-grade students, participants explored the topic of "living each day alongside people who are different from ourselves," through a lesson on developing a "sunny brain," which refers to the ability to look for the positives and think optimistically, even when something unpleasant happens. 
The activity helped participants realize that because everyone is different, it is important to try to understand people's circumstances and feelings without making any assumptions.

Activity 3: Interview your parents! “What kind of work do you do?”

In the final activity, children interviewed their mothers and fathers about their jobs as crew members. What kind of work do you do? Why did you choose USJ? What were some happy or difficult moments you experienced at work? These were just a few of the many down-to-earth questions the children asked.

Many of the crew members told their children about their jobs for the first time. Seeing them speak bashfully with a touch of pride was a memorable moment. After the interviews, it was the children's turn to answer a question: What job would you do if you had the chance to work at Universal Studios Japan? The children were free to select their favorite jobs from the wide range of work at the Park.

USJ is like a town where a wide range of job types can be found. Through the class, both the children and the crew members seemed to come away with a renewed appreciation for the value of a workplace where they can make the most of the similarities and differences they learned about.

At the end, a super energetic appearance by surprise guests!

After completing all the activities, there was a surprise appearance by two guests who embody the spirit of Universal Studios Japan — Elmo and Cookie Monster.
The participants cheerfully tackled quiz questions together and posed for commemorative photos, enjoying a lively moment together.

The children who participated in the class shared positive reflections. For example, one student voiced a desire to appreciate everyone's differences, while another shared that they plan to study hard so that they can work at the Park when they grow up. Everyone seemed to come away from the class with new insights. 

The Motivation Behind the Inclusion Awareness Class

Finally, Tomomi Nakano of the Human Resources Department, who planned and led the event, spoke to the participants about the background and motivation behind the class.

"At the Organizational Development Team of the Human Resources Department, along with the Work-Life Balance Support Team that proposed this class, we carry out a wide range of initiatives on a daily basis aimed at improving organizational performance. As part of these initiatives, we organized a class that allowed crew members and their children to learn about inclusion together.

"Compared to their parents' generation, children these days have more opportunities to interact with friends of different nationalities. For this reason, we feel that it's all the more important for them to have the ability to think about differences. With the hope that participants would begin exploring this theme through USJ's unique, enjoyable approach to learning, we carefully designed both the content and the way it was delivered.

"During the class, we were inspired by the children's sincere responses and engaged expressions. We found ourselves learning a great deal as well. It would mean a lot to me if this event gave our crew members a sense of pride in their company. Going forward, I hope to open the class to an even wider audience and nurture it into an event that attracts even more participants!"

Through CSR activities carried out inside and outside the Park under the theme "LOVE HAS NO LIMIT," USJ LLC aims to continue creating an inclusive workplace where people with rich, diverse backgrounds and ways of thinking can work together with mutual acceptance and respect, and a Park where everyone can enjoy themselves with peace of mind.