Rice Balls

Children understand that rice balls are foods made by shaping rice with the hands, that they come in many shapes and fillings, and that they can be held and eaten by hand.

2026年7月6日 · こども図鑑
2026年7月6日 · こども図鑑
A rice ball is a food made by shaping rice with the hands.
Some rice balls are triangular, and some are round.
They are easy to hold and eat with your hands.

A rice ball is a food made by shaping rice with the hands. Some rice balls are triangular, and some are round. They are easy to hold and eat with your hands.

💬 What Is a Rice Ball?

🤔 What shape does the rice ball look like?

A rice ball is made from many grains of rice.
Warm rice sticks together a little.
When you squeeze it firmly, it becomes a shape.

A rice ball is made from many grains of rice. Warm rice sticks together a little. When you squeeze it firmly, it becomes a shape.

💬 The Rice Grains Are Gathered Together

A rice ball may have a filling inside.
There can be salmon, kelp, pickled plum, and more.
There are also plain salted rice balls with no filling.

A rice ball may have a filling inside. There can be salmon, kelp, pickled plum, and more. There are also plain salted rice balls with no filling.

💬 Sometimes There Is a Filling Inside

🤔 What kind of rice ball filling have you eaten before?

Rice balls may be wrapped with seaweed.
Seaweed is a dark-colored, thin food.
When you hold the seaweed, the rice is less likely to stick to your hands.

Rice balls may be wrapped with seaweed. Seaweed is a dark-colored, thin food. When you hold the seaweed, the rice is less likely to stick to your hands.

💬 Sometimes It Is Wrapped with Seaweed

🤔 Have you seen rice balls with seaweed and rice balls without seaweed?