Australia Day is well known across the country and will be explored throughout centres around this time in January.
It’s a great opportunity to touch on some Australian history and culture, to enable the children of today to get a well-rounded understanding of the country they call home.
The meaning behind Australia Day is different for many Australians, so we believe it’s important to treat it with sensitivity and understanding. This doesn’t mean avoiding marking the occasion, but using it constructively with a sense of purpose.
To help you bring Australia Day discussions into your centre (or your home), try exploring these aspects of this wonderful country and Australia Day with children:
Flora and fauna
At Bonkers Beat, we love nature. Incorporate some of Australia’s native plants and animals. These paper plate koalas and wombats are fun to make!
The states and territories each have their own unique flowers. Find printable colouring sheets for these and many Aussie animals here.
Art
As part of celebrating Australia Day through creativity and art we suggest using natural materials and resources, such as gum nuts, tree bark and a variety of flowers and leaves. This is a wonderful opportunity to explore nature and learn more about our natural surroundings. For more ideas follow this link.
Music
We like to use music to celebrate and learn whenever possible, and Australia Day is no exception. Learn about Australia and have fun singing along to classics. Try Kookaburra Sits in the Old Gum Tree or The Possum.
Geography
A great group activity is to either draw or print a big map of Australia then work together to talk about the different areas across our vast country. Get creative with different colours and textures.
As always, we love to see everyone’s creative ways of incorporating the cultural calendar into your services! Share your best Australian children’s song or craft activity with us on Facebook.