peace Archives - Early Learning Childhood Education

Showing children the path to peace

While the concepts of peace and conflict are perhaps challenging for young children and not for them to worry about at this young age, we can help to embed positive values through their early childhood education.

Here’re a few ways you can intentionally incorporate the values of the International Day of Peace in your centre:

Model compassion and caring:

Show children what compassion and caring looks like. Offer help to others and generally look out for one another.

Promote a respectful environment:

Good manners, listening to others and accepting differences are ways to encourage respect within childcare centres.

Build a sense of belonging for all:

Aim to celebrate all walks of life in your centre. Inclusive practices are essential in early childhood. Ask families to get involved, share stories, songs, traditions, food from their cultures or get children to talk about their home life so children are exposed to a diverse range of family situations.

This ACECQA document is a useful resource on encouraging inclusive behaviour in early childhood. You might also like to explore this Gowrie Victoria document that covers respect for children.

Of course, the International Day of Peace is just a reminder to instill these approaches and values in your centre… By all means, continue to do these things now and beyond!

If you’re interested in learning more about the International Day of Peace, visit the official website here.

Each year the International Day of Peace is observed around the world on 21 September. The General Assembly has declared this as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, both within and among all nations and peoples.

It’s a big world we live in with hundreds of countries and thousands of languages, many different religions, time zones, and a slew of celebrations.

The symbol of the dove:
The peace dove flying with an olive branch in its beak is one of the most commonly featured symbols for the day. In Judaism, Christianity, and Islam a white dove is generally a sign for peace. The dove can also represent “hope for peace” or a peace offering from one person to another, hence the phrase “to extend an olive branch”. Often, the dove is represented as still in flight to remind people of its role as messenger.

So, how can you include this in your daily life?
You don’t have to organise or attend an event to participate in Peace Day. Individuals can observe Peace Day in whatever way is personally meaningful. Take time for quiet reflection, have a minute of silence at 12pm, volunteer in your community, commit to more peaceful communications in your home, share some peaceful time with someone who needs support, plant a tree, learn about a global issue related to people or the environment.

How can you embrace this day in your classroom?
Learn what makes us different and what makes us the same, and why!

Ask the children about what they think Peace Day is. Below are some links to some craft activities, which can start the conversations.

Some questions to consider:

1.Why do you think World Peace Day is so important?

2.What can we do to support this day?

3.How different would the world be if every day were World Peace Day?

Encourage the world to work together toward the goal of worldwide peace.
Just remember that knowledge leads to understanding…

For more information about World Peace Day:

http://www.un.org/en/events/peaceday/

Worksheet, craft and activities to use at home or in the classroom:

http://www.teacherplanet.com/resource/peaceday.php

http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/peace-day