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Teaching Children About Australia Day
Australia Day is an important event in the Australian calendar and learning about it can help children develop a better understanding of our national identity. With this in mind, there are plenty of educational resources available for parents and teachers to use when teaching children about Australia Day.
Why do we need to teach children about Australia Day? Australia Day is a day to celebrate our nation, its people and its values. It provides an opportunity for Australians to come together and reflect on the contributions made by past generations of settlers and Indigenous Australians. Teaching children about Australia Day helps them appreciate the importance of our national identity and build pride in being Australian.
To help make Australia Day a memorable and meaningful day for children, here are some ideas to get started:
- Introduce the meaning of Australia Day. Include the history of how it began and why it is celebrated each year.
- Provide activities that focus on our nation’s values such as democracy, equality, a fair go and freedom.
- Read stories or watch videos that showcase Australian culture, values and achievements.
- Hold a morning tea or BBQ to celebrate the day and welcome new Australians from all backgrounds with food, music, and games.
- Learn about Australia’s Indigenous cultures and their spiritual connection to the land.
- Take a virtual tour of iconic landmarks around Australia such as the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Uluru, and the Great Barrier Reef.
- Have children draw pictures or make crafts to represent what Australia Day means to them.
- Showcase traditional Australian foods like lamingtons, pavlova, and damper.
- Teach children about Australian symbols, such as the national flag, and their meaning.
- Discuss values that are important in Australia’s multicultural society, such as respect for diversity.
- Invite local council members to come and speak about their work and how it contributes to the Australian community.
Teacher Resources
When it comes to Australia Day for Kids, there are a range of resources available to help you.
- Use videos, games, and activities to introduce Australia Day and its significance.
- Discuss the history of Australia Day with books about the nation’s past.
- Utilise interactive maps to explore iconic Australian landmarks like the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Uluru, and the Great Barrier Reef.
- Create art and craft activities that celebrate Australian cultures, such as paper koalas or Aboriginal dot art paintings.
- Encourage students to explore Indigenous cultures with books about Dreamtime stories, traditional music, and bush tucker.
- Take a virtual tour of Australia’s capital cities.
With the wonder of the internet, there are endless learning resources to teach children about Australia Day. There are educational websites and apps with interactive activities, quizzes, videos, and articles that can provide students with a deeper understanding of the spirit of Australia Day.
By utilizing technology and interactive tools to explore the unique cultural elements of Australia Day engagingly, teachers can help foster a sense of patriotism and pride in their students. For example, teachers can assign projects to create artwork or stories depicting the significance of Australia Day. They can also ask students to research timelines about the history of Australia’s independence and look into specific moments of national celebration such as Australian Prime Minister Gough Whitlam’s historic speech at the opening of the first Australia Day celebrations.
To help students understand the traditions behind Australia Day, teachers can have students explore the elements of a traditional Australian barbecue or picnic. They can learn about cultural dishes and why there is debate around the date itself. Why not get started now?
