Introducing our youngest tamariki to the significance of ANZAC Day is a meaningful way to begin fostering respect, understanding, and a sense of history. While some concepts may be too advanced, there are age-appropriate ways to teach the values of remembrance, courage, and kindness that ANZAC Day embodies.
Here are some ways, we think, you can introduce ANZAC Day to the tamariki in your learning environment;
Focus on key themes and ideas of kindness, bravery and helping others. Instead of focussing on war, try shaping your experiences around concepts familiar to tamariki.
- Kindness: Explain that ANZAC Day is about remembering people who were kind and helped others.
- Bravery: Talk about being brave, even when things are hard.
- Helping Others: Highlight how soldiers and nurses worked together to help people.
Using simple language and familiar concepts while engaging tamariki with inviting rauemi will ensure your tamariki are given the best opportunity to learn the relevance of such an important celebration or remembrance.
- Picture Books, Storytelling and Imagery
Choose books that use gentle storytelling and illustrations to introduce the concept of remembrance. Check out some of our favourites here: - Give tamariki access to pictures of ANZAC poppies, medals, or memorials. Magnetic stories and imagery encourage children to engage and retell stories with the knowledge they’re learning. Our ANZAC activity download is full of activities and ideas to create with the tamariki! You can download this here
- Finding games or activities that embody ideas of teamwork and helping one another embody the ANZAC spirit.
- Create Through Art and Craft - Hands-on activities help tamariki engage with the meaning of ANZAC Day. Themes to consider in your mahi toi area? Poppies, red loose part or collage materials and/or imagery that depicts peace and rememberance.
- Encourage Whānau Involvement - Collaborating with whānau enriches learning. Do the whānau in your community celebrate or commemorate ANZAC day in a unique way? Do they have connections to soldiers who served during war time? Inviting families to share allows for reciprocal and extended learning.
- Make Connections through Every Day Mahi
- Recognise the values of ANZAC Day by celebrating acts of empathy, kindness and bravery across everyday interactions.
Remember, teaching our youngest tamariki about ANZAC Day is less about history lessons and more about planting seeds of understanding, empathy, and gratitude. By focusing on simple themes and using creative, age-appropriate methods, you can help young children appreciate the values behind this important day.
You can find pukapuka, magnetic stories, wall displays, downloadable rauemi and other ANZAC resources here
We would love to hear how you are facilitating meaningful experiences with tamariki in your centre or kura! Let us know below!
