Celebrating culture, food and community across our services

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Children across our services enjoyed a rich mix of cultural, creative and food based experiences as Pancake Day, Lunar New Year and the beginning of Ramadan all took place.

There were dumplings, pancakes, red envelopes, lantern crafts and even date tasting as children learned about different traditions in fun and meaningful ways.

Many services acknowledged these days of significance in ways that reflected their community and responded to children’s interests. This created inclusive and meaningful experiences that helped children learn about celebrations that are important to families across Australia.

Pancake Day: food, fun and shared learning

Pancake Day - also known as Shrove Tuesday - was celebrated at many services with pancakes for breakfast and afternoon tea. From the "paper plate frying pans" used for flipping practice at South Thornlie to the multi-coloured masterpieces created at Noranda, the children enjoyed the science of measuring and the joy of sharing a meal with their peers.

Educators also led group conversations about the meaning of Pancake Day, encouraging children to share what they knew and building understanding through discussion.

Lunar New Year: culture explored through creativity 

Many services enjoyed Lunar New Year crafts and experiences across the week.

At Rostrata OSHClub WA, children took part in a dumpling making session guided by educator Emily Yan. Emily brought her cultural knowledge to the activity, supporting children as they learned how to fold dumplings, handle ingredients and enjoy a nutritious treat. Families responded warmly, with several requesting the recipe to try at home.

Other services created red envelopes, made colourful horses, helped children perform a dancing dragon and built sensory trays to bring the theme to life.

These activities supported creativity, fine motor development and cultural awareness

Ramadan: sharing values and traditions

With the beginning of Ramadan, some services introduced children to the meaning of the month through simple, thoughtful activities.

Educators discussed themes such as kindness, reflection and community, helping children understand why Ramadan is significant to many families.

Children created lanterns and moon and star themed art using glitter and paper shapes. In one service, children also had the chance to try dates, learning that dates are often the first food eaten when breaking the fast.

This small tasting experience supported learning through exploration and conversation.

What a week of celebration!

Whether through cooking, craft, discussion or play, children had many opportunities to connect with these cultural events in joyful ways. Educators supported rich learning by drawing on their own strengths and

Thank you to all services and Educators. We are proud to see how children embraced Pancake Day, Lunar New Year and Ramadan in ways that reflect the diversity and spirit of our communities.