Whats the best way of introducing religious festivals....

[Bitsy Beans]

.....to young mindee's. Mine will be 3 end of Oct and I am not sure the best way to introduce her to stuff like this so that she's got some interest and understanding.
How do you all do it??

[sarah707]

Best work from something the child knows about already.

So if there is a programme on TV about a festival or celebration you could use that as a starter.

Just do activities the child enjoys and incorporate information about the festival.

So if the child likes sand, use some coloured sand or rice to make pictures ... that happens a lot in Indian festivals...

If the child likes cooking, it's really easy to make food from around the world.

Focus first of all on the child's home festivals and celebrations and those in your local community - Chinese or Indian role play and restaurants for example.

Hth :D

[Bitsy Beans]

Thanks Sarah (my new best friend ;) )
Thing is I don't think mindee knows anything......so wasn't sure how to broach the subject without it sounding like a boring lesson!!!!

[sarah707]

Just include the activities in her play, have lots of relevant books lying around and talk to parents about what she knows from home.

She will also pick up things from her nursery / playgroup and start to have some kind of global awareness...

It's slow coming in some children, so just keep it light and airy and help her to be excited about new activities and resources.

That way, you are meeting her needs and she'll get there in the end! :D

[francinejayne]

when my older children were at nursery (many moons ago!):eek: they celebrated for example chinese new year by drawing / painting dragon pictures, they learnt how to say happy new year in chinese, and they ate food using chopsticks (chinese food was offered but if they didn't want to eat this they were encouraged to eat something using chopsticks). it was so much fun they didn't realise it was a 'lesson'! just keep it fun would be my advice!

[Winnie]

Sarah is right- as always its important to approach any learning through what the child enjoys, whether thats dressing up, dragons, glitter, presents….we can make it ‘real’ for the children.
Its very much about giving children a ‘global awareness’ and making other cultures familiar and so fostering a respect for our own cultural as well as other peoples. Hopefully once they become adults and encounter other cultures first hand they will be familiar and their response will be positive. Most of the problems of stereotyping, bigotry and ignorance in adults is because what we do not know/understand we tend to fear imho.

[cherry pink]

i have a ''theme box'' which obviously gets changed monthly lol in it i put books /picture cards/ toys that are associated with that theme plus some extra bits to cover other festivals etc that are happening that month e.g january we are doing winter so have wintery associated things in it plus it's australia day so i am adding a book about australia and a cuddly kangaroo and for chinese new year i will add the chinese cooking set ....it's not a huge basket and i only add a few things for each theme/event and then put other things around the room..and other books on the bookshelf...this is not instead of the usual toys etc but just an added extra iyswim

[sarah707]

i have a ''theme box'' which obviously gets changed monthly lol in it i put books /picture cards/ toys that are associated with that theme plus some extra bits to cover other festivals etc that are happening that month e.g january we are doing winter so have wintery associated things in it plus it's australia day so i am adding a book about australia and a cuddly kangaroo and for chinese new year i will add the chinese cooking set ....it's not a huge basket and i only add a few things for each theme/event and then put other things around the room..and other books on the bookshelf...this is not instead of the usual toys etc but just an added extra iyswim

That is a really good idea! I might pinch it :D

[georgie456]

i have a ''theme box'' which obviously gets changed monthly lol in it i put books /picture cards/ toys that are associated with that theme plus some extra bits to cover other festivals etc that are happening that month e.g january we are doing winter so have wintery associated things in it plus it's australia day so i am adding a book about australia and a cuddly kangaroo and for chinese new year i will add the chinese cooking set ....it's not a huge basket and i only add a few things for each theme/event and then put other things around the room..and other books on the bookshelf...this is not instead of the usual toys etc but just an added extra iyswim

What a brilliant idea. I think I might start something like that!

[cherry pink]

thanx guys my lo's love it and with a big theme like xmas you can add an extra bit each week e.g this year i am adding some nativity bits each week so that by the end we will have the full nativity scene (laminated card cutouts to stick on the wall) and a music cd and the madagascar xmas movie (£5 tescos) its only on for half an hour mine wont sit still for much longer lol..even my nearly 7 year old loves to have a rummage to see if i've added anything new

[colliz691]

I agree with the theme boxes - great idea - and also the cooking activities/cooking utensils, outfits, you could even try to learn a few words together!! I love the Anabel Kindersley and Barnabas Kindersley - children just like me, children of Britain just like me and celebrations books for looking at diversity, culture and festivals, often the children will ask questions when looking through the books.

[avril]

i have a ''theme box'' which obviously gets changed monthly lol in it i put books /picture cards/ toys that are associated with that theme plus some extra bits to cover other festivals etc that are happening that month e.g january we are doing winter so have wintery associated things in it plus it's australia day so i am adding a book about australia and a cuddly kangaroo and for chinese new year i will add the chinese cooking set ....it's not a huge basket and i only add a few things for each theme/event and then put other things around the room..and other books on the bookshelf...this is not instead of the usual toys etc but just an added extra iyswim

I loved this idea and used it for Australia day and Burns night the children really enjoyed have a look in to see what was there. I laminated pictures which caused a good talking point - a man in a skirt (kilt) and trust that to be the boys!!:rolleyes:

[MarpleJollytots]

yep thats me nicking the theme box idea too !!!!!!!!!:laughing:

[sarah707]

I was so inspired by this idea I wrote an e-book about it! :thumbsup:

[cherry pink]

I was so inspired by this idea I wrote an e-book about it! :thumbsup:

omw way to go Sarah :clapping: , so pleased that it's going to help others, the lo's really do love it.

really pleased that those that tried it had fun.

cherry pink xxx

[mamasheshe]

i like this idea how often do you change things in it i know the celebration ones are obvious ! it must be really good for planning and taking the childs lead on things their interested in . I'm starting to sound like a CM xxxxxxxx

[cherry pink]

i like this idea how often do you change things in it i know the celebration ones are obvious ! it must be really good for planning and taking the childs lead on things their interested in . I'm starting to sound like a CM xxxxxxxx

hi mamasheshe,
i change mine monthly, i usually have a biggish theme going on and then use the theme box on the side to fill in with other celebrations going on. e.g

big theme for this month is chinese new year

theme box = valentines /ive put in heart cookie cutters/ some a4 plastic wallets with card/red card/red foam etc for them to do their own crafting.

pancake day= plastic saucepans/eggs/milk/flour/chefs outfit/mixing bowl spoon and a simple 1 2 3 recipe card. the big pancake story book

will also put in some extra chinese new year bits in. info sheet on china (laminated-activity village) tiger lacing cards (again act vill),paper dolls in new year outfits (again act vill lol).toy tigers and a book the tiger who came to tea.

with a big theme you can add bits weekly so that the children dont get bored and they have new things to look at..

if one month it's one of the lo's birthday i put their birthday card in for them to find...

you can put in as much or as little as you want, but definately change it monthly. most of all have fun, i love finding new bits to put in.

[mamasheshe]

such a good idea xxxxxxxxxxxxx