Learning ideas
Children learn through play. Learn more about play ideas and awareness days and weeks that can provide fun and educational experiences for children.
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Early learning services can use these play ideas and celebrate these awareness days and weeks with their children.
Play ideas
These play ideas have been developed for playgroups, though they can be used at other types of early learning services if you ensure that you are following the regulations and licensing criteria that apply to your service.
Parents and caregivers may also find these ideas useful.
The principles and strands of Te Whāriki are encompassed in the play ideas.
You may choose to view, save or print each individual play idea above, or download the complete collection of ideas:
Awareness days and weeks calendar
Celebrating awareness days and weeks supports the 'belonging' strand of Te Whāriki.
It supports 2 goals:
- Children and their families experience an environment where they can affirm and extend connecting links with the family and the wider world.
- Children and their families experience an environment where they feel comfortable with the routines, customs and regular events.
These are suggestions only, you can always reach out to your families and whānau to find out what other days might be good to celebrate.
January
- International Day of Education(external link)
Wednesday 24 January 2024
February
- Aotearoa Bike Challenge Month(external link)
- Waitangi Day
Tuesday 6 February 2024
Check for celebrations in your area - Lunar New Year’s Day
Saturday 10 February 2024
Check for celebrations in your area - International Day of Women and Girls in Science(external link)
Sunday 11 February 2024 - International Mother Language Day(external link)
Wednesday 21 February 2024
March
- Whio Awareness Month(external link)
- NZ Sea Week(external link)
Saturday 2 – Sunday 10 March 2024 - World Wildlife Day(external link)
Sunday 3 March 2024 - Te Rā o Ngā Tamariki – Children's Day(external link)
Sunday 3 March 2024 - International Women's Day (external link)
Friday 8 March 2024 - World Down Syndrome Day(external link)
Thursday 21 March 2024 - World Poetry Day(external link)
Thursday 21 March 2024 - World Meteorological Day (external link)
Saturday 23 March 2024 - Easter
Friday 29 March – Monday 1 April 2024
April
- Easter
Friday 29 March – Monday 1 April 2024 - World Autism Awareness Day (external link)
Tuesday 2 April 2024 - World Health Day (external link)
Sunday 7 April 2024 - Eid al-Fitr
Tuesday 9 April 2024
Check for celebrations in your area - Earth Day(external link)
Monday 22 April 2024 - ANZAC Day(external link)
Thursday 25 April 2024
Check for remembrance events in your area.
May
- New Zealand Music Month(external link)
- New Zealand Sign Language Week(external link)
Monday 6 – Sunday 12 May 2024 - Mother’s Day
Tuesday 14 May 2024 - International Day of Families(external link)
Wednesday 15 May 2024 - Pink Shirt Day(external link)
Friday 17th May 2024 - Road Safety Week (external link)
Monday 20 – Sunday 26 May 2024 - TechWeek(external link)
Monday 20 – Sunday 26 May 2024 - Samoa Language Week (external link)
TBC
June
- King’s Birthday
Monday 3 June 2024 - World Environment Day(external link)
Wednesday 5 June 2024 - World Ocean Day(external link)
Saturday 8 June 2024 - Global Wind Day (external link)
Saturday 15 June 2024 - Eid al-Ada
Sunday 16 – Thursday 20 June 2024
Check for celebrations in your area - Matariki
Friday 28 June 2024
Te Papa offers a range of matariki education resources(external link)
July
- Red Nose Day(external link)
Friday 5 July 2024 - Teddy Bear Picnic Day
Wednesday 10 July 2024 - World Population Day(external link)
Thursday 11 July 2024 - International Day of Friendship (external link)
Tuesday 30 July 2024 - Cook Islands Language Week(external link)
TBC
August
- Cook Islands Language Week(external link)
TBC - Daffodil Day (external link)
Saturday 31 August 2024
September
- Father’s Day
Sunday 1 September 2024 - International Literacy Day (external link)
Sunday 8 September 2024 - Te Wiki o te Reo Māori – Māori Language Week (external link)
Monday 16 – Monday 23 September 2024 - International Day of Peace (external link)
Saturday 21 September 2024 - Chinese language Week (external link)
Sunday 22 – Saturday 28 September 2024 - Conservation Week(external link)
TBC - Tonga Language Week(external link)
TBC
October
- World Animal Day(external link)
Friday 4 October 2024 - World Teachers' Day(external link)
Saturday 5 October 2024 - Tuvalu Language Week(external link)
TBC - Fijian Language Week(external link)
TBC - Niue Language Week(external link)
TBC - Tokelau Language Week(external link)
TBC - Loud Shirt Day (external link)
Friday 18 October 2024 - Labour Day
Monday 28 October 2024 - Diwali(external link)
Tuesday 29 October – Sunday 3 November 2024
Check for celebrations in your area.
November
- Diwali(external link)
Tuesday 29 October – Sunday 3 November 2024
Check for celebrations in your area - World Kindness Day(external link)
Wednesday 13 November 2024 - Universal Children's Day(external link)
Wednesday 20 November 2024
December
- International Mountain Day(external link)
Wednesday 11 December 2024 - Christmas Day
Wednesday 25 December 2024 - Boxing Day
Thursday 26 December 2024
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