The children in the preschool room at St Nicholas I RisingOaks, took part in a variety of activities to celebrate Easter, including some unique experiences that incorporated meaningful themes such as diversity, equality and fairness.
To begin, they spent time learning more about themselves. The children looked into mirrors set on the tables, carefully observing their own faces while engaging in conversations with the educator. They talked about who they might resemble, what their eyes, nose, and mouth look like, and which part of their face they liked the most. The discussion then expanded to include their favorite colours, activities, and foods.
Many children shared that their eyes were their favorite feature, and popular foods included pizza and strawberries. Children who have siblings often said that playing with their brothers or sisters was what they enjoyed the most.
Next, the children drew their observed faces on round pieces of paper. After completing their drawings, they added ears to create bunny faces. They then used their favorite colours to draw things they love on additional circular papers. All the pieces were brought together to create beautiful Easter wreaths. Through this activity, the children had a meaningful opportunity to learn about themselves and develop a sense of self-respect.
During another activity, the children used playdough to explore different types of families. Using yellow playdough, they created various “chicken families” and discussed them with the educator. Some families lived with a mother, some with grandparents, some had two fathers, and others were large extended families. Through these conversations, the children learned that although families may look different, they are all the same in that they love and care for one another.
The children also explored the concept of fairness using plastic Easter eggs. The educator gave one egg to some children, two eggs to others, and none to a few. The children were then asked how they felt. One child who received nothing said they felt sad, while a child who received two eggs said they felt happy. When asked whether the situation was fair, the children agreed that it was not. The educator then asked how they could make it fair. Some children suggested breaking the eggs to share them. In the end, a child who had two eggs chose to share with a child who had none. One child even showed great kindness by sharing all of their eggs with others. As a gesture of appreciation, the educator gave that child one egg in return.
When asked again if things felt fair, the children responded with happy faces that it did. Through this experience, they learned that sharing can create fairness and is also an act of kindness.
Finally, the children painted Easter eggs in a variety of colours, creating special pieces that reflected both fairness and kindness. Although they are still young, these experiences gave them a meaningful opportunity to begin understanding important values as members of a community.
