April 25th is a day of great significance. Here are some ANZAC Day activities to do together as a family, so you can mark this day in a memorable way. If your kids are at school they’ve probably covered some ground in terms of what Anzac day is for, so it’s a great opportunity to follow up on that learning and get them to tell you what they understand.
Poppies
For most of us, ANZAC Day is marked vividly by poppies.
You could read In Flanders Fields together and explain the history behind the poppy. Then get busy making your own poppies – if your child particularly enjoys words/writing, maybe they could craft their own ANZAC poem too!
Here are some sites that look at different ways to put together a poppy. Each uses different supplies, so if you don’t have what’s required in one, check out the others:
www.awm.gov.au/education/programs/prepost/PRIM_makePoppy.pdf
http://www.thatartistwoman.org/2008/11/how-to-make-paper-poppies.html
If your kids get enthusiastic about this, why not create a whole field full, sticking the poppies into a tray of sand or even in an area of the back yard? Make sure to take some photographs of your work!
If you’re looking for something very simple and hassle-free along these lines, scroll down this link for a way to carve a potato into a poppy stamp.
Online and printable activities
This site is great – it has some educational readings and online crosswords (or you can print them if you prefer). Perfect to work through with intermediate-age kiddos!
Here is a word search that you can print off with ANZAC-related words.
Food-based activities
ANZAC biscuits are always popular and are a great tradition to read about and share! (Here is a wheat-free version). Or try something different with this delicious ANZAC crumble or an ANZAC cake.
Hardtack is like onomatapaeia – it looks as it sounds and I’m sure it doesn’t taste any better! But what a great way to experience a little of what it was like for our Australian and New Zealand soldiers – unpleasant in so many ways. Here is a recipe for Hard tack.
On this site, one step further is suggested in terms of experiencing life as a soldier in the trenches:
Organise a lunch with other Gallipoli rations – tinned corned beef, rice and jam. What would you wash it down with? How about a cup of billy tea, cocoa or water? Make sure that you do not eat or drink anything the soldiers would not have had on Gallipoli – soft drink is definitely out! If you don’t like hard tack by itself how else could you eat it? Some soldiers used to break up or grate the hard tack and mix it with water or powdered milk to make porridge. What would you prefer?
Have a really special time today observing ANZAC Day. It’s an important day to reflect, be together and celebrate our freedom as kiwis.
If you come across any other great ANZAC Day activities to do as a family, do share them with all of us.
