Around the World Day ideas for OSHC
45 DIY activities for a around the world day at before and after school care or vacation care, usually run around 5 May (Cinco de Mayo) or any time or January/February. Pick and mix, or build a balanced day in one click.
Around the World Race
Teams race through country-themed challenge stations, completing a task at each one to learn a little about different places.
Around the World Day · Japan Day · Lunar New Year +3Asian Cultures Food and Fun
Children try simple dishes, music and games from several Asian countries across one day, celebrating diversity in a hands-on way.
Taco Fiesta Day · Cooking Day · Junior Chef Challenge +2Build Your Own Tacos
Children choose fillings and assemble their own tacos, practising food skills and trying new flavours.
Japan Day · Lunar New Year · One-Minute Challenge Day +2Chopstick Challenge
Children practise using chopsticks to move pompoms between bowls, testing speed and precision.
Lunar New Year · Japan Day · Teamwork Day +2Chopstick Relay
Teams race to move pompoms between bowls using chopsticks in a fast relay.
Christmas · Around the World Day · Culture Celebration Day +2Christmas Around the World
Children visit stations that show how different countries celebrate, each with a custom, a game and a small taste.
Around the World Day · Teddy Bears' Picnic · Athletics Carnival +3Classic Picnic Games
Children play old-fashioned picnic games such as three-legged races, egg-and-spoon races and sack races.
Diwali · Clay and Pottery Day · Culture Celebration Day +1Clay Diya Lamps
Children shape small lamp bowls from air-dry clay and paint them in bright colours, learning about the Festival of Lights.
Diwali · Cooking Day · Culture Celebration Day +1Coconut Ladoo Balls
Children mix and roll simple no-cook coconut sweets inspired by Diwali treats, then share them together.
Around the World Day · Harmony Day · Culture Celebration Day +2Country Food Tasting Table
Children sample small tastes of simple foods from different countries and share what they notice about flavours, textures and origins.
Around the World Day · Culture Celebration Day · Harmony Day +3Country of the Day Stations
Children rotate through stations to cook a simple dish, draw the flag and design an outfit inspired by the country of the day while its music plays.
Culture Celebration Day · Harmony Day · Around the World Day +1Cultural Dress Day
Children are invited to wear clothing that reflects their family's culture and share what it means to them, if they wish.
Harmony Day · Culture Celebration Day · Around the World Day +3Cultural Music and Dance
Children learn a simple dance from another culture, ideally guided by a family or community member who shares that tradition.
Around the World Day · Music and Dance Day · K-Pop Dance Party +3Dances From Around the World
Children try short dance and drumming styles from different parts of the world, comparing rhythms and moves and finding their favourites.
Harmony Day · Culture Celebration Day · Show and Tell Day +3Family Culture Show and Tell
Children bring an object, photo or story from home that reflects their family's culture and share it with the group.
Games Carnival Day · Athletics Carnival · Cooking Day +1Five Rings Biscuits
Children ice plain round biscuits in five ring colours and arrange them into the famous five-ring pattern. A sweet, simple treat for a games carnival.
Around the World Day · Harmony Day · Culture Celebration Day +2Flag Design and Symbols
Children explore what the colours and symbols on flags mean, then design their own flag that represents something about themselves.
Around the World Day · Harmony Day · Culture Celebration Day +2Hello in Many Languages
Children learn to say hello in the languages spoken by families at the service, creating a welcome chart that celebrates everyone.
All About Australia Day · Harmony Day · Culture Celebration Day +1Hello in Many Languages Wall
Children collect greetings from the languages spoken in their families and community, then build a colourful welcome wall for the entrance.
Around the World Day · Diwali · Music and Dance Day +3Indian Film-Style Dance Routine
Children learn a simple high-energy Indian film-style dance routine with bright scarves, building rhythm, coordination and confidence.
Around the World Day · Holidays and Travel Week · Photography Day +1Landmark Photo Booth
Educators draw a famous world landmark on the whiteboard and children pose in front of it as if on holiday, sparking talk about travel and places.
National Families Week · Around the World Day · Culture Celebration Day +1Letters to Family Overseas
Children write or draw letters for relatives living overseas, which families can post home.
Around the World Day · Holidays and Travel Week · Harmony Day +1Make Your Own Passport
Children make their own passports and collect a stamp at each country station, building excitement for a travel-themed day.
Around the World Day · Taco Fiesta Day · Culture Celebration Day +2Mexican Fiesta Day
Children enjoy a day of Mexican music, simple tacos and nachos, shaker making and a piñata, learning about Mexican celebrations along the way.
Taco Fiesta Day · Music and Dance Day · Around the World Day +2Mexican Music and Dance
Children listen and dance to traditional Mexican music, learning a few simple steps and clapping rhythms.
Soccer Cup Day · Around the World Day · Games Carnival Day +1Mini World Cup Tournament
Children play a small-sided soccer tournament with teams representing different countries.
Games Carnival Day · Athletics Carnival · Around the World Day +2Opening Ceremony Parade
Teams pick a country, design a flag and march in a parade with a cardboard torch. Sets the scene for a games carnival with plenty of colour.
Games Carnival Day · Athletics Carnival · Around the World Day +2OSHC Games Carnival
Teams each represent a country and compete in relays, long jump and silly events, with medals for everyone at the end. A whole-day event full of team spirit.
All About Australia Day · Harmony Day · Culture Celebration Day +2Our Families' Australia Map
Children mark where their families come from on a world map and link each place to Australia with string, showing how many cultures make up the group.
Taco Fiesta Day · Paper Crafts Day · Culture Celebration Day +2Papel Picado Banners
Older children fold and cut tissue paper into lacy Mexican-style banners to hang across the room.
Around the World Day · Culture Celebration Day · Paper Crafts Day +2Paper Tulips and Windmills
Children make paper tulips and spinning paper windmills, ideally guided by families with Dutch heritage, learning about the Netherlands.
Around the World Day · Holidays and Travel Week · Culture Celebration Day +1Passport Stamp Collection
Children carry a homemade passport around country activities and earn a stamp for each one, encouraging them to try every experience.
Around the World Day · Harmony Day · Games Day +2Playground Games From Many Countries
Children learn and play traditional games from other countries, such as stone-counting board games and team tag games, and compare them with games they know.
Wild Aotearoa · Yarn Day · Animal Theme +2Pom-Pom Kiwi Birds
Children wrap brown wool into pom-poms and add a long card beak and feet to make kiwi birds, learning about this flightless bird of Aotearoa.
Holidays and Travel Week · Dramatic Play Day · Planes, Trains and Automobiles +2Pretend Airport
Children role-play travelling through an airport, from check-in and security to boarding and the flight.
Around the World Day · New Year's Party · Science Day +2Salt Crystal Fireworks
Children draw fireworks with glue, cover them in salt and drip watercolour on top to watch the colours spread.
Ramadan and Eid · Culture Celebration Day · Around the World Day +1Shared Eid Tasting
Children taste dates and simple dishes shared during Eid celebrations. A respectful introduction to food and culture.
All About Australia Day · Harmony Day · Culture Celebration Day +2Shared Plate Culture Picnic
Children help prepare a few simple dishes from cultures in their families and community, then share them on a picnic rug together.
Christmas · Around the World Day · Culture Celebration Day +1Spanish Celebration Day
Children learn how Spain celebrates the festive season, share tapas-style foods for lunch and help make churros with educators.
Cooking Day · Japan Day · Junior Chef Challenge +1Sushi Rolling
Children roll their own sushi with rice and simple fillings using bamboo mats.
Great Race Day · Around the World Day · Teamwork Day +2Team Flag Design
Each team designs its own flag with a name, colours and symbols, building identity and team spirit before a race or games day.
Soccer Cup Day · Around the World Day · Culture Celebration Day +1Team Flag Face Painting
Children design and paint team flags or colours on their cheeks or hands to support teams in a soccer tournament.
Around the World Day · New Year's Party · Diwali +2Toilet Roll Firework Prints
Children cut the ends of toilet rolls into fringes and stamp them in paint to make bursting firework pictures.
National Families Week · Harmony Day · Around the World Day +1Where Our Families Come From
Children mark the countries their families come from on a shared world map, then share a fact or story about each place.
Culture Celebration Day · Harmony Day · Around the World Day +1World Foods Tasting
Children taste simple foods from different cultures, ideally ones shared by local families, and talk about where they come from.