Reconciliation Week ideas for OSHC
17 DIY activities for a reconciliation week at before and after school care or vacation care, usually run around 27 May - 3 June or July. Pick and mix, or build a balanced day in one click.
Acknowledgement of Country Writing
Children write or draw their own Acknowledgement of Country, reflecting on the land they live and play on. A respectful way to mark Reconciliation Week.
NAIDOC Week · Reconciliation Week · Gardening Day +3Bush Tucker Garden
Children plant native food species with guidance from a local Aboriginal organisation or nursery, learning how to care for them.
Reconciliation Week · Clean Up Australia Day · Environmental Day +3Caring for Country Walk
Children pick up litter and notice native plants on a nature walk. Connects caring for the environment with respect for Country.
NAIDOC Week · Reconciliation Week · Music and Dance Day +1Clapstick Rhythm Patterns
Children create and copy rhythm patterns with clapsticks or dowels, learning about their use with guidance from local First Nations resources.
NAIDOC Week · Reconciliation Week · Art Attack Day +1Collaborative NAIDOC Mural
Children design and paint a group mural responding to the year's NAIDOC theme, after learning what the theme means.
All About Australia Day · Reconciliation Week · NAIDOC WeekDifferent Views of 26 January
An optional, educator-led talk for older children about why 26 January means different things to different Australians, ending with ideas for a fair and welcoming Australia.
Torres Strait Islander Culture · NAIDOC Week · Reconciliation Week +1Exploring Coconuts
An educator opens a coconut while children observe, taste the water and scrape the flesh, learning how coconuts are used in Torres Strait Islander cooking.
NAIDOC Week · Reconciliation Week · Games Day +3First Nations Children's Games
Children play games from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures using official sport resources, learning the story behind each game.
NAIDOC Week · Reconciliation Week · Book Week +1First Nations Story Retelling
Children listen to a story by First Nations authors, then retell it through art or drama in their own way.
All About Australia Day · NAIDOC Week · Reconciliation Week +1Local Elder Visit: Bush Foods
A local Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander community member visits to share stories of Country and the bush foods that grow in your area, in their own words.
NAIDOC Week · Reconciliation Week · Rock and Gem Day +1Painted Pattern Stones
Children paint patterns on river stones using their own designs, after learning about First Nations art with local guidance.
Reconciliation Week · Rock and Gem Day · Silly Stories Day +2Painted Story Stones
Children paint their own simple pictures on smooth stones, then use them as prompts to make up and retell stories in small groups.
Reconciliation Week · NAIDOC Week · Time Travellers DayReconciliation History Timeline
Older children build a simple illustrated timeline of key moments on the road to reconciliation, such as the 1967 Referendum, and talk about why they matter.
Reconciliation Week · NAIDOC Week · Book Week +1Reconciliation Reading Corner
Children help set up a calm, respectful display of picture books and resources sourced from local First Nations organisations, then spend time reading and exploring it.
Reconciliation Week · NAIDOC Week · Harmony Day +1Reconciliation Reflection Wall
Children write or draw what reconciliation means to them and add it to a shared wall, creating a visible record of the group's thoughts and hopes.
All About Australia Day · NAIDOC Week · Reconciliation WeekWhose Country Are We On?
Children find the Traditional Owners of the land your service is on, learn their name for Country and help write the service's own Acknowledgement of Country.
Reconciliation Week · NAIDOC Week · Rainbow DayYellow Dress-Up Learning Day
Children wear yellow for the day and take part in short, age-appropriate learning about First Nations history, with an optional gold coin donation to a First Nations-led organisation.