Celebrating International Children's Day

Each year on Halloween, our school has celebrated International Children’s Day. Children come dressed up representing various cultures from around the world and spend the day celebrating customs, foods, and games from many countries.

Each classroom represents a different country and the students “travel” from one country to the next throughout the morning. In fact, each student receives a passport that is stamped as he or she enters a new “country” as a keepsake to remember the day.

Preparation usually starts early in the school year, with each classroom deciding which country to represent. Teachers, parents, and students (especially Upper Elementary students!) brainstorm and research which activities would be best suitable for their respective rooms. The plan typically consists of a few differentiated activities, since Primary through Elementary aged children will participate. Games, crafts, and food (always a hit!) are included. The classrooms are also decorated according to key cultural components of the chosen country. Preparing the art work and decorations is completed bit by by for a few weeks prior to the celebration. Decorating the classroom is usually the main activity for the day before ICD, in which the whole class participates in one way or another.

Some favorite activities from the past include tasting tea and biscuits, peeling potatoes, and carding wool in the United Kingdom classroom, as well as exploring China through drawing a zodiac, discovering which animal represents the year of your birth, and eating steamed rice with chopsticks.

All in all, International Children’s day is a fun day had by all and is a wonderful community-building event.