A religious holiday celebrating the death and resurrection of a spiritual carpenter? A story of the ultimate sacrifice and redemption? The chance to go wild decorating eggs with paint and glitter? And how does the Easter Bunny fit in?
Easter is celebrated by billions of people around the world, and is an important cultural event in many people’s lives. At the same time, Easter isnot celebrated by billions of others.
Which celebrations are important in the community within your centre? How do the specific children, families and educators in your setting relate to Easter? The depth of your relationships with children, families and educators will determine the nuance of your answers to these questions.
If, in collaboration with children and families, you decide to mark Easter in your setting, consider how this fits into your broader curriculum and philosophy.
Perhaps some children are interested in maps. This could be an opportunity to nurture children’s interest in symbol systems, help grow their spatial awareness, and create treasure hunts in the indoor or outdoor environment.
Perhaps this is a chance to consider the sustainability of your art resources.
Perhaps children want to know where chocolate comes from, and how it is made.
Perhaps some children know the story of Easter, and are keen to think about questions of life and death in a supportive environment.
The principles, practices and learning outcomes of the EYLF, alongside the anti-bias approaches that underpin the EYLF, will guide you in your decision-making.
“There is so much pressure on educators and children to frantically finish off last minute perfectly presented gifts, or to produce famous quotes on cards for the family to treasure forever. You have to ask yourself – Who is this all for?”
Sharon Mathers, Anti-Bias 4th ed, p.118
Reflective questions
- How can anti-bias approaches help me to identify who is included and who is excluded by Easter?
- By focusing on Easter, are we overlooking other festivals and celebrations that may be more important to children and families in our setting? Are we overlooking children’s everyday celebrations in their play and learning?
- Alongside children, how can we critically reflect on the commercialism of this cultural event in Australia?
Book Dr Red Ruby Scarlet for consulting, research, or workshops.
RESOURCES YOU MAY LIKE …
