As the Gulal powder settled across Green Leaves’ centres, the children and Educators experienced a heart-warming day of cultural learning and festivities for ‘Holi’, a Hindu celebration of love, colour and spring. In the northern hemisphere, the festival is traditionally celebrated in March to herald the arrival of spring. While it is the beginning of autumn in Australia, it is still the perfect opportunity to celebrate and provide the children with an enriching experience and extend their learning about other cultures.
Holi is an ancient religious festival also known as the “Festival of Love”, “Festival of Spring” and “Festival of Colours” and celebrates the triumph of good over evil. The celebration originated from India and Nepal, but has been embraced by other societies around the world. These days, there are a number of Holi-inspired events such as The Colour Fun Run which takes places at many schools across Australia, as well as music festivals in other parts of the world where guests are showered with coloured powder during intervals.
At Green Leaves, our Educators prepared Gulal powder of many colours, they plan activities and organise traditional music to celebrate the day’s festivities. The children especially enjoy listening to stories about the origins of Holi and learning about Indian culture through play.
The children enjoyed the opportunity to race around the outdoor area, spreading vibrant colours all over their playscapes, friends and Educators. By the end of the day, the children went home full of exciting stories to share, as well as some colourful clothes to take home to their families.
We love celebrating cultural festivals with the children. It allows us to share stories on the importance of culture, acceptance and mindfulness, and at the same time, nurture our relationships with families in our community.