Cultural Celebrations Teaching Resources
Explore cultural celebrations and holidays around the world and promote cultural awareness in your primary classroom with printable worksheets, fun crafts and more teacher-created teaching resources!
The Teach Starter team of expert teachers has curated a curriculum-aligned collection of activities and interactive ideas to teach young students about the ways people in different cultures come together to celebrate. Save time on your lesson plans with resources carefully curated by expert teachers just for you!
Is this your first year teaching this section of the HASS curriculum, or are you just looking for some fresh ideas? Read on for some tips from our teacher team on expanding your students' appreciation of different cultures and exploring their celebratory traditions!
Holidays Around the World Activities for the Classroom
Exploring how people around the world celebrate isn't just an important part of meeting standards. Learning about these major holidays celebrated outside of Australia is also a way to help students build a greater appreciation for other people and other cultures!
So how do you do that? Here are some fun holiday around the world ideas from our teacher team on bringing these cultural celebrations into your lesson plans.
Create a Gallery Walk
Assign each student a specific holiday from another country such as Holi or Diwali from India or Japan's Hinamatsuri festival. Or provide a list, and allow them to pick their favourite!
Have students research the holiday and create posters that detail where and when the holiday is celebrated, as well as specific information about its history and specific traditions. Display the posters on the hallway wall, and allow your class to go on a gallery walk to take in the information about each holiday!
Hold a Holiday Lunch in the Classroom
Ask students to bring in a dish from a cultural holiday their family celebrates that can be shared with the class. Each student can present the dish to the class and tell their peers a little bit about the holiday.
Have Students Plan a Holiday-Based Trip for a Teacher
Break your class into small groups, and let them choose a cultural celebration from another country. Each group then has to plan a trip for you (or another teacher) to that country to celebrate that holiday. Include maths skills practise by having students create a trip budget, and encourage them to interview the teacher about their likes and dislikes to figure into their planning!
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Christmas Around the World – Brazil Mini Book
Introduce your students to Brazil’s Christmas traditions and decorations with a printable Christmas Around the World Mini Book.
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Christmas Around the World Mini Book - Sweden
Introduce your students to Christmas in Sweden with a printable mini book and graphic organiser.
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Christmas Around the World Mini Book - Mexico
Introduce your students to Mexico's Christmas traditions and decorations with a printable Christmas Around the World Mini Book.
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Christmas Gnome Craft Template – Sweden
Introduce your students to one of Sweden’s most popular Christmas figures with a printable 'tomte' or gnome craft template.
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Religious Celebrations and Observances – Posters
A set of posters explaining the significance and traditions of various religious observances.
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Celebrations Crossword Puzzle – Worksheet
A crossword puzzle about holidays and celebrations.
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Matariki – Mindful Colouring Sheet
A mindful colouring-in worksheet to celebrate Matariki, the Māori New Year celebration in Aotearoa, New Zealand.
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Celebrations Word Find – Worksheet
A word find with vocabulary themed around celebrations and holidays.
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Celebrations and Holidays – Middle Primary Workbook
A 15 page end of year holiday and celebrations activity booklet.
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Diwali Poster - Information
A poster with information about Diwali.
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Matariki Poster
A poster to display in your classroom during Matariki (Māori New Year).
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Matariki Word Wall Vocabulary
A set of 18 Matariki related vocabulary cards for a word wall.
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Design a Harmony Day Shirt
Guide students in designing their own Harmony Day shirt to celebrate diversity and inclusion.
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Bookmark Printable - Chinese Year of the Snake
Celebrate the Lunar New Year with a bookmark printable that highlights the Chinese Snake Zodiac sign, featuring lucky numbers, colours and corresponding zodiac years.
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Chinese Lantern Craft - Year of the Snake
Celebrate the Year of the Snake with a printable Chinese lantern craft.
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Free Easter Word Wall Vocabulary Display
Create a fun Easter-themed write-the-room activity and boost vocabulary skills surrounding the Easter holiday with a printable Easter word wall.
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Chinese New Year Informational Poster
Teach about Chinese New Year with this informational poster.
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Year of the Dragon – Paper Lantern Craft
Celebrate the Year of the Dragon with this Chinese New Year paper lantern craft activity.
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Christmas in France - Yule Log Craft Activity
Introduce your students to the Yule Log Craft, a common tradition for Christmas in France.
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Christmas in Japan - Kindness Christmas Light Template
Use a Christmas light template to create a Kindness Christmas bulb craft while learning about Christmas in Japan.
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Christmas in Spain - 3D Printable Shoe Template
Assemble this Christmas shoe template to introduce your students to a fun Christmas tradition from Spain.
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Christmas in the Philippines - Parol Christmas Craft Template
Learn traditions related to Christmas in the Philippines with a Filipino Parol Christmas craft printable.
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Diwali Word Wall Vocabulary
Use these twenty-seven Diwali-related vocabulary cards for a word wall display when learning about the Festival of Lights.
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Remembrance Activity - Brochure Template
Make a brochure about the history of Remembrance Day with printable remembrance activities from Teach Starter!
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3D Poppy Craft and Writing Activity
Create a unique Remembrance Day craft with a poppy template and write about the event with reflective writing prompts.
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How to Draw a Soldier Directed Drawing
Draw and write to reflect on Remembrance Day with a How to Draw a Soldier directed drawing activity.
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My Little Remembrance Day Colouring Book
Engage your little learners and build vocabulary skills with a printable Remembrance Day Colouring Book.
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Day of the Dead Decor - Papel Picado Template
Create your Day of the Dead decorations with a printable Papel Picado template.
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Easter Vocabulary Cards and Writing Station
Get writing with this Easter-themed writing pack for the early years.
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St Patrick's Day Word Wall Vocabulary
Grow your students' vocabularies this St. Patrick's Day with a printable St. Paddy's vocabulary word wall.
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St. Patrick's Day Bingo
Discover the lingo of St. Patrick’s Day with this BINGO game set.
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St. Patrick's Day Word Search - Differentiated
A St. Patrick’s Day-themed word search.