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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Dragon Colouring Pages
Create colourful Chinese dragon art to celebrate the Lunar New Year in the classroom with a pack of printable dragon colouring pages.
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Chinese Dragon Puppet – Craft Activity
Bring the Chinese dragon to life with this dragon puppet craft activity.
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Celebrations Around the World - Worksheet Pack
An 18-page worksheet booklet to use when exploring the topic of celebrations.
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East Asian Dragon Art Activity
Print a creative Chinese dragon art activity for kids to celebrate Lunar New Year in the classroom.
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Celebrations Around the World - PowerPoint
A 28 slide editable PowerPoint Template to use when exploring the topic of celebrations.
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Celebrations Around The World Inquiry Task
A four page inquiry task, assessing students' knowledge of cultural celebrations from around the world.
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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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Year 4 Reading Comprehension - The Day of the Dead Reading Passage
Read and learn about the Mexican holiday, Dia De Los Muertos, with a reading passage and Year 4 reading prose comprehension test.
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Celebrations Word Find – Worksheet
A word find with vocabulary themed around celebrations and holidays.
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Celebrations Around The World - Fact Sheet Pack
A pack of 6 fact sheets detailing different celebrations around the world.
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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 Japan - Holidays Around the World Mini Book
Introduce your students to Japanese Christmas traditions and decorations with a printable Christmas in Japan Mini Book.
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Chinese New Year Fact Sheet
A fact sheet covering important facts and traditions of Chinese New Year.
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This or That? Christmas Edition
Take a Holiday Brain Break and play a game of This or That! Christmas Edition!
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Christmas in Egypt – Celebrations Around the World Mini Book
Introduce your students to Egyptian Christmas traditions with a printable Christmas in Egypt Mini Book.
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A Story of the Zodiac Animals and Activity Task Cards
Read and learn about the Chinese zodiac animals with a zodiac animal reading passage and a set of 12 matching activity task cards.
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Christmas in Italy - La Befana Christmas Craft
Introduce your students to the traditions and figures associated with Christmas in Italy by crafting a La Befana tree topper!
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Remembrance Day Poppy Writing Template
Reflect on Remembrance Day with this poppy template and reflective sentence starters.
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Celebrations Crossword Puzzle – Worksheet
A crossword puzzle about holidays and celebrations.
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Diwali Poster - Information
A poster with information about Diwali.
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Basant Kite Festival Fact Sheet
A fact sheet covering important facts and traditions of the Basant Kite Festival in Pakistan and India.
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Christmas in Egypt - Bauble Template
Use this beautiful template to design your own Christmas ornament inspired by Christmas in Egypt!
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Christmas Around the World For Kids Book - Christmas in Spain
Introduce your students to Christmas in Spain with a printable Christmas Around the World mini-book
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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 Mini Book
Introduce your students to Filipino Christmas celebrations and traditions with a printable Christmas in the Philippines book for kids.
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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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Christmas Traditions Around the World - Switzerland Mini Book
Introduce your students to Christmas in Switzerland with a printable Christmas Around the World book
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Christmas in France - Mini Book for Kids
Introduce your students to Christmas traditions in France with a printable Christmas Around the World Mini Book.
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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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The Day of the Dead Skeleton Craft Activity
Make a Dancing Calavera craft for Dia de Muertos using a printable skeleton craft template.
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Dia De Los Muertos Word Wall and Informative Writing Stimulus
Learn and use the language of Mexican tradition with a Dia de Los Muertos vocabulary word wall and informational writing prompt.
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The Day of the Dead Word Search
Introduce vocabulary surrounding the Mexican holiday known as “The Day of the Dead” with a printable word search.