We are in the process of developing this resource page. If there are any resources you would like included on this page please let us know.

Culturally significant dates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people Every year Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people celebrate or recognise dates that have significant meaning. To support the celebration or recognition of these days, our team will develop a resource for each of these significant dates, which contain information about the significance of the date along with Munch & Move activities that embed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives. 26 January – Australia Day, Invasion Day and/or Sorry Day 12 February – The Freedom Ride 13 February – Anniversary of National Apology Day 16 March – Close the Gap Day 20-26 March - Harmony Week 26 May – National Sorry Day 27 May to 3 June – National Reconciliation Week 2-9 July – NAIDOC Week 4 August – National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day 9 August – International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples 7 September – Indigenous Literacy Day 13 September – Anniversary of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Day
Using Aboriginal perspectives to embed healthy eating and physical activity ideas into ECEC curriculum This handout was developed to compliment the email Good for Kids sent to Early Childhood Education and Care services in 2021 in relation to Indigenous Literacy Day, providing examples of how healthy eating and physical activity messages can be incorporated into literacy and numeracy activities.
Fruit and Cars Fruit and Cars is a story book developed by Cheree Dean, a Kamilaroi woman, and her son Harry. The story book accompanies the handout above titled: Using Aboriginal perspectives to embed healthy eating and physical activity ideas into ECEC curriculum.

Using Aboriginal Perspectives in Music and Movement Activities

Music can be a fun avenue to bring cultural perspectives into ECEC curriculum, as well as promote physical activity.

Here are a few examples of songs that you can use and/or modify in your service.

It is best to work with local Aboriginal staff, organisations and/or community members to ensure local perspectives are respectfully included in these activities.

• Use local language in songs that expect kids to move, like Heads, Knees and Toes
• Sing every day pre-school songs in local language and incorporate physical actions. The following is sung in Gamilaraay language Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star and physical movement can be easily incorporated
• Use songs made in language and add physical acidities. For example, the following song in Gamilaraay language, Burrulaa Balabalaa (Many Butterflies), can easily engage children in physical activities by getting them to act like the animals in the song

Please note the Heads, Knees and Toes song is from Indigenous ABC, and the language is not local to communities in Hunter New England. Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star and Burrulaa Balabalaa are from Speak Gamilaraay.