We’re joining in on the NAIDOC Week celebrations! Held from 4-11 July 2021, NAIDOC Week celebrates the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The theme of this year is Heal Country! which calls for stronger measures to recognise, protect, and maintain all aspects of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and heritage.

To encourage all families with children of all abilities to join in with NAIDOC Week, our Play Specialist Lisa has brought you some fun activities that you can easily do at home during these school holidays.

Dot Painting

This can be done with fingers, toes, cotton buds, or bubble wrap. All you need to do is spread some paint across your chosen tool and then gently press it down on the canvas you’re painting on. This could be a colouring in sheet, or you could even make a snake or boomerang cut-out from a paper plate. If you get a chance between rain showers, why not find some gum leaves and dry them out ready for you to paint!

Music and Storytime

Throughout the week, the ABC Kids Listen app has special NAIDOC week programming for your family to enjoy. From traditional music, poetry and stories, this is a great way to engage with the week and learn more about Indigenous culture along the way.

Baking

Make some damper with your child for a multi-sensory experience! Take the time to explore each individual ingredient before they go into the bowl, ask your child what does it feel like or smell like? How does the dough feel when mixed together, and then when it’s baked and cooled down? What does it smell like when baking?

Here’s an easy recipe you can use to make it! Feel free to halve the measurements if you want to make a smaller batch.

Ingredients

• 450g (3 cups) self-raising flour
• A pinch of salt
• 80g butter – chilled and cubed
• 185ml (3/4 cup water)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees
2. In a bowl, mix the flour and salt together, using your fingertips to rub in the butter until it’s like fine breadcrumbs
3. Add water to the mixture and stir with a round-bladed knife in a cutting motion
4. Use your hands to bring the mixture together, add more water if it’s too dry
5. Knead the dough on a floured bench. Pat the mixture into a disc shape on a baking tray, mark it with a knife a few times and dust lightly with flour
6. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, then allow cooling for 5 minutes
7. Serve and enjoy together

Playdough

Playdough is always a favourite activity during the Hannah’s House Playtime Playgroups! Check out Lisa’s much-loved and trusted playdough recipe here. Make your playdough NAIDOC themed by using black, red and yellow food dye to represent the Aboriginal flag or blue, green, black and white to represent the Torres Strait Islander colours.

Will you be trying out Lisa’s NAIDOC play activities? We would love to see how you go, share the fun with us on our Facebook page or use #HannahsHousePerth.