π February Cultural Calendar for Early Childhood
February brings opportunities for children to engage in kindness, cultural understanding, environmental action, and creative expression. Here's how to bring meaning and joy to every day of this vibrant month.
π 1stβ28th February β Feel Good February
β¨ A month to celebrate positivity, gratitude, and small acts of kindness.
π Use this month to introduce daily βfeel goodβ ritualsβchildren can give compliments, draw thank you notes, or add to a classroom happiness wall. Support emotional literacy by encouraging children to reflect on what makes them feel good inside and how they can help others feel the same.
π§ EYLF Links:
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Outcome 1 β Children develop a strong sense of wellbeing
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Practice β Intentional teaching
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Principle β Secure, respectful, and reciprocal relationships
πΈ 2nd February β World Wetlands Day
β¨ Celebrate the incredible biodiversity of wetlands and the creatures that call them home.
π Explore local wetland animals like frogs, birds, and insects through sensory trays, water play, and story time. Use photos or videos to introduce what wetlands are and how they help our environment. If possible, take a walk to a nearby creek or waterway to deepen the learning.
π§ EYLF Links:
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Outcome 2 β Respect for the environment
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Practice β Learning environments
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Principle β Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives
π©° 2nd February β World Tutu Day
β¨ A celebration of dance, self-expression, and creativity.
π Invite children to dress up, dance, and explore movement. Play classical or cultural music, set up a stage, or read stories about dancers. Highlight that dance is a form of storytelling across many cultures.
π§ EYLF Links:
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Outcome 5 β Expressive arts
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Outcome 3 β Physical wellbeing
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Practice β Learning through play
π 4th February β World Cancer Day
β¨ A gentle opportunity to talk about empathy, community, and helping others.
π Focus on kindness and caring. Children can make βget well soonβ cards or create a care box for someone in the community. Itβs also a good moment to talk about being strong, brave, and kind.
π§ EYLF Links:
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Outcome 1 β Connectedness and empathy
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Practice β Holistic approaches
π 5th February β Read Aloud Day
β¨ Celebrate the magic of being read to by sharing books in every corner of your learning environment.
π Create cozy corners for storytime, rotate educators as guest readers, or involve families to read in home languages. This fosters a love of books and language while building bonds in your learning community.
π§ EYLF Links:
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Outcome 5 β Literacy and storytelling
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Practice β Partnerships with families
π« 5th February β World Nutella Day
β¨ A sweet and playful way to explore food, texture, and sensory fun.
π Explore sensory play with brown slime, βmudβ playdough, or cocoa-scented play experiences. If doing real food activities, be sure to check allergies and offer safe alternatives.
π§ EYLF Links:
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Outcome 4 β Sensory exploration
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Outcome 5 β Communication through play
π³πΏ 6th February β Waitangi Day (NZ)
β¨ Honour MΔori culture and reflect on New Zealandβs national identity.
π Introduce MΔori language through greetings and songs, explore stories like How Maui Slowed the Sun, or make MΔori-inspired artwork. Celebrate Aotearoaβs Indigenous heritage with kindness and cultural respect.
π§ EYLF Links:
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Outcome 2 β Responding to diversity
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Principle β Respect for diversity
π‘ 7th February β Safer Internet Day
β¨ Talk about kindness and safety when using technology and media.
π In an early childhood context, explore how we treat digital tools with care and how we use them for learning and play. For preschoolers, role play, social stories, or puppet shows can be used to explain βsafeβ and βunsafeβ choices online.
π§ EYLF Links:
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Outcome 4 β Confident technology users
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Practice β Intentional teaching
π 9th February β International Pizza Day
β¨ A delicious day for counting, creating, and collaborative play.
π Set up a pizza shop in dramatic play, make paper pizzas with different toppings for sorting or counting, or cook mini pizzas together! Children can share favourite ingredients and talk about meals at home.
π§ EYLF Links:
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Outcome 4 β Imaginative play
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Outcome 5 β Communication and expression
π₯ 9thβ15th February β Healthy Lunch Box Week
β¨ Promote healthy eating and involve families in the conversation.
π Talk about different food groups, use toy food for sorting, or invite children to draw their favourite healthy snacks. Display family-friendly recipes or photos of lunchboxes that celebrate cultural diversity.
π§ EYLF Links:
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Outcome 3 β Health and wellbeing
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Practice β Partnerships with families
π©π¬ 11th February β International Day of Women and Girls in Science
β¨ Highlight the amazing contributions of women in science and invite children to explore STEM.
π Set up hands-on science provocations: magnets, simple circuits, floating and sinking, or mixing colours. Share books and posters about women in STEM fields.
π§ EYLF Links:
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Outcome 4 β Learning through investigation
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Principle β Equity and inclusion
𧬠12th February β International Darwin Day
β¨ Discover natureβs wonders through observation and curiosity.
π Go on a nature walk, observe insects or plants, or look at how animals adapt to their environments. Use magnifying glasses and notebooks to foster scientific thinking.
π§ EYLF Links:
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Outcome 2 β Understanding the natural world
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Outcome 4 β Scientific inquiry
π€ 13th February β Apology Anniversary
β¨ A day for truth-telling, compassion, and acknowledging Australia's history.
π Share age-appropriate stories about fairness and justice, and talk about saying sorry and making things right. Invite children to reflect on what respect and kindness look like in their world.
π§ EYLF Links:
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Outcome 2 β Cultural competence
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Principle β Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives
π₯ 13th February β Pancake Day (Shrove Tuesday)
β¨ Celebrate with pancakes and explore counting, measuring, and tradition.
π Host a pretend pancake cafΓ© or cook real pancakes with the children. Talk about the idea of preparing for change (such as Lent) and how cultures around the world enjoy pancakes.
π§ EYLF Links:
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Outcome 4 β Numeracy and cooking
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Outcome 5 β Retelling and story sequencing
π» 13th February β World Radio Day
β¨ Explore communication through sound, storytelling, and voice.
π Invite children to create a βclass radio showββrecord interviews, songs, or stories using simple devices or pretend microphones. This supports listening and oral language development.
π§ EYLF Links:
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Outcome 5 β Communication
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Practice β Learning through play
π 14th February β Valentineβs Day
β¨ A day to celebrate friendship, kindness, and care for others.
π Encourage children to create cards, write or draw compliments, and talk about how we show we care. Itβs a great time to read books about love, friendship, and belonging.
π§ EYLF Links:
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Outcome 1 β Emotional wellbeing
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Practice β Intentional teaching
π 14th February β International Book Giving Day
β¨ Share the gift of reading by donating books or swapping stories.
π Organise a book swap, invite families to contribute gently used books, or set up a free book cart. Talk about why sharing books helps others learn and feel included.
π§ EYLF Links:
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Outcome 5 β Literacy
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Principle β Partnerships with families
π 14th February β Library Lovers' Day
β¨ Celebrate the joy of libraries and all the stories they hold.
π Visit a local library, invite a librarian in to talk to the group, or set up a themed library corner with cards, shelves, and storytime. Encourage children to explore a range of books.
π§ EYLF Links:
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Outcome 5 β Engagement with texts
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Practice β Learning environments
π 15th February β International Singles Awareness Day
β¨ Celebrate individuality and what makes each person unique.
π Explore βI am specialβ activities where children share their favourite colour, animal, or hobby. Itβs also a good moment to affirm that being alone can be fun and fulfilling too!
π§ EYLF Links:
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Outcome 1 β Identity
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Principle β Respect for diversity
πΌ 17th February β Random Acts of Kindness Day
β¨ Promote kindness by encouraging children to help, share, and include others.
π Create a kindness tree, role play gentle scenarios, or give children a βkindness missionβ for the day. Celebrate their caring actions at the end of the week.
π§ EYLF Links:
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Outcome 1 β Positive relationships
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Outcome 2 β Belonging and connection
π€ΌβοΈ 19th February β International Tug-of-War Day
β¨ Explore strength, teamwork, and fair play through physical games.
π Use soft ropes or fabric to set up a gentle tug-of-war experience. Talk about how we can cheer each other on and play fairly, win or lose.
π§ EYLF Links:
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Outcome 3 β Gross motor development
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Practice β Learning through physical play
πΎ 20th February β Love Your Pet Day
β¨ Celebrate furry (or feathery or scaly!) friends and how we care for them.
π Invite children to bring pet photos, draw their animals, or set up a dramatic play vet clinic. Explore books about pets and animal care.
π§ EYLF Links:
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Outcome 2 β Responsibility and empathy
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Outcome 5 β Symbolic representation
βοΈ 20th February β World Day of Social Justice
β¨ Introduce fairness and inclusion through stories and play.
π Read books about fairness, difference, and inclusion. Use role-play to model taking turns, solving conflicts, and helping others.
π§ EYLF Links:
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Outcome 1 β Social justice and respect
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Principle β Equity, inclusion, and high expectations
π£ 21st February β International Mother Language Day
β¨ Honour home languages and linguistic diversity in your classroom.
π Invite families to share greetings, songs, or picture books in their first language. Set up a language wall with words from different cultures.
π§ EYLF Links:
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Outcome 5 β Multilingual engagement
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Principle β Partnerships with families
π 22nd February β World Thinking Day
β¨ Think about others around the world and how weβre all connected.
π Explore a globe, share stories from other cultures, or write letters to pen pals or other classrooms. Reflect on how we care for others.
π§ EYLF Links:
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Outcome 2 β Belonging to the world
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Practice β Learning through connections
πΆ 22nd February β Walk Your Dog Day
β¨ Move your body and have fun with animal-themed play.
π Set up a pretend dog park with soft toys and leashes, or go on a group βdog walkβ around your outdoor space. This encourages dramatic play and movement.
π§ EYLF Links:
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Outcome 3 β Coordination and movement
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Outcome 4 β Play-based learning
β»οΈ 25th February β Business Clean Up Australia Day
β¨ Involve children in sustainability and community pride.
π Organise a mini clean-up of your yard or local park. Talk about the importance of keeping our spaces clean and caring for Country.
π§ EYLF Links:
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Outcome 2 β Environmental responsibility
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Practice β Sustainability
π§ 26th February β Tell a Fairy Tale Day
β¨ Spark magic with classic tales, puppets, and storytelling fun.
π Share well-loved stories or invite children to create their own fairy tales. Use dress-ups, small world scenes, or felt boards to bring them to life.
π§ EYLF Links:
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Outcome 5 β Storytelling and creativity
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Outcome 4 β Imaginative expression
βοΈ 28th February β Summerβs Day KidSafe
β¨ Wrap up summer with important reminders about safety and wellbeing.
π Use puppets or dramatic play to reinforce sun safety, water safety, and looking after ourselves during hot weather.
π§ EYLF Links:
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Outcome 3 β Health and safety
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Practice β Holistic approaches
π 28th February β Last Day of Summer
β¨ Reflect on the changing seasons and what summer has meant to the children.
π Invite children to draw or talk about their favourite summer memories. Begin to introduce seasonal transitions and what to expect in autumn.
π§ EYLF Links:
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Outcome 2 β Connection to natural cycles
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Outcome 4 β Observation and reflection
π 28th February β Schoolβs Clean Up Australia Day
β¨ Take action for the planet and encourage children to be Earthβs helpers.
π Join the national initiative by cleaning up the garden or local park, sorting recyclables, or creating posters to remind others to care for the environment.
π§ EYLF Links:
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Outcome 2 β Environmental stewardship
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Practice β Learning environments and sustainability
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