STAR's multicultural toy library stocks a selection of festival boxes. Each festival box is designed to give an
introduction to that festival, containing items associated with the festival. Each box also includes information
and activities to help further the understanding of the festival, the religion and beliefs behind the festival,
and the culture of those who celebrate the festival. The 5 festival boxes that STAR currently loans out are:
These festival boxes can aid the meeting of Early Learning Goals in the following ways:
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
All activities and resources in this Festival Box will help meet the foundation curriculum ELG Knowledge and
Understanding of the World:
"begin to know about their own cultures and beliefs and those of other people."
This is a key goal with respect to race awareness education.
Try to use the resources and activities to encourage young children to talk and learn about the
multiracial/multi-faith world, in which they live, and use them as stepping stones towards this goal.
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
The festival boxes also provide opportunities for working towards the Personal, social and emotional
development ELG for sense of community:
"Understand that people have different needs, views, cultures and beliefs, that need to be treated with
respect."
"Understand that they can expect others to treat their needs, views, cultures and beliefs with respect."
Try to encourage children to talk with each other about similarities and differences in their experiences and
the reasons for those similarities and differences.
Communication, Language and Literacy
Use the stories and books to work towards the ELG for language and communication:
"Listen with enjoyment and respond to stories…"
Mathematical Development
Use the making patterns activity and discuss the shapes involved to work towards the ELG for shape, space and
measures:
"Talk about, recognise and recreate simple patterns."
"Use language such as ‘circle’ or ‘bigger’ to
describe the shape and size of solids and flat shapes."
Creative Development
The variety of craft activities and the use of shapes such as the Christmas star and the emphasis on the colours
red, green and gold can be used to meet the ELG for exploring media and materials:
"Explore colour, texture, shape, form and space in two or three dimensions."
