We have been really busy on the run up t St Patricks Day here in the Centre. The children have been making decorations, cards, flags etc to display around our Centre and we finished up by having a ‘green day’ whereby the children and staff came in wearing green.
Celebrating cultural festivals gives children the opportunity to develop feelings of identity and belonging, one of the key themes within Aistear the curriculum framework. Children begin to learn how they fit into their community. Most children will have attended a parade or gathering over the St Patrick’s weekend, and for those that did not – we had our own parade here.
Our Grasshopper children (3–5-year-olds) came to ask if they could have a parade. They had been practicing playing their musical instruments and I had been listening from the office. A delegation came with their Educator to ask if they could parade up to the civic offices and back. The room Educators are very sneaky – they know I find it hard to refuse the children!
A plan was made, and the children prepared a banner. Other rooms also came to ask if they could join in and pretty soon the parade was ready.
We are very lucky to be placed in a quiet area located behind Tipperary’s Council offices. The children marched up the pathway, banging and blowing their instruments, much to the delight of the council administration people, who came out to wave them on. The parade finished at the top of the pathway and culminated in a rousing version of ‘Irelands Call’.
The children returned to the Centre and were just so happy and excited, it really was a joy to behold. I feel a plan for bigger and better next year!
To complete the celebrations, we heard a marching band from America was coming to Nenagh so we organized for some of the older children to walk to the castle to see and hear the music. It is a good stretch of the legs from here to Nenagh Castle but our children are well used to walking as we often go out into the community as part of the children’s activities.
The children were so excited, there were majorettes and a full band including sousaphones – an instrument that curls around the body of the player. When they got back to the centre, they were full of stories of Princesses and castles. The next day they made streamers on sticks and entertained us with singing and dancing.
I feel in no doubt that the children here feel part of the community and culture they live in. They love going out of the centre and meeting people. The opportunity to hear live music is a wonderful experience and one we would like to further develop for all the children if we can.
If you play and instrument or are part of a group – we’d love you to come and play for us!
