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‘Listening and Talking’ key theme for
Children’s Day
February 2009
More than three hundred events have been organised across New Zealand to
celebrate the ninth National Children’s Day on Sunday, 1 March 2009.
The theme in 2009 is listening and talking says Chair of the National
Children’s Day Steering Group Mark Woodard.
“Listening and talking are
important for raising happy, healthy, and vibrant children,” says Mr
Woodard. “This is because listening and talking to children underpins their
social, emotional, and cognitive development – it really helps,” he says.
Children’s Day event organisers have been encouraged to promote positive
communication this year. Ideas to support the listening and talking theme
are highlighted in the activity materials that are available at many events
and on the Children’s Day website.
“The purpose of Children's Day is to see children celebrated, nurtured,
and treasured by all. “We are encouraging adults to spend time with their
kids on Children’s Day, to talk to them about what’s going on in their
lives, and to really listen to what they have to say.
“You may want to attend a Children’s Day event in your local community or
try something fun with your family, whanau, or loved ones. Either way, make
time to do something special together.
In 2009, events range from the annual Toddlers Day Out and Parenting Fair
at Waitakere in Auckland that attracts 11,000 people to a variety of small
family, school and early childhood centre celebrations.
Children's Day Experiences
February 2009
Children's Day in Mongolia
Like many former communist
countries, 1 June is Children’s Day in Mongolia and is a national public
holiday. In 1954 the United Nations called for all countries to
institute a Children's Day to observe fraternity and understanding
between children, and to highlight the rights of the child. Since then
many countries have created new and exciting days to honour and
celebrate children.
This year in Mongolia it was a little
different. Due to the outbreak of hand, foot and mouth disease, public
gatherings of children were forbidden in an aim to stem the transfer of
infection. Instead of the large celebrations of previous years, Lotus, a
non-profit charitable agency in Mongolia held a concert in the school
and invited members of the Lotus family to attend. Traditionally in
Mongolia Children's Day is a family day and kids receive gifts. Coca
Cola Mongolia (MCS Group) and Khan Bank provided gift baskets to Lotus
children, with employees of Khan Bank contributing a play equipment set
for the small kindergarten class. Star Estates brought books, and for
the next several days all that you could see at Lotus were kids reading.
(Story thanks to Sheryn Elborn, Office of the Children's Commissioner)
Children's Day in China
In China, children's day is also
celebrated on June 1. The whole country celebrates with cards, presents,
special foods, parades, and other activities. Although schools remain
open, children do not attend class and are free of homework. Students
participate in a wide variety of activities to strengthen allegiances to
their country, have fun, and take part in, and join youth organizations
such as the Communist Youth League. (thanks again to Sheryn Elborn).
Children’s Day in Vietnam
Last year I went to Vietnam. My
trip fortuitously coincided with the annual Vietnamese Children’s ‘Moon’
Festival when I was in Hanoi. This is a day during the full moon in
September and involves late street fairs where you can see parents and
children visiting the stalls with bright coloured gifts of masks and
toys. I also noticed that this festival seemed to be a time when adults
dressed up as ghouls or had funny wigs. They wore clothes in bright
colours and acted childlike. I also noticed lots of adults playing
special games with children and encouraging craft work together. It was
great to experience a Children’s Day in another country and feel a part
of an international United Nations movement to appreciate and celebrate
our children worldwide. (Story thanks to Sue Lytollis, National Manager
Children's Day, Child, Youth and Family).
Childrens Day 2009 Update
November 2008
‘Listening and Talking’ represents the key theme for Children’s Day
2009. Plans are underway for the first Sunday in March celebrations for
children with a revamped website and for 2009 a focus on Ben. In March
this year new Children’s Day characters were introduced – Ben (11), Kate
(8), Jess and Rua (4) and Patch the dog.
Each year a character will be highlighted and some further
information about their culture, family and hobbies will be
explored. Ben has a Samoan dad and Chinese mum. He reflects many
children in our changing society as statistics in 2006 show that one
in five children born in New Zealand has more than one ethnicity.
Ben loves the water and wants to be a life-guard when he grows up so
some of the activity booklet themes for 2009 will feature water
games with an emphasis on water safety. You will notice that Ben’s
granddad is shown interacting with the children and it is hoped that
many communities will think of events with our elders/kuia/kaumatua
and grandparents for the day. One preschool is already organising a
day when grandparents are invited to their school for special
activities.
Now is a good time to start thinking about what
you or your organisation or community will be doing on or around
Children’s Day. This year the children’s day website
www.childrensday.org.nz has a page describing some of the events
held on Children’s Day 2008 and a tips page for prospective
organisers. Check it out and see what you and your family can do to
listen to and talk to children in 2009. If you are able to place a
pdf ad in your local newsletter or distribute it to your e-networks
you can also get a copy of this from the website events planning
page.
To all Children’s Day event organisers
April 2008
This note is to update you on the information we are gathering from
Children’s Day 2008 and to hope that you enjoy the certificate provided
which is a warm gesture of appreciation from the National Children’s Day
Steering Group and our Patron Her Excellency Susan Satyanand.
We know how much effort you put in to ensure that families and
children really had a great day of ‘new experiences’ last March. Great
things happened on Children’s Day 2008 and below are some of the results
from the Survey forms and other measures of the success of the day, we
thank you for your role in this.
- More than 500 events held throughout the country – from small
events of several hundred to huge events catering to over 10,000
visitors! Our Survey shows that nearly two thirds of reported events
were held in provincial towns and cities.
- The Children’s Day website
www.childrensday.org.nz
has shown an increase in visits this year. The highest access was on
March 1st with 6164 pages accessed that day.
- The survey results show that the poster and A5 handout are
welcomed; you found our website and freephone helpful; you strongly
suggested we think of a resource that will appeal to the under 5’s
(but you liked the activity booklet and our new characters);
although you could manage without these resources and would still
organise an event, you acknowledge how important the resources are
to create a national feeling of identity for the day each year;
importantly, your events were highly successful and comments
focussed on how great it was that parents and children interacted
together to enjoy the day; and many of you acknowledged the help of
our National Manager Esther Wallace.
- Sadly Esther has decided to move on to fresh fields, but her
legacy of great organisation and attention to detail will be
continued by the Public Education Team of Child, Youth and Family.
Sue Lytollis, Team Leader, will take on some of the management of
the day so please direct any enquiries to
sue.lytollis002@cyf.govt.nz and we are also keeping the
givingtime@childrensday.org.nz .
- The theme for Children’s Day 2009 will be ‘Listening and
Talking’. I am sure you will all think of fabulous ways of
encouraging listening and talking between children and adults in
your event planning for 2009.
- The Winner of the Evaluation Survey was an organiser of an event
in Helensville, thank you to all of you who took the time to fill in
our survey, we do appreciate and use the information you provide.
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