It may have happened over 100 years ago, but ANZAC Day will always be an important date in history to commemorate with our children. Remembering the sacrifice so many of our Australian and NZ soldiers made on the banks of Gallipoli during World War I, and all of those who have served for our country since, demonstrates not only acknowledgment but also respect for what they go through. Although they can learn about ANZAC Day and what it stands for in school and books, getting our children involved in the day will help them feel more connected to its meaning. Below are 11 ways that you can get your Brisbane Kids involved with ANZAC Day.
1. Attend an ANZAC Day Service
One of the best ways to get your child involved in ANZAC Day is to take them to one of the many services and marches that occur in and around Brisbane on the day. For most people, waking in the early hours of the morning and attending one of the many dawn services is one of the most impactful ways to respectfully celebrate the day. Although it may be hard to encourage the kids to be up before the sun, seeing it rise as the trumpet plays into the deafening silence is an experience that stays with those who attend long after they have left.
You can find a list of ANZAC Services and Marches in Brisbane here.
2. Take part in an ANZAC Day Service
Taking it one step further, many children are given the opportunity to take part in an actual service through their school. Usually held a little later than the dawn services, children can march alongside their classmates, sing ANZAC songs in their school choir, lay wreaths at the school memorials statues, and even march proudly with their ancestors medals pinned to their chest. For many children, walking alongside a family member who has served brings them no greater pride. Looking into what services your local school might provide and allowing them to be a part of it is a wonderful way for them to be involved.
3. Create some ANZAC Day craft together
A great way to get kids involved in ANZAC Day is to get them creatively busy with some related craft activities. Making their own handmade wreath out of plants found in their own backyard to hang on their door or lay at a shrine is one, as is making their own paper poppies. You can talk about the significance of the poppies as you make them, and they can then be worn proudly or planted in their garden on the day.
Learn how to make your own paper ANZAC Day poppies here.
4. Read an ANZAC Day story together
There are so many wonderful children’s books and stories that are written about ANZAC Day and our reason for commemorating it. From basic picture books to moving novels, these stories have been written with children in mind and help to relay the stories of war and bravery in a way that is age-appropriate. Teaching kids about the significance of ANZAC day and sharing the stories together is one of the best ways to get young children involved in this very important day.
You can find a list of some of the best ANZAC Day books for kids here.
5. Bake some ANZAC cookies together
Not only are they absolutely delicious, but making up a batch of ANZAC biscuits with your kids is a great way to talk about the stories behind why they carry the name that they do. It is said that during the war, wives sent batches of these biscuits to the soldiers as they did not spoil easily and the biscuits kept well during naval transportation. The texture and hardness of the biscuits also enabled soldiers to write messages on them and send them long distances to family, friends, and loved ones.
You can find a delicious recipe for the traditional ANZAC biscuit here.
6. Visit a local ANZAC memorial
If you don’t have time to attend an actual service, visiting one of the local memorial statues found in and around Brisbane will gift you a chance to show your respects with your children after the crowds have thinned. One of the most well known is The Shrine and Eternal Flame of Remembrance at ANZAC Square, but there are many others Memorial Parks and walks in Brisbane that are worth visiting with your kids.
7. Buy an ANZAC badge or memorial pin
In the week’s leading up to ANZAC Day, most schools and shopping centres sell a variety of badges and pins that your child can buy to celebrate the day. A worthy cause, these pins offer children a way to get involved as they proudly show their support and respect when they wear them.
8. Talk with veterans and family members who have served
Most families have a member, either distant or current, or family friend who has served in a war for our country. There is nothing more personal for a child than to hear stories first hand about what it is like to be a soldier, the pride that is felt and the sacrifices that are made by those serving their country. Sitting down and having a conversation about why showing your respect on ANZAC Day is so important to them, and what it means for them, is one way to help your child feel their own connection to why the day holds such importance to our nation.
9. Plant a rosemary bush
Another significant symbol of ANZAC Day is the rosemary plant. Grown wild on the Gallipoli Peninsula where our original ANZACs fought and died, it is now a symbol of remembrance on both ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day in Australia. Traditionally, many people pin a sprig of rosemary to their clothes to signify this. You can get your child involved in ANZAC Day by planting your own rosemary bush together. You can buy these at most nurseries in Brisbane, use if for cooking throughout the year, and wear a sprig from your own garden in remembrance too.
10. Visit the ANZAC Square Memorial Galleries
Picture Credit: Anzac Square Memorial Galleries
Did you know that hidden beneath the Shrine and Eternal Flame of Remembrance in ANZAC Square Brisbane are three dedicated war memorial galleries? Managed and curated by the State Library of Qld, the galleries were built to commemorate and showcase Queensland stories from World War I, World War II, and post-1945. Wandering through the area with your kids will not only educate them on our history, but also give them a immersive understanding of what it was like during these times.
11. Do an ANZAC Day Tour with Brisbane Greeters
Another way to help involve your child in ANZAC Day is to take them for a historical look at Brisbane’s own links to the ANZAC spirit. Each year, on ANZAC Day, Brisbane Greeters offer a walking tour at 12:30pm and 2pm. The one and a half-hour long walking tour will guide participants through various Anzac treasures such as Anzac Square, the Battle of Brisbane site, the Museum of Brisbane, the statue of General Glasgow and Macarthur Chambers and Museum.
Bookings required, via Brisbane Greeters.
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