CELEBRATE: National NAIDOC Week: NAIDOC-Inspired Play and Craft Ideas

A child playing with a finished serpent-themed nature artwork for NAIDOC Week

Celebrating NAIDOC Week Through Play and Creativity

We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of this sacred Country, Australia, whose land we come together on to learn, share and grow. We acknowledge the First Nations Peoples of this Country maintain and share knowledge through traditions of art and oral storytelling, which have been practised for thousands of years. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples today.

We thank Julie, a loyal customer and mum, who generously shared her ideas, words and inspiration to make this blog post possible. Julie is a proud Wiradjuri woman; who grew up on the traditional lands of the Kulin Nation. A qualified teacher who has worked in Education for over 20 years, including as a Project Officer in the Koorie Unit at the Department of Education in Victoria.

National NAIDOC(National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee) Week celebrations are held across Australia in the first week of July, to celebrate and recognise the histories, cultures and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. NAIDOC Week is an opportunity for all Australians to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures; the oldest continuous civilisation on Earth, with ancestries dating back to more than50,000 years.

Hands-on activities

NAIDOC Week presents a profound opportunity for children and adults alike to explore and celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, histories, and achievements through meaningful hands-on learning. Meaningful learning unfolds when children engage with their hands, hearts, and imaginations - and what better way to honor the word's oldest continuous cultures than through play, art, and creative expression.

The activities and craft ideas we're sharing can be easily adapted to suit any classroom setting, age group, or learning environment. Whether you're working with early learners discovering colours and textures, or older students ready to dive deeper into storytelling and cultural connections, these play-based experiences offer pathways to understanding that are both respectful and engaging.

Through art, craft and imaginative play, children naturally develop empathy, curiosity, and appreciation for the rich diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. These activities aren't just about creating something beautiful - they're about opening conversations, sharing stories, and building bridges of understanding that will last well beyond NAIDOC week itself.

Create a First Nations Nature-Inspired Artwork

First Nations Australians have used nature as a medium for art for thousands of years. The first evidence of rock art dates back more than 20,000 years. Hand stencils are the earliest and most personal symbols that can be seen in First Nations Australians rock art sites.

They are a way of marking territory and letting others know that they have been there. Their techniques have evolved over the years; with paintings now created on canvas and paper, however, natural resources remain a popular medium for artists.

Be creative, use what you have at home, or find in nature, and we've put together a list of some of our OWA favourites…

Step-by-Step Guide

Create a Rainbow Serpent

The Rainbow Serpent has many different names and appearances across the many First Nations language groups of Australia. In all those groups, the Rainbow Serpent is part of the Dreaming and Creation stories, representing one of the great and powerful forces of nature and spirit. Connected to water, the Rainbow Serpent is the great life giver, and protector of water, as well as the cycle of the seasons.

Rainbows are the serpent snaking from one waterhole to another, replenishing waterholes around the Country. So next time you see a rainbow in the
sky, you'll know it's the Rainbow Serpent passing by.

Start the Serpent

Beyond NAIDOC Week

True reconciliation and cultural appreciation happen through consistent, respectful actions woven into daily life. Here are practical ways to extend that engagement throughout the year:

Add Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artefacts and resources to your home and play space.
Allow culture to be play-based - resources should be used in play, not just displayed.
Include cultural resources such as dolls, wooden peg dolls, cushions, floor mats, posters, books, games, puzzles, musical instruments, and artefacts like coolamons - all wonderful for open-ended play.
Balance traditional and contemporary perspectives, as well as urban and regional voices.
Connect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives to a child's own interests for more meaningful learning.

We hope these ideas spark conversation and lasting cultural engagement in your home, school, or playgroup. If your creations inspire others, share them on Facebook or Instagram — tag @oskarswoodenark and use #oskarswoodenark.