Remembrance Day Activity Ideas for Early Years

It can be a bit tricky to learn about Remembrance Day with very young children as they struggle to understand the concept and it can be an emotive subject. We have put together a few activity ideas so that younger children can enjoy and feel involved in the traditions and events that are happening during this time.

We also have a printable version of this Remembrance Day Early Years Ideas Planning Sheet available in colour or black and white.

Language and Communication

Introduce some new words using Remembrance Day vocabulary cards.
Talk about the word 'peace'. Ask the children if they know what the word means and use the word to spark a discussion.

Personal, Social and Emotional

Talk about why people have medals and why they wear them. Does anyone in their family have any medals (either military or otherwise)? What have the children do that they are proud of? Design their own medals.

Physical

Help children to develop their pencil control with some beautiful colouring in pages.
Practise using scissors by cutting out poppies and sticking them to wreaths.
Support the development of fine motor skills with a poppy playdough mat.

Literacy

Encourage mark making with some lovely poppy writing paper.
Help children to think of the beginning sounds of words and write a poppy acrostic poem.

Maths

Practise counting and number recognition with a poppy dot to dot.
Look at a calendar and talk about the days and the months. Draw poppies on remembrance days. You could use this opportunity to add in any other special days and use vocabulary such as before and after.

Understanding the World

Ask a visitor to come in to talk about Remembrance Day, poppies or medals. Alternatively, you could watch a short, age-appropriate video.

Expressive Arts

Use thumbs to do some painting and create a field of poppies picture.
Use real poppies (if available) or paper poppies to set up a still life for children to draw and paint.

Printable Planning Sheet

We have a printable version of this planning sheet available in black and white.

More Related Activities

Day of the Dead Early Years Ideas