Celebrations play a powerful role in early years settings. They help children feel seen, valued and part of a wider community. For many families, cultural and religious festivals are an essential part of home life, shaping identity, belonging and connection. When early years settings actively acknowledge and celebrate these traditions, they send a clear message: your family’s culture is welcome here.
For practitioners and leaders, the challenge is to do this in a way that feels authentic, inclusive and meaningful. This goes far beyond putting up a display for a single day or completing a token craft activity. Instead, it requires thoughtful planning, collaboration with families and a commitment to diversity throughout the year.
This article explores how settings can create a celebration-friendly environment that reflects the rich cultural backgrounds of children and families, while ensuring that all practices align with the EYFS and support high-quality learning.
Why Inclusion Matters: Moving Beyond Tokenism
In many settings, celebrations tend to revolve around a familiar handful of festivals—often Christmas, Easter and Diwali—while many other celebrations receive little or no attention. Even when lesser-known celebrations are included, the approach is sometimes superficial. A quick colouring sheet, a lantern craft or a themed book is placed out for a day, and then removed.
This is not a genuinely inclusive practice.
Tokenism occurs when something is included solely for appearance’s sake. In the context of celebrations, this means:
- Activities that are visually appealing but lack cultural accuracy
- Displays that present stereotypes rather than real representation
- Celebrations chosen by staff convenience rather than community relevance
- Lack of consultation with families
- Activities taught without understanding the cultural significance
- Only highlighting “exotic” or “colourful” festivals while ignoring others
Children quickly pick up on what is valued and what is performed only for show. A more thoughtful approach not only respects families but deepens children’s understanding of the diverse world around them.
Authentic inclusion means weaving cultural diversity into everyday practice, not reserving it for a special event.0
Foundations of an Inclusive Celebration Policy
An inclusive celebration policy provides clarity for staff and reassurance for families. It supports settings in making thoughtful decisions about how they approach cultural activities, rather than doing them by habit or expectation.
The Key principles include:
1. Respect
Every celebration should be approached with cultural sensitivity, avoiding stereotypes and ensuring accuracy.
2. Authenticity
Engage directly with families and trusted resources rather than relying on guesswork or assumptions.
3. Relevance
Choose celebrations based on the children, families and community within the setting—a busy urban nursery will have different needs from a rural setting.
4. Balance
Avoid large amounts of attention for a single festival while others are barely acknowledged.
5. Inclusion of Non-Celebrating Families
Not all families celebrate religious festivals, and their views need to be considered as part of an inclusive approach. Planning time should be used to reflect on which celebrations are appropriate for the setting and how they can be introduced in a meaningful way.
Engaging Parents and Carers
Families have first-hand knowledge of their own traditions, and drawing on this can significantly improve how celebrations are approached.
Practical ways to involve parents:
1. Celebration Questionnaires
Include a section in your welcome pack asking which cultural or religious festivals the family observe and how they celebrate at home.
2. “Share Your Tradition” Invitations
Some families may welcome the opportunity to visit the setting to share a story, demonstrate a song, or show an item that is important to their culture.
3. Translation Support
For families with English as an additional language, use visual communication, translation apps or bilingual staff where possible.
4. Avoid Assumptions
Not all families who share an ethnic background celebrate the same festivals. Some may be secular; others may observe traditions in a non-religious way.
By building trusting relationships, practitioners gain the confidence to ask respectful questions that lead to better, more meaningful celebrations.
Planning Culturally-Responsive Activities
When planning celebration activities, aim for sensory-rich, open-ended experiences that encourage exploration. Avoid overly complicated crafts that turn into adult-led art projects.
Examples of culturally-rich, inclusive learning experiences:
Diwali
- Rangoli patterns using coloured rice, petals or chalk
- Diya lamps made from air-dry clay
- Storytelling: Rama and Sita, with puppets and shadow play
Eid
- Henna-inspired pattern making using paint sticks and stencils
- Exploring traditional clothing textures and fabrics
- Preparing simple foods (if appropriate), such as dates
Chinese New Year
- Ribbon dancing and music exploration
- Sensory trays with rice, chopsticks and red envelopes
- Learning the zodiac animal of the year
Hanukkah
- Dreidel game as a counting and turn-taking activity
- Providing loose parts so children can explore and recreate the shape of a menorah.
- Storytelling with age-appropriate books about the festival
Vaisakhi
- Exploring Bhangra music and dance
- Sensory play inspired by harvest themes
- Role-play around community celebrations
Christmas (inclusive approach)
- Focus on traditions, weather, sensory play and songs
- Acknowledge both secular and religious celebrations
- Provide alternative activities for children whose families do not celebrate
These broad, open invitations offer opportunities for learning without reducing cultures to token crafts.
Linking Celebrations to EYFS Learning
Celebrations provide rich opportunities to support multiple areas of learning.
Communication & Language (C&L)
- Learning new vocabulary (e.g., “menorah”, “lantern”, “festival”)
- Listening to stories from different cultures
- Conversations about similarities and differences
Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED)
- Children develop confidence as they talk about their family traditions
- Encourages empathy and respect for others
- Supports sense of identity and belonging
Understanding the World (UTW)
- Exploring different beliefs, cultures and communities
- Making connections by comparing celebrations across cultures
Expressive Arts and Design (EAD)
- Exploring music, dance and drama
- Creating culturally-inspired art pieces
- Using colour, texture and pattern in new ways
By linking celebrations to the EYFS, practitioners ensure activities remain purposeful and pedagogically sound.
Building Staff Confidence Through Training
One barrier to inclusive celebration is staff confidence. Practitioners may worry about “getting it wrong,” causing offence or not having enough knowledge.
Effective strategies to support staff include:
- Cultural competence training
- Anti-bias and equality training
- Reflective discussions during staff meetings
- Peer learning, where staff research and present festivals to each other
- Choosing high-quality resources rather than relying on generic internet printables.
Staff who feel well supported are more likely to approach celebrations with confidence, care and accuracy.
Creating an Inclusive Environment
Celebrations should be part of a wider commitment to diversity. Settings should ensure that representation is visible throughout the year.
Ideas for continuous provision:
- Books featuring children from diverse backgrounds (not just festival-themed titles)
- Dolls, puppets and role-play clothing that reflect a variety of cultures
- Cooking utensils and foods that represent different cuisines
- Art resources with diverse skin-tone materials
- Displays featuring real photos of families, not stock images
When cultural diversity is visible throughout the setting, celebrations tend to feel like a natural part of daily practice rather than something added in for effect.
Navigating Common Challenges
Balancing multiple celebrations
It isn’t realistic for settings to explore every festival in depth. A more manageable approach is to focus on those most relevant to the children and families, while reviewing or rotating others over time.
Respecting families who do not celebrate
Where families choose not to take part in religious celebrations, alternative activities should be available, and no child should feel pressured to participate.
Avoiding stereotypes
Where possible, use real photographs and draw on families’ first-hand knowledge. Take care not to reduce a festival to a single image or idea, such as assuming the Chinese New Year is only about dragons or red decorations.
Food restrictions
Many celebrations involve food, so it’s important to check dietary requirements well in advance. Allergies, religious requirements and personal preferences should always be considered to ensure activities are safe and inclusive for every child.
Over-excitement and behaviour management
Celebrations can be highly stimulating, particularly for younger children. Planning ahead for quiet spaces, calming activities and sensory opportunities can help children manage their emotions and stay regulated throughout the day.
Conclusion
Creating a celebration-friendly nursery is about far more than adding themed activities to a calendar. It means developing an environment where children and families feel genuinely represented, respected and understood. When settings work closely with families, plan with intention and embed cultural diversity into everyday practice, celebrations become meaningful learning experiences rather than occasional events.
For early years professionals, the aim is not perfection but openness, respect and a willingness to learn. Even small, thoughtful changes can make a lasting difference to children’s sense of belonging, confidence and wellbeing.