It wouldn’t be Easter without Easter craft! Easter craft will look different in every classroom and this year we have a new basket to add to our collection of Easter craft for you to consider. If you are a subscriber we also have a super cute bilby ear activity for you - check it out in the additional resources section of the dashboard. 

Aboriginal people didn’t traditionally celebrate Easter so Easter craft isn’t a traditional activity but colouring an Easter basket is a good opportunity to have a yarn with students about Aboriginal art. It provides an opportunity to talk about how to respectfully engage with Aboriginal art and the stories it tells. This conversation will vary depending on the age of your students and the experience they have with Aboriginal art.

You might like to yarn about:

• The artist. Who are they? Who is their mob? What type of art do they create? 

• The story of the art being shared in the activity. 

• What other First Nations artists do the students know of? Are there any local artists whose work you can go and see? 

• What Aboriginal art is displayed around your school and local area? Who created it? 

• Aboriginal art is diverse – it is more than dot paintings. Aboriginal artists work in many media and create many styles of art. Can you find some examples? 

• The basket being coloured in this activity is shared with permission from the artist. How would students feel about their artwork being shared? Would they like it if it was shared without their permission or if someone made money from their art without paying them? 

• The fact that only Aboriginal people can create Aboriginal art.

If making Easter baskets is not your thing, check out our other Easter resources (Wingaru Egg Basket - Chloe Webb, Wingaru Easter Egg Puzzle, Word Find Bush Tucker Foods - Eggs, Memory Game Bush Tucker Foods - Eggs, Look and Find Bush Tucker Foods - Eggs) where we focus on eggs and their role as bush tucker. If you are a subscriber, you will find our full collection of Easter resources, including subscriber only activities in the Additional Resources section of the platform.

Teachers are educating for life. Simple conversations from a young age can support a growing understanding of what constitutes unacceptable art appropriation. There is so much to think about and discuss, turning a simple craft session into a meaningful inclusion of First Nations content. Don’t forget to share your completed baskets and tag us on social media - I love seeing your gorgeous creations!