Anzac Day (April 25) is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand, honouring the service and sacrifice of soldiers. It marks the anniversary of the first major military action by the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) at Gallipoli in 1915.
Helping children engage with Anzac Day through age-appropriate activities builds understanding of history, respect, and community values. The following provides free Printables and Activities, Templates and Photo Ideas that will enable you to celebrate Anzac Day at your service and activities that can be implemented into the curriculum for children.
All About Anzac Day
- Meaning of ANZAC: Australian and New Zealand Army Corps.
- Origins: First used in Egypt in 1915 when soldiers prepared to fight at Gallipoli.
- Symbols:
- The red poppy – remembrance of those who served.
- The phrase “Lest We Forget”—a reminder to honour sacrifices.
- The ANZAC badge – worn by Gallipoli veterans from 1917.
Printables For Children
Anzac Day Colouring Pages - ANZAC Day Colouring Pages to remember our heroes. Colouring Pages to paint, colour, collage and as a discussion point to share the ANZAC Day tradition, and meaning and to commemorate this day of remembering - Our ANZACS, Lest We Forget!
Poppy Counting Mats - Poppy Counting Mats enable children to add the correct number of poppies corresponding to the number on each set by adding them to the grid. This helps children with identifying numbers and supports number recognition and one-to-one correspondence.
Remembering Soldiers Cut and Paste - Remembering Soldiers Cut and Paste is an activity that enables children to commemorate soldiers by cutting and pasting poppies around each silhouette image. This set can be laminated for longer lasting and used with play dough as well.
Templates
Peace In Our Hands - The Peace In Our Hands is a free template. This can be used as a momento for ANZAC Day and for children to show their support for ANZAC Day. The image to include should show the child's hands holding a poppy. The red poppy has become a symbol of war remembrance the world over. People in many countries wear the poppy to remember those who died in war or are serving in the armed forces.
ANZAC Day - Lest We Forget - The "Lest We Forget" Portfolio template enables educators to share how their children commemorated ANZAC Day.
Photo Ideas
Further Reading
Teaching Children About ANZAC Day: Why It Matters
ANZAC Day Storybooks for Children
Image References:
Image 1 - Phillipa Conochie, Pinterest
Image 2 - Nicole Schipper, Pinterest
Image 3 - Kathryn Kelly, Pinterest
Image 4 - Katie Kobylarz, Pinterest
Image 5 - Rebecca, Pinterest
Image 6 - Hannah, Pinterest
Image 7 - Rebecca, Pinterest
Image 9 - Nadouchk, Pinterest