At Little Big People Early Learning, NAIDOC Week is one of the most exciting and enriching weeks of our year. This July, we are bringing the spirit of celebration and learning to life through traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander games — physical activities that connect children to Australia’s oldest living cultures through movement, play, and joy.
Movement as Cultural Knowledge
In Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, physical activity has always been far more than exercise. Traditional games were — and continue to be — vehicles for:
– Teaching survival skills and physical readiness
– Building community bonds and cooperative relationships
– Passing on cultural knowledge across generations
– Celebrating and maintaining connection to Country
– Developing agility, strength, coordination, and spatial awareness
At Little Big People Early Learning, we honour this tradition by exploring traditional games with care, context, and genuine enthusiasm — always acknowledging where these games come from and the communities to which they belong.
Traditional Games in Our NAIDOC Week Program
Kolap (Torres Strait Islands)
Kolap is a traditional ball game from the Torres Strait Islands, played with a ball made from woven pandanus leaves. In our version, children practise passing, catching, and team movement activities, learning about the Torres Strait community and their island home as they play.
Wana (Central Australia)
Inspired by traditional stick activities, Wana involves children using paddles or flat sticks to keep a ball aloft or guide it along a course. This activity develops hand-eye coordination, concentration, and fine motor control.
Running and Relay Games
Traditional relay-style running games were common across many Aboriginal communities — building speed, endurance, and the joy of shared effort. We set up simple relay courses and discuss how running and physical preparedness were central to life on Country.
Stone and Target Games
Many traditional games involved skill-based throwing at targets — using stones, sticks, or seeds. We create age-appropriate versions using soft balls, beanbags, and hoops, focusing on accuracy, turn-taking, and spatial awareness.
Stalking and Awareness Games
Inspired by traditional hunting practices that required stealth and heightened awareness, we create quiet, movement-focused games where children must move slowly, quietly, and with careful attention to their surroundings. These games develop body control, patience, and mindfulness.
Beyond the Games: Building Cultural Understanding
At Little Big People Early Learning, our NAIDOC Week physical program is always paired with cultural context. Before each game, educators share:
– Where the game comes from and who traditionally played it
– Why this activity mattered in the cultural context
– The name of the game in its original language where known
– A moment of acknowledgement and gratitude
We want children to understand that these games are gifts — shared pieces of extraordinary cultural knowledge — and that our responsibility is to receive them with respect.
Inviting Families to Join
We warmly invite families to join us for NAIDOC Week movement sessions where children demonstrate the games they have learned. These shared moments create beautiful community connections and help families continue the cultural learning conversations at home.
Keywords: NAIDOC Week physical activities, traditional Aboriginal games, Little Big People Early Learning, Indigenous games preschool, NAIDOC Week 2025, cultural physical education, movement cultural learning, First Nations games children, NAIDOC Week activities Queensland, early learning physical cultural program
Sources and Further Reading:
– NAIDOC Committee – www.naidoc.org.au
– AIATSIS – www.aiatsis.gov.au
– Reconciliation Australia – www.reconciliation.org.au
– Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) – www.acecqa.gov.au
– Early Childhood Australia – www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au
– Raising Children Network – www.raisingchildren.net.au