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National Day Celebration at LOT Yishun: Sharing Joy, Gratitude and Belonging
National Day is more than a celebration of Singapore's birthday. For young children, it can be an opportunity to experience belonging, gratitude, community and togetherness through simple, meaningful activities.
At Little Olive Tree Yishun, this year's National Day celebration brought children, parents, teachers and seniors together through art, music, movement, friendship and acts of appreciation.
From an Infant class tent-painting activity with parents to classroom celebrations and an intergenerational visit by K1 and K2 children to St Luke’s ElderCare, the celebration gave our children different ways to experience what it means to be part of a community.
Celebrating Singapore Through Meaningful Experiences
For young children, national identity is often built through everyday experiences.
It can be found in singing a familiar Singapore song, waving a Singapore flag, wearing traditional clothing, creating something with their hands or spending time with people from another generation.
At Little Olive Tree Yishun, our National Day activities were designed around these simple experiences.
Rather than focusing only on the celebration itself, the children were given opportunities to create, connect, express themselves and show appreciation.
"These moments may seem small, but they can become meaningful memories for children as they grow."
A Special Tent-Painting Activity for Our Infants
Our Infant class had a special National Day experience with their parents through a parent-child tent-painting activity.
Parents and little ones explored colours together and painted their own small tents. The activity gave families an opportunity to slow down, create something together and enjoy the process of making memories.
"For infants, learning happens through sensory experiences and relationships." Holding a paintbrush, exploring different colours and watching marks appear on the fabric can turn a simple creative activity into an engaging experience.
Most importantly, parents were right there beside them.
The activity became less about creating a perfect tent and more about the shared experience. Little hands reaching for colours, parents encouraging their children and families enjoying time together.
Little Hands, Big Memories
Some of the most meaningful childhood memories are created through ordinary moments.
"A parent sitting beside a child.
A little hand reaching for a paintbrush.
A shared smile when a colourful mark appears."
These moments remind us that parent-child bonding does not always require elaborate activities. Sometimes, being present and creating something together is enough.
For our Infant class families, the tent-painting activity offered exactly that: a simple National Day experience filled with creativity, connection and togetherness.
National Day Fun for PlayGroup, PreNursery and Nursery
Our PG, PN and Nursery children also enjoyed a fun-filled National Day celebration in their classrooms.
The children came dressed in red and white or traditional costumes, bringing colour and excitement into the preschool.
They spent time singing, dancing and creating National Day crafts with their teachers.
For young children, these activities provide many opportunities to participate actively. They can move to music, explore colours, practise coordination and express their ideas through art.
At the same time, the children were introduced to the sights, sounds and traditions associated with celebrating Singapore.
"From a child proudly wearing a traditional outfit to friends standing together in front of the Singapore flag, these experiences helped make National Day feel personal and meaningful."
Learning Through Music, Movement and Art
National Day activities can naturally support different areas of children's development.
Music and singing allow children to explore rhythm, language and expression.
Movement and dancing encourage physical coordination and confidence.
Art and craft activities give children opportunities to make choices, experiment with materials and communicate their ideas.
Most importantly, these activities can happen within a social setting.
Children sing together.
They create together.
They watch their friends.
They celebrate together.
This combination of learning and connection is what makes special occasions meaningful in the preschool years.
K1 and K2 Connect With Seniors
For our K1 and K2 children, National Day took on another meaning through a visit to St Luke’s ElderCare.
The children had a meaningful time with seniors at St Luke’s ElderCare Nee Soon Central, where they shared activities, songs, crafts and conversation.
St Luke’s ElderCare's Nee Soon Central Centre is located at Blk 766.
This intergenerational experience gave the children an opportunity to see that community extends beyond their preschool, families and immediate circle of friends. "It also gave them a chance to practise something very important: showing care and appreciation towards others."
Preparing Goodie Bags and Thank-You Cards
Before the visit, the children received support from our centre parents to prepare goodie bags and thank-you cards for 55 seniors.
The preparation itself was part of the learning experience.
Children were not simply told to be thankful. They were given an opportunity to put appreciation into action.
They thought about what they could give.
They created cards.
They prepared items for the goodie bags.
And they looked forward to sharing these gifts with the seniors.
A handmade card may be simple, but for a young child, making something especially for another person can be a powerful way to understand kindness and gratitude.
Sharing Joy Across Generations
During the visit, the K1 and K2 children took part in several activities with the seniors.
They did Shou Zi Yao, played games, completed a National Day craft and sang “Xiao Ren Wu De Xin Shen” and “We Are Singapore.”
The room became a space where different generations could participate together.
There were smiles, music, movement and moments of interaction.
For children, meeting seniors in this setting can help broaden their understanding of community. Older adults are not simply people they see from a distance; they can be people they talk to, play with, create with and learn from.
"These experiences can also encourage children to practise social qualities such as patience, attentiveness and respect."
A Meaningful Ending: Handmade Cards for the Seniors
At the end of the session, the children presented their handmade cards to the seniors.
It was a simple gesture, but one that brought the experience together.
The children had prepared something with their own hands, travelled to meet the seniors and spent time sharing activities with them. Finally, they had the opportunity to personally give their cards.
The gesture reflected the heart of the celebration: sharing love, joy and appreciation with others.
National Day as a Lesson in Gratitude
National Day celebrations can be an opportunity to help children think about the people and communities around them.
Gratitude can begin with small things:
Saying thank you.
Making a card for someone.
Sharing an activity.
Helping to prepare a gift.
Spending time with someone who may feel different from us.
Appreciating the people who make up our community.
At Little Olive Tree Yishun, these experiences allowed children to practise gratitude through action rather than simply hearing about it.
Growing a Sense of Belonging
A child's sense of belonging develops through relationships.
It grows when children feel known by their teachers, supported by their families and connected to the people around them.
"This is why community experiences are valuable in the early years."
The National Day celebration brought together different parts of a child's world:
Family through the Infant parent-child tent-painting activity.
School through classroom celebrations, songs, crafts and costumes.
Community through the K1 and K2 visit to St Luke’s ElderCare.
Each experience offered a different way for children to participate and connect.
For our children, National Day was therefore not just about celebrating Singapore.
It was also about experiencing what it feels like to belong to something bigger than themselves.
More Than a Celebration
Looking back at the different activities across Little Olive Tree Yishun, what stands out is not just the red and white decorations.
"It is the children, experiencing relationships."
Parents sitting beside their little ones as they painted.
Children singing and creating with their teachers.
Friends celebrating together in their traditional costumes.
K1 and K2 children preparing gifts for seniors.
Children and seniors sharing games, songs and smiles.
"These are the moments that give celebrations meaning."
They remind children that a community is made up of people who care for one another, learn from one another and share in one another's joys.
A National Day to Remember
Our National Day celebration at Little Olive Tree Yishun was filled with colour, music, creativity and plenty of smiles.
But beyond the activities, it was a celebration of connection.
Our youngest children experienced the joy of creating with their parents. Our PG, PN and Nursery children celebrated through music, movement and art. Our K1 and K2 children extended their celebration into the wider community by spending meaningful time with seniors at St Luke’s ElderCare.
Together, these experiences showed our children that celebrating Singapore can also mean celebrating the people around us.
"Because sometimes, the most meaningful lessons are not found in a worksheet or a classroom."
They are found in a shared song, a handmade card, a helping hand, a painted tent and a smile exchanged between generations.
And those are the memories we hope our children will carry with them for years to come.
FAQs About the National Day Celebration at LOT Yishun
What did LOT Yishun do for National Day?
Little Olive Tree Yishun celebrated National Day through age-appropriate activities across different levels, including parent-child tent painting for infants, classroom celebrations for PlayGroup, PreNursery and Nursery children, and an intergenerational community visit for K1 and K2 children.
What did the Infant class do for National Day?
The Infant class took part in a special tent-painting activity with their parents. Parents and children explored colours and painted their own tents together as a parent-child bonding experience.
How did PlayGroup, PreNursery and Nursery children celebrate National Day?
The PG, PN and Nursery children celebrated in class by wearing red and white or traditional costumes, singing, dancing and creating National Day crafts with their teachers.
Where did the K1 and K2 children go for their National Day activity?
The K1 and K2 children visited St Luke’s ElderCare Nee Soon Central in Yishun as part of their National Day celebration.
What did the children do with the seniors?
The children took part in Shou Zi Yao, played games, completed a National Day craft and sang “Xiao Ren Wu De Xin Shen” and “We Are Singapore” with the seniors.
How many seniors received the goodie bags and cards?
The children prepared goodie bags and thank you cards for 55 seniors, with support from centre parents.
Why are intergenerational activities meaningful for preschool children?
Intergenerational activities can give young children opportunities to interact respectfully with older adults, practise kindness and gratitude, and experience community beyond their immediate family and school environment.
Conclusion
At Little Olive Tree Yishun, National Day was an opportunity to celebrate Singapore while helping children experience connection, gratitude and belonging.
From parent-child creativity in the Infant class to classroom celebrations and an intergenerational visit with seniors, each activity gave children a different way to participate and share joy.
These may be simple childhood moments, but they can become lasting memories. Memories of family, friendship, community and the people who helped make their early years meaningful.
