Top resources to get your centre NAIDOC Week ready

We love supporting educators celebrating NAIDOC Week (6-13 July 2025), helping children to build knowledge of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and a deeper understanding of traditional practices and beliefs.

We’ve handpicked some of our best resources that are educationally sound, as well as culturally authentic, created in partnership with First Nations creators who are quite simply, incredible in their art, design and storytelling. Like you, they’re passionate about sharing their stories for the next generation. And that’s what NAIDOC WEEK 2025 is all about!

These innovative resources are purpose-built for early childhood – tactile, hands-on, interactive and collaborative. They provide meaningful cultural additions to your resource offering throughout NAIDOC Week and beyond.  

Sensory experiences to embed cultural learning

Sensory play offers a unique way for children to engage with Indigenous stories and culture. Children love exploring textures, sounds and shapes in play-based learning. So get the sand, playdough, beads and shells ready!

Designed in the shape of our country, the Aboriginal Flag Australia Sensory Tray features the colours of the Aboriginal flag. It prompts discussion around the significance of the flag’s colours while encouraging sensory exploration. Fill the tray with any number of sensory items for storytelling and learning.

Hand made in Australia from radiata pine, the Aboriginal Symbols Sand Drawing Game lets children trace beautiful art symbols with their fingers. They then use the screed to smooth out the sand to create their next masterpiece. Card illustrations are by Aboriginal artist Shareen Clayton, a proud Wiradjuri woman.

Explore Aboriginal culture through art and symbols

We know children love art and craft, right? It teaches creative expression, helps develop fine motor skills and more. Art is also a powerful medium for celebrating identity and culture. For NAIDOC Week, stock up your art and craft cupboard with resources that shed a light on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives in an engaging way. 

Let’s start with rollers! We love these two sets that will be a hit in any culturally inspired play activity and are MTA Kinder funding favourites! Aboriginal Animal Track Rollers introduce children to Australian animals. The set features tracks of animal faves – kangaroo, emu and goanna – as well as animal outlines for stamping. The other roller set we love for NAIDOC Week is the Aboriginal Story Rollers set which has beautifully crafted rollers embossed with traditional Aboriginal symbols.

Just add dough!

Roll the animal or story rollers through dough or paint to create designs of animal tracks, shapes or symbols that spark important conversations about Australia's rich natural history and Aboriginal art traditions. 

From rolling to stamping. Keep the dough and paint close by and add the Aboriginal Symbol Stampers Set into the mix! These ten beautifully designed stampers feature symbols that connect to themes of hunting and Country, providing a fun way to learn about culture through art.

DID YOU KNOW? Symbols have long played an important role in Aboriginal culture to communicate stories, events and knowledge. Using rollers or stampers, children can discover how Aboriginal people use symbols to represent life and connection to the land. Aboriginal symbols carry fluid meanings that can vary by community, making them rich tools for learning about culture and storytelling. 

Top tip: kit up!

Love the rollers and stampers? We’ve assembled an Aboriginal Art Creative Kit which contains all of the above and a whole lot more. There are stickers and glorious A4 paper sheets from Indigenous artist, John Smith Gumbula. There are cute shrink film animals from Indigenous creator, Luke Mallie. Plus two types of Creatistics dough too.

Provide a window into the rich traditions of First Nations Peoples through books

Storytime! Assemble your eager learners and read stories together this NAIDOC Week. There are some stunning books to adorn your bookshelves to bring culture, Country and Aboriginal art into your learning space.

The Sharing First Nations Stories collection features twelve beautifully illustrated books. Each shares a unique story, celebrating the deep connection to Country that holds cultural significance.

Big books, big impact

There’s something special about big books. Their size and colour make them so captivating. Educators love these vibrant big books that blend learning with Australia’s cultural heritage with artwork by Dharug artist-educator Leanne Watson Redpath and the writing of Dharug custodian Rhiannon Wright.

Take children on a journey through the bush with the Australian Bush Alphabet Big Book. Introduce learners to the ABCs while celebrating the unique animals that call Australia home. The Counting Indigenous Discovery Big Book sees young readers counting and rhyming with Australian native animals as they glide, sprint and swim gracefully across the spectacular artwork.

Use puzzles and games to explore Aboriginal art & cultural heritage

Hands-on, interactive, beautifully designed by First Nations artists... tick! Introduces children to Indigenous culture and visual storytelling through intricate designs and vibrant colours... tick! Let’s look at some puzzles and games for your NAIDOC Week games corner. 

The Aboriginal Art Dominoes set features artwork by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artist Luke Mallie. This 28-piece wooden set helps to develop matching skills, logical thinking and coordination, while building cultural appreciation. 

The Gumbula Aboriginal Art Puzzles set includes four hand-cut wooden puzzles, featuring artwork by John Smith Gumbula. Each puzzle showcases earthy tones, reflecting the cultural connection between Australia’s First Nations people and the land

Setting up your cultural storytelling corner

An eyecatching rug for storytime, scatter cushions to rest on, wall hangings that teach, a tablecloth, textural tabletop pieces to explore and capes for the dress up box. Create a home to celebrate NAIDOC WEEK in your learning space that can become a permanent cultural corner children will love.

Let’s start with your rug! We’re obsessed with the Camp Site Round Rug, designed by Aboriginal creator, Caitlin Trindall. With a 200 cm diameter, it features culturally significant patterns, making it the perfect addition to any NAIDOC Week themed environment. Titled ‘Always Connected’, the artwork reflects the central meeting place where communities come together to share Aboriginal traditions.

The Camp Site Table Cloth continues the theme and look on your tabletop, ready for cultural exploration! Cailtin Trindall also designed the stunning Mirii Art Round Aboriginal Cushions Set. The stage is almost set in your space to explore stories for NAIDOC Week. 

But wait! You need a tabletop centrepiece. The Gathering Bush Tucker Set features hand-made, traditional Aboriginal bush play foods that have been harvested for sustenance and medicinal purposes for thousands of years, and include the bunya nut, lilly pilly, macadamia nut, native raspberry and wattle seed... all cradled in a coolamon, a culturally important vessel used for carrying food, water and babies.

For your wall? The 20 Aboriginal Symbols Sign will introduce children to Aboriginal storytelling symbols. This rainbow-coloured sign is waterproof and durable, so you can take it outdoors for stories and learning too.

Something for your cultural learners to wear during NAIDOC Week celebrations? Aboriginal animal dress-up capes showcase Indigenous wildlife artworks by Leanne Watson Redpath. Each soft cape is adorned with vibrant animal designs (and hook-and-loop closure for easy wear!). You can choose your set of five capes – kangaroo, emu, crocodile, magpie and cockatoo here or a newly released set with dingo, turtle, eagle, shark and frog here. The lightweight capes are built for movement, making them ideal for cultural narratives and creative learning through visual art.